For those who aren’t aware, Vandre is the Marathi term for Bandra (meaning Port). The name Villa Vandre, couldn’t be more fitting. Located in a quaint little street, Villa Vandre welcomes you with historical charm. Chef Aloysius (Chef Aloo) gives us a tour of his culinary adventures: starting in Bandra’s very own Shirley Village, through Europe, Mexico, Sri Lanka and America.
Villa Vandre’s interior design makes you feel like you are sitting in a friends kitchen. The humble space and open kitchen beckon with comforting smells of home (or what we wish home could smell like ;)). We sampled a little bit of everything, starting with a salad and specialty drinks. The Marinated Sweet Peppers & Zucchini with Spanish Olives were a tasty start, though I wouldn’t call this a salad. I think this would be better suited as an appetizer, served on top of some crusty bread. The Mango smoothie was cool, creamy and beautifully presented in a glass milk bottle. We found the Ginger ale to be a bit too strong and the ice cream soda a bit too sweet (though some may prefer it that way!).
Be warned, the sandwiches are addictive. They are constructed with beautiful bread that holds up to its fillings, while still giving a soft and chewy bite. We ordered the Pulled Pork and the Spicy Veg Burger. Chef Aloysius told us that he cooks the pork overnight and he makes his own mustard! The flavor of the pork, with the creamy crunchy coleslaw and the kick from the Jalapeño’s went together seamlessly. The Spicy Veg Burger included a black bean and potato patty, coleslaw and a spicy sauce. Unlike many Veg burgers, this patty did not fall apart and was filled with warm Mexican spices (excuse me while I wipe the drool off my face). We were thrilled to know that they will soon be selling their breads and mustard to order!
From the “around the world” section, we ordered the Bangers and Mash, Blackened Fish of the Day, and the Spaghetti Pomodorini. The favorite was the Bangers and Mash. The sausages were plump with flavor and paired perfectly with the creamy potatoes. The sausages are all also made in-house by Chef Aloysius! The fish was a nice light dish, with a mustard cream sauce that kept you coming back for more.
From the “Villa Vandre Classics,” we ordered the Sunday Chicken Curry and the Homemade East Indian Sausage Fry. These were the more local flavored dishes with the favorite, again, being the sausage fry. Chef Aloysius has really perfected his sausages. This was a spicier version of the bangers and mash, with the addition of a fried egg and traditional Pav (bread roll) to sop it all up. We found the chicken curry to be a pretty standard Chicken Tikka type curry.
We ended our meal with the Bread n Butter Pudding, Crème Brule and the Gooey Brownie. At this point we were already stuffed, but we couldn’t resist. The Bread n Butter Pudding is a very unique dense moist cake with a hint of cinnamon and filled with sweet fruits. We found the other desserts to be tasty, but quite standard. I look forward to trying the Panna Cotta!
Chef Aloysius has done a fantastic job with Villa Vandre and you can really see his passion for good food. I would highly recommend visiting Villa Vandre! It’s a beautiful little Café and the food is full of love. They only have 16 seats, so get there early! I’ll race you to breakfast. 😉
Getting There:
May Flower, Shop No. 3, New Kantwadi Road,
Off Perry Cross Road, Bandra (W),
Mumbai 400 050
Timings: 8.30am- 11.30pm (Monday Closed)
Contact: 022 65279009
Email: cafevillavandre@gmail.com