It is a perfect Sunday afternoon. The city has been blessed with a sudden spell of showers, which we can witness from the gorgeous French windows across our seats at Clubhouse Taj Club House off Mount Road. As their in-house artiste Wahida Gomes croons Kaisi Paheli, we sing along and take a look at the extended brunch buffet that has everything from sushi to Swiss cheese, making it tough for us to not get overwhelmed by it all.
Luckily, help is at hand, courtesy the executive chef Sumeet Sood, who suggests that we try their ‘small plates’. Explaining the concept he says, “It is a degustation menu of sorts, served at the table. These are usually dishes for one and can be anything from a choice of grill, a shawarma or falafel, a kebab plate, or even a pizza. The ingredients are available at the live counters, guests can simply choose what they want, and our chefs will plate it up for you.”
No Sunday brunch is complete without a mimosa, and we are urged to try some of their signature cocktails which include a delightful, fruity sangria, a spiced cocktail of turmeric, gin and star anise and a classic shandy that boasts a gentle ginger aftertaste. But what really got us ready for the meal was the Very Bloody Mary, a spicy concoction that lifted our spirits and cleansed our palates in equal measure. Our small plates arrive as perfect accompaniments to our cocktails — a platter that includes a creamy Murgh Malai Tikka, charred just enough on the tandoor to give it a slightly smoky flavour, a delicious black pomfret rubbed with spices and cooked over a grill, and Chatpate Aloo, baked baby potatoes coated with tangy spices.
Well aware of what a soup can do to our appetite, we refuse the course but the chef Sumeet insists we sample their laksa soup. Reluctantly, we approach the soup counter, where we pick from an array of ingredients that include prawns, chicken, spring onion, lemongrass and kaffir lime. A fragrant, creamy laksa broth is poured over it, instantly drawing us in, with its comforting coconutty flavours, as Sumeet glides in with an ‘I-told-you-so’ look and a plate of falafel.
After a bite of the wholesome chicken shawarma, we move on to main courses. First up is a Seafood Saffron Risotto, arborio rice cooked in a creamy wine and saffron sauce and packed with everything from fish and prawns to squid – truly a seafood lover’s paradise in a bite. But what we really loved was a good ol' Indian curry called the Panch Poran Murgh (chicken tempered with spices in a cashew gravy), best had with a piping hot piece of garlic naan.
Sundays from 12.30 pm to 3.30 pm. Cost for one: Rs 2,650 (with beverages) or Rs 2,000 all-inclusive. Details: 6631-3131