From the outside, it looks like any other corporate building. Glass panels, employees in crisp shirts and pointed shoes going in and out of the building, security checks for bags, and an elevator system we laymen could not understand even if we tried to. But as soon as we reach the first floor of the International Business Park in Goregaon’s Oberoi Garden City, we are transported into a whole new world of tropical paradise. Confused?
Emitting major Bali vibes with its serene white sand colour palette, abundant natural light reflecting off the clear glass windows, a striking elephant statue symbolizing the spirit of wildlife and linen and bamboo chandeliers, we now enter the world of Baliboo.
It was not just the interiors that made us interested in the place. The fact that it took seven chefs to curate this 89-dish menu, which is a blend of blend Asian, Continental, and Indian, made us more and more curious to check out the food. Now, this would be a delight for vegetarians as this is one of the few four-star restaurants out there which has more veg dishes on the menu as compared to non-veg. And, it has a dedicated section for Jain options as well!
Also read: Bake Live Studio opens its third café and artisanal bakery in Girgaon Chowpatty
We started this culinary journey with a hot cup of Vietnamese soup. What’s better than soup on a rainy monsoon day, right? Tailored to the Indian taste, it had a touch of sweetness that almost reminded us of our classic Sweetcorn soup. However, the fair number of house-made wontons, clear glass noodles and Vietnamese chilli sauce gave it a unique taste. We were very happy about the Very Berry salad that came in next to our table. A little sweet and a little nutty, it is perfect for the healthy diet we are all dreaming of achieving one day.
Coming to the main course, we tried out one of the most Instagrammable dishes here — Pink Sushi. For a vegetarian sushi, it passed the taste test with flying colours. Filled with carrot, radish, avocado and cucumber, the cherry on the top was the cheese slice topped with spicy mayo. There’s a purple option too if you don’t like the colour pink, called Avacado Cucumber Roll. For fish lovers, you can try out the Truffle Salmon Uramaki.
Now, who can leave without trying a dish or two from the Italian section? Especially if the chef Nikhil Kedar, who has also worked under popular chef Gordan Ramsay, has expertise in European cuisine. We try the Fettucini Cacio A Pepe — Parmesan and pepper infused Fettucini pasta along with Ravioli Quattro Fromaggio finished in rose vodka sauce. Let us tell you, we are ready to die of overeating these portions of pasta than to miss even a single bite. Creamy, flavourful and simple is what we can best describe them as.
We finish off our meal with a glass of Gin and Rose Sparkling, named Rosetta. It keeps the taste of the wine but hits like a gin.
Meal for two: INR 1,500 onwards. At Goregaon, Mumbai
Mail: surbhi@newindianexpress.com
X: sur02shah
Also read: Here’s where you can enjoy a millet-full delicious Sunday brunch in Mumbai