Café Basilico

Paraphrasing the hit from the 90's hit by the C&C Music Factory, Café Basilico is one of those "Things that make you go mmmm" because everything about this place from the location to the decor to the food is definitely mmmmmmlicious. There are actually two outlets of Cafe Basilico in Mumbai. The original outlet at Colaba which offers all meals from breakfast to dinner and the charming Bandra outlet which I visited which is open for lunch and dinner. Cafe Basilico, Bandra provides you with the option of dining indoors or outdoors. We opted for an alfresco lunch, a wise choice on a balmy January afternoon. While the cafe is cool and welcoming inside, the dining area outside has its own rustic charm with an improbable combination of purple walls, warm woody overtones in the furniture and lots of bamboo which comes together quite beautifully.

And where the decor does not disappoint, the food definitely surpasses all expectations. The menu is extensive and runs the gauntlet from soups, salads and sandwiches to heartier fare amongst the main course and desserts. All of this can be washed down with a choice of smoothies, mocktails and quite a decent selection of teas and coffee. The menu includes items from a variety of cuisines including Italian, Lebanese, Mediterranean and Thai dishes. However my favourite part is that there are plenty of options for vegetarians to choose from! Just to give you an idea, if you prefer sandwiches you can indulge yourself from a selection as diverse as Mediterranean Grilled Veggies to Pita Pockets with Falafel and Sour Yogurt to wait for it......Char Grilled Tofu sandwich! All vegetarians sandwiches are also completely eggless......even the mayo is cent percent shakahari! The selection in the main course is equally eclectic ranging from a variety of pastas to Balinese curry and Moroccan broth.

We started the meal with an Asparagus, Grilled Zucchini and Mushroom salad with iceberg lettuce and peppers which comes with a choice of two dressings: creamy parmesan or light (and healthy!) balsamic vinaigrette. I opted for the vinaigrette and I must say that the combination of fresh, crisp veggies and a near perfect vinaigrette dressing was a mind blowing combination: good for your taste buds AND waistline. Of course my pious mood of watching what I eat did not last too long.......to be precise it lasted all of five minutes until the Garlic Mozzarella Bread was put on the table. This was cheesy, decadent and delicious but I do wish they took the trouble to serve the ketchup in bottles or containers, seeing it served in satchets was SUCH a turn off. Moreover the oregano tasted more like basil: minor inconveniences but they did mar the overall experience.

The main course included Gnocchi in Red Pimento Pesto Sauce. Though not outstanding it was definitely a nice enough dish and one from which some Italian eateries in New Delhi (especially the highly overrated Italia in Vasant Kunj) could take a few pointers on how to balance the essentially bland gnocchi with a slightly sharp sauce. However the winner of the afternoon was definitely the Conchiglie Pasta. A mouth watering combination of slow roasted zucchini, garlic, peppers and sun dried tomatoes with spiced olive oil and parmesan, the effort that went into the preparation of this dish definitely showed in every scrumptious bite. Even the non-vegetarians amongst us agreed it was one of the highlights of the menu. A divine cheesecake signalled the perfect end to a near perfect meal.

All in a visit to Cafe Basilico is definitely recommended next time you are in Mumbai. And if you are living in Mumbai and haven't visited yet.........what are you waiting for my friend......rush NOW!!

Ambience: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Food: 4.5/5