Samreen Samad tells you what you can expect from the newly opened Pondicherry Café at Bandra-Kurla
The name Sofitel is enough to form an impression of Pondicherry Café, which is located in this fancy hotel. The French chain of luxury hotels has come to Mumbai and oozes class, style and grandeur. Designed by French interior designer Isabelle Miaja, the face behind numerous hotels all over the world, Sofitel (which is in shape of an uncut diamond) sits in the heart of Bandra-Kurla Complex.
Now, don’t let the name Pondicherry Café misguide you. The all-day dining restaurant offers more than just Indo-French cuisine, which is widely served in Pondicherry. Besides being greeted with a ‘bonjour-namaste’ as you enter, this restaurant doesn’t have as much of a French influence as it claims to.
Situated in the lobby level of the hotel, Pondicherry Café has fierce interiors. The floor is covered with a bright orange carpet and the golden upholstery and ornamental walls add to the jarring decor. The café has a few French influences here and there which can go unnoticed. We took our seats next to the glitzy glass walls that face the entrance of the hotel.
At Pondicherry Café you can opt for the buffet or go à la carte. We decided to try their tempting buffet priced at `1,500 plus taxes, which offers Indian, South-Asian, Continental and French cuisine. They also have four state-of-the-art cooking stations assigned for each cuisine. The buffet has an array of dishes which will satisfy your appetite. Some of the dishes include tandoori chicken, stir fried vegetables, pasta, pizza, dal, rice, sushi, salads and pan-seared fish. The restaurant manager also told us that they’ve taken a lot of care for their vegetarian patrons as the area is dominated by Jain businessmen. We loved the Tandoori Broccoli, as it was spiced to perfection, as well as the Pan-Seared Basa. The sushi and salad counter has some delicious dishes to offer.
If you prefer going à la carte, the menu includes soups (`325), salads (`475 onwards), appetisers such as Foie Gras (`1,150), Jamon (`750) and Scallops (`750); tandoori dishes such as Lamb Sheekh Kabab (`650), Murgh Malai Tikka (`650) and Tandoori Prawns (`750). They also have sandwiches (`450 onwards), wood oven pizza (`650 onwards), risotto and pasta (`650 onwards). For mains you can choose from Continental, Oriental and Indian cuisines. There is a wide variety of desserts such as cakes, fudge, brownies and crème Brule to choose from. Overall, Pondicherry Café offers a good experience and it has great ambiance and food.
Where C-57, Opposite Dhirubhai Ambani International School, Bandra Kurla Complex, Bandra (East)
Alcohol Yes
Meal for two `3,500
Contact 61175000