If you didn’t think Smoke House Deli could get any better, you’re in for a wonderful surprise. They have just added many new delicious dishes to their already eclectic menu!
Chef Glyston Gracias explained to us that he really wanted to create a family style dining experience. He is serving large dishes meant for sharing, to encourage conversation and to encourage people to engage with the meal (rather than staring at our phones!). Please note that many of the dishes you will see below were created in smaller scale for the tasting (a girl can only eat so much!).
We started with the “Coal smoked eggplant with miso + Tabbouleh” soup, my favorite dish of our meal. I love soup. Due to the climate in Mumbai, I rarely find myself being able to enjoy it, as they are often too heavy or creamy. That was not the case with this soup. This was a perfect light soup, meant to wet the palate and get you ready for the next course. You could taste the delicate roasted eggplant in each smooth spoonful. With the Tabbouleh adding a nice grainy crunch. I highly recommend this dish.
The Watermelon, Feta and Arugula salad was quite average for me. I found it to be lacking in flavor. The Feta did not have its usual tartness to balance the sweet watermelon. Also, they had added slices of red chili peppers, which didn’t really belong. I also felt that it needed a bit of a nutty crunch, rather than the sweet wafers added on top. I much prefer their Goat cheese and California Orange salad.
Another highlight of this meal was the innovative “Roast tenderloin and Garlic jam Choux Sliders” appetizer. The tenderloin was moist and full or flavor, and the garlic jam added a hint of sweetness. Chef Glyston had also topped the tenderloin with lightly fried onion rings for an extra crunch and arugula for some freshness. The choux was unique in adding more of a bite to the slider, than your average burger bun. You must try this!
We sampled two of the burgers and both were a hit. For the carnivores, we tried the “Country style fried chicken.” This burger mixed just the right amount of crunch, spice and creaminess. For the tasting he had created sliders, but you can expect a full burger.
Vegetarians, you won’t be disappointed. I have a very hard time finding a good Veggie burger that isn’t your standard potato patty. The “Red Kidney bean + Melanzana” burger is a very unique creation. The Kidney bean patty was full of flavor and maintained a nice crunch. The tempura style eggplant was a nice addition, though I think I would have preferred a more Mexican approach (think fried Jalapeño’s) to go along with the tomato salsa.
It was difficult to pick from the endless mains menu. For the meat dishes, we decided to try the “Saffron and Seafood Paella,” and the “Three Peppercorn Crusted Steak with Spiced Mushrooms.” For the veggie dishes we sampled the “Pan Roasted Vegetable Cannelloni” and the “Grilled Vegetable and Cheddar Tart.” Of these, the best dish was the Steak. It had been cooked to a perfect medium rare and was loaded with flavor. The added green beans had maintained their crunch and complemented the steak nicely.
The Paella, while flavorful, wasn’t true Paella. It had been made with standard Basmati style rice, rather than using the traditional Bomba rice. Though this, and the salad on top, did made it a lighter dish and a great lunch option.
Unfortunately, I didn’t really enjoy the new Veg mains. I think the Cannelloni needs to be better named, as it was misleading. I had not been expecting spring roll type fried cannelloni (I was expecting pan roasted veggies inside a cannelloni). While it was tasty, I found it to be too heavy. I would have preferred the greens to be kept whole and not covered in cream. The same goes for the Vegetable Tart. I found it to be too heavy and creamy. Though, if you like things creamy and cheesy, this is the dish for you!
Just when I thought I couldn’t eat any more, we received the desserts. My mouth is watering just thinking about them. First, we tried the “Apple, Raisin and Cinnamon Tarte Tatin.” The presentation was beautiful. The sweet apples went wonderfully with the chewy pastry crust and the cold creamy ice cream.
Chef Glyston, cleverly, had us end with the “Crisp Thyme Croissant and Lemon Mascarpone in Drambuie cream.” This dish was AMAZING. The slightly sweet and creamy Mascarpone paired magically with the crisp croissant rings. The dish was beautifully light with just the right amount of lemon and hint of thyme. It will definitely have you coming back for more (I’m already planning my next lunch trip). 🙂
And if you couldn’t finish all your food, you can have it packed in this cute take-away bag!
Getting There:
Smoke House Deli,
Corner of 33rd Road and B. R. Ambedkar Road,
Opposite Brownie Point,
Pali Hill, Bandra West, Mumbai
Phone: 022 65287800
orGround Floor (Grand Galleria), High Street Phoenix Mall,Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400013Phone:022 2493 3222www.smokehousedeli.in