Smoke House Deli is the newest entrant in the upmarket and plush downtown Colaba. Located right behind The Taj Mahal Palace hotel, in the vicinity of Social, the newly opened deli stands out not only because of its impressive facade, but it also fits in with the neighbourhood owning to its classic white colour. After months of WFH, courtesy the pandemic, we visited South Bombay to check out the new venue, and here's what we discovered.
The moment we stepped inside the 90-seater restaurant, we couldn’t help but notice covid protocol-friendly elements that have been replicated from other outlets of Smoke House Deli in Lower Parel and Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC). Glass partitions, QR code stickers on tables (that enable diners to browse the menu and place orders) and cutlery wrapped in paper - all introductions for safe dining seem to have become the new norms. But what's still around that provides a sense of familiarity are the doodles on walls and the menu that boasts European comfort food that includes everything from pastas, pizzas, and risotto to American staples such as waffles and pancakes. However, there's a newly added charcuterie section and that's what excited us!
The first dish to arrive at our table was a platter of dips and crips that included hummus, beetroot borani dip, guacamole, sundried tomatoes and cashew pesto served with nachni lavash, melba toast, buttered Khari and breadsticks. While the lavash was quite hard, we absolutely loved their soft buttered Khari. It paired well with the hummus and smooth guacamole! Next we sampled their melon and feta salad. Although the feta was a tad bit disappointing because of its rough texture, the apt mix of different flavours salvaged the salad. The pickled rind tossed with different greens, and toasted melon seeds with the right amount of crunch created a melody of sorts on our palate. We were busy finishing the salad when the aroma of freshly baked pizza distracted us. The Basil Almond Pesto Pizza generously topped with roasted tomato, parmesan and toasted almonds was divine. If you like basil, you must try this pizza. If you don’t, then this pizza will surely help you acquire a taste for it.
The next two dishes we tried were Ricotta Stuffed Tortellini and Smoked Tomato and Mascarpone Risotto. Tortellini served with roasted vegetables in sage butter sauce was just slightly salty but the risotto was just perfect. Made with Assamese rice and topped with toasted hazelnuts, roasted baby tomatoes and basil - this smokey, tangy dish was a sight to behold. For dessert, we tried their mildly sweet (and very soft) baked Philly cheesecake which was served with berry compote. But we concluded our lavish meal with an Espresso Martini, a balanced concoction of vodka, coffee and sugar, which helped us stay awake.
What's different about this Smoke House Deli that makes it a preferred venue in South Bombay? It's the calm and quiet location and of course the well-curated menu. Except for their Roasted Root Veggies and Quinoa Burger, which was very sweet for our liking, there were barely any other complaints.
Price for two: Rs 1500
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