Three years after opening its first outlet in the heart of Mumbai, Bandra-Kurla Complex, Butterfly High decided to make Thane its next stop. The newly launched resto-bar, spread across 3500 sq ft seems to have hit all the right buttons! Why do we say this? It's because by early evening on a weekday, the pub was packed and all the tables were full.
Large glass windows, bright coloured furniture with floral upholstery, cane lampshades and chandeliers, black and white geometrical tiles and a kaleidoscope of butterflies suspended from the roof for decor - all these elements make this pub totally Instagram-able. The highlight is definitely the opulent bar that stretches from one end to the other.
The stunning bar gave us all the more reasons to opt for a table next to it. We started our tasting with the Hawaii Pineapple. Served in a pineapple, the picture-worthy cocktail was a fine concoction of vodka and pineapple. The food menu has everything you can think of from Dhokla Dabeli to Gassi Curry, Shiv Sagar Pav Bhaji to Malaysian Korma, and Khao Suey to Masala Fried Rawas. Honestly, the extensive food menu didn't quite impress us! Multi-cuisine is the easiest way to take for any resto-bar, so we had our reservations. But what followed, totally won us over...
The first dish we sampled was the Red Quinoa and Granny Smith Salad. This classic dish was a good start. The mix of tangy and sweet flavours, and play of different textures was just perfect. The Kothimbir Vadi, a staple from the Maharashtrian cuisine was served next. But how different can a traditional snack be? Not much, but here's why Butterfly High impressed us. They got the crunchiness of the vadi right, and the coriander flavour was spot on! Kasundi Fish Tikka and Dahi Ke Kebab were served next. Again, nothing experimental, just simple and truly delicious bar eats that we paired with the Basil Whiskey cocktail, which was our moment of surprise. Whiskey is a complicated liquor. Experimenting with it, is a bold step to take, and that's what Butterfly High has attempted, and this basil cocktail impressed us. Right from the first sip when the aroma of basil hits your senses, it was a smooth drink.
Deciding on main course was difficult, like we said earlier, the food menu is extensive! The first dish we tried was the vegetarian Gassi with Appams. The spicy Mangalorean curry and soft and fluffy appams were quite delicious. Lamb Malaysian Korma with Malabari Paratha was served next. This was an interesting combination. The stark flavour of the kafir lime leaf was the highlight of the korma. The lamb was tender and the gravy wasn't too spicy and went well with the crisp paratha. For dessert the Hazelnut Pistachio Baklava and Lotus Biscoff Cheesecake were highly recommended, and since we still had an appetite for something sweet, we sampled both. The baklava was a let down because of the inconsistent pastry layers and the flavourless filling. But the cheesecake redeemed us from being totally disappointed. It was rich, smooth and the flavours of lotus and biscoff complemented well. Just what we needed to end our meal on a high!
Rs 1500 ++ for two. At The Unique, Hiranandani Estate Rd, Thane West
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