Maska memories in Mahim

Food WholesomePackage SpillagefreeService Attentiveverdict 34One evening en route to SoBo we checked out Maska Bakery Designed as a cloud kitchen they also welcome patrons to drop by On that day they were busy with a photo shoot and so we excused ourselves after soaking in the wafting aroma of baked goodies Last week we placed a hearty order and relied on a delivery app to reach us in Vile Parle Our wish list arrived in excellent shape minus any spillage or shifting of food itemsThere was sufficient buzz on social media about this new space that was dubbed as founder and baker Heena Punwanirsquos cityrsquos iconic eateries and Irani cafeacutes The bakes take inspiration from the iconic Parsi and Irani outposts The blueandwhite packaging is an ode to Art Deco elements every order is padded with instructions making it easy to follow and preserve the item We got three generations of citizens to try the fare with usBread jamThe Jewish celebratory sweet bread is braided and dressed in good olrsquo pudina chutney and is presented as Kejriwal chutney babka Chhota loaf R381 It reminded us of school days and packed chutneysandwich lunches The bread is moist and light at the same time A perfect afternoon snack with a cup of chai the smallsize loaf is enough for sharing and will keep you sated for several evenings should you choose to eat it soloAssorted eclairs Rs 530 for three come as a trio Before we discuss the flavours it is imperative to take a moment to appreciate the eacuteclair base which is like a buttery crisp biscuit After our review when we reached Punwani she told us that she experimented with with the temperatures to craft the perfect bite We try three flavours chocolate hazelnut praline classic vanilla bean and strawberry amp cream eclairs The first one is textured indulgence with a filling of praline cream and coated with a dark chocolate glaze sprinkled with thin Feuilletine crumbled crecircpe crisps and caramelised nuts We break the chocolate monotony with the hefty strawberry and cream eacuteclair overdressed in tart strawberry compote mascarpone cream and sprinkled with pistachio The classic chocolate also has the creamy vanilla diplomat custard cream filling in nononsense chocolate coat and garnished with chocolate pearlsAssorted eclairsBread jam Rs 254 is our favourite pick igniting a backtoschool nostalgia In the rsquo90s jambutterbread combo was every childrsquos sweet indulgence In Punwanirsquos kitchen it turns into a buttery brioche topped with seasonal strawberry compote brown butter almond frangipane and toasted almondsThe citybased baker takes a page from her own favourite French dessert Bostock brioche and almond frangipane baked together to add a twist to give the humble jam bread snack a liftKejriwal babkaFrom the solo indulgences wersquove picked the almond toffee cake Rs 402 We are reminded of a joke As an adult we tend to forget that we can buy a cake hop into our car and nobody can stop us This mini threelayered chocolate cakelet slathered with a hazelnut ganache and chunky hazelnut toffee is for such days when there is a desire to eat an entire cake just becauseThe prettiest of the lot is Cynthiarsquos Rose cookies box of six for Rs 381 are the flavour dynamite that come in small packagesThey are a bakerrsquos version of Keralite rice achappamsIt pairs well for a chaitime treatMaska BakeryAt Unit 4 and 5 Nav Vivek Industrial Estate Mogul Lane Mahim WestTime 11 am to 9 pm Mondays closedCall 8591162752Log on to thrivenowinmaskabakeryFrom the bakerHeena Punwani who is an engineerturnedbaker recalls her growing up days of visiting different bakeries and food spots across the city with her father ldquoEspecially Yazdani where I would savour the apple pie while my dad enjoyed his bun maska The eclairs are a combination of my memories of the oldfashioned classics at Gaylord Bakery and the elegant ones I encountered in Paris The Kejriwal babka is so you can eat a Kejriwal at home with a sunnyside over it but as is it is the comfort of the classic chutney sandwich I chose the name Maska because it tells you that this bakery cannot be anywhere but in Bombayrdquo44 Exceptional 34 Excellent 24 very Good 14 Good 044 Average Maska Bakery didnrsquot know it was us The Guide reviews anonymously and pays for meals