The French Despatch

Cafe Noir garden salad

We Indians love France, and when we say that, most refer to Paris. The Eiffel Tower, a walk by the Seine, and Champs-elysees, our very own India Gate, add to the romance. The French are the lords of food, acing cooking techniques and inspiring the world to catch up. When we learnt that a French-inspired cafe had opened in Lower Parel's World One Tower, we decided to drop by for lunch. We walked past the spot where Qualia stood a few months ago, and felt heavy in our hearts. Cafe Noir spelled hope, and of new beginnings for the F&B scene in the city.

Cerise and Quiche De Bresse

Dressed in a black-and-white colour palette, the bright maroon sofas add a dramatic pop. The cafe, which serves Italian, American, and continental fare along with a casual French menu seems like a great option to read a book, or grab a quick bite with friends. It also has an extensive wine list and we hear they make a mean sangria, too.

This one debuts in Mumbai after a decade of being in Bengaluru across eight locations. After working at five-stars like JW Marriott and The Oberoi, chef Daniel Koshy has come on board as culinary director of the venture that was formerly started by two French siblings, Thierry and Jean Michel. It is now owned by V&RO Hospitality and headed by co-founder Dawn Thomas.

The interiors are dressed in a black-and-white palette. Pics/Atul Kamble

Our meal starts with a signature cafe latte (Rs 215). It comes with a sprinkle of cinnamon dust, and the coffee was a specialty from a Coorg estate. The croissant (Rs 200) is a letdown - it is over-baked, over-flaky and dense inside, instead of being light and airy. The Quiche De Bresse (Rs 325) is creamy roasted chicken with mushroom that hits the right notes. Cafe Noir garden salad (Rs 525) has a generous portion of lettuce, roasted beetroot, broccoli puree, amaranth puff, avocado and herb dressing. It has the freshness of veggies and a tart hit of the dressing.

While the flavours of the truffle-scented mushroom cream crêpe (Rs 445) are delicate and precise, we don't enjoy the thickness of the crepe which is uneven and at points, rather doughy on the palate. Our final main is a buttery John Dory fillet (Rs 1,050) on a bed of tomato livornese sauce and basil oil. The fish is flaky and each bite packs in the flavours well. For dessert we eat an apple, well, not literally. Cerise (Rs 225) is a Valrhona chocolate mousse with a filling of cooked blueberries.

At: Cafe Noir, World Crest, unit no 1A & 1B, Lodha, Upper Worli, Lower Parel
Time: 8 am to 11 pm
Call: 9730427206