Earlier this year, right before the beef ban and all its related hoopla hit the press, we visited Bandra’s Smokehouse Deli to try out their new menu. While I’ve been to Smokehouse on a couple of occasions before and loved their hand drawn walls, the bread baskets and their cheesecakes, their options for starters and mains – beyond sandwiches and pastas – have always left me underwhelmed.
This time around however, there were quite a few new additions and we started our night at Casa Del Bougainvillea – that’s what the building which houses Smokehouse Deli is called, I presume – with a High Street Chicken Noodle Soup.
The soup came in a small kettle and we had to pour it over a bowl of crispy noodles, greens and sliced chicken breast. I loved the fresh lemongrass flavor of the soup and the texture contrast the noodles provided. In comparison, the Eggplant and Miso Soup served with Tabouleh we had next felt flat and very heavy on the palate and was soon left aside.
I am a huge fan of breads (and other carb laden foods) and so the trio of Bruschetta we ate next was hugely enjoyable. These Bruschetta didn’t have the usual tomato sauce and cheese that you find in most places but instead, had some interesting combos like artichoke and spinach, chickpea and onion and tomato and feta. My favourite? Definitely the artichoke! We also liked the Veg Fritto Misto – basically, posh bhajiyas – more so because of the lovely cheese crumble they came topped with.
Not having had our fill of starters yet, we went ahead and ordered the Lemongrass Chicken Skewers and the Lamb and Chipotle Patties. While the latter was my favourite dish of the night with the lamb simply melting in your mouth, I felt that the skewers were a bit bland and could have done with a bit more flavour. I must say though that the chicken on those skewers was perfectly cooked and very tender to eat.
We moved on to the mains after that and tried the Saffron and Seafood Paella. I loved the fresh flavours of coriander and lemongrass used in the dish and felt they paired well with the seafood and the squid. More so, I loved the cute little pan that the paella was served in – if this is not a sign that I am cute girly girl I don’t know what is!
Having had our fill of fish, we also indulged in the Three Peppercorn Crusted Steak, which came with spiced mushrooms. Not only was the meat juicy to eat but the hollandaise that went with it was also delicious and the beans nicely sautéed and crisp. The steak continues to be on their menu which means that they use water buffalo meat now rather than cow beef but don’t let that change your choice as Chef Glyston and his team does great justice to the steak!
Magically, we still had space for dessert and tried the Thyme Croissant with Lemon Mascarpone and the Apple and Raisin Tarte Tatin. Both of these were enjoyable but my heart did secretly miss the Philly Cheese Cake I know and love.
Overall, the new menu at Smokehouse Deli introduces some great new options for diners across all categories. I’d love to go back and try their new burgers and sandwiches too – especially the Southwest Lamb Burger and the Chorizo Sandwich, both of which have received great feedback from my fellow food enthusiast friends. Chef Glyston and his team at Bandra also do a great job interacting with the guests and having waiters who know the various components of a dish is such a breath of fresh air!
Ratings out of 5
Food: 4 | Ambiance: 3.5 | Service: 4.5 | Overall: 4
Meal for Two: Rs 2500/- plus taxes | Alcohol: Yes | Credit Card: Yes|
Timing: 11.30 AM to 12:00 AM| Wheelchair access: No
Address: Clove At 33rd Road, B. R. Ambedkar Road, Pali Hill, Bandra West, Mumbai 400050
Telephone: 022 65287800
Disclaimer: This review was done on an invitation from the restaurant. Due judgment and care has been applied by the author to remain objective and unbiased in the review; however readers may exercise their own discretion.
