Tried & tested Food review
You don’t need a silver fork to eat good food — it’s evident as soon as you take a bite at Kaboom! discovers Pearl Mathias
We all know that the next best thing to eating food is talking about it. And we’ve done our fair share of that, but then there are those who love food so much, they think about it in a beautiful way that is ultimately articulated in what they present to you, like Yohaan Dattoobhai from Kaboom! If you’ve been to their Ballard Estate joint, you’ll know how their menu works. If not, well, I’d have to visit them every day of the week to tell you more. Why, you ask? They have different cuisine on offer from Monday to Friday, as well as different dishes every week. So, in short, you’ll never run out of food to taste here.
A PERSONAL TOUCH
What I loved the most was the cosy vibe that instantly makes you feel comfortable. Their décor is reclaimed and reused, and imparts an industrial feel as opposed to the café style ambiance at Fort. Their forks and bowls are also made of recycled materials. Brownie points in my book! I was taken by their open kitchen space — not a concept you come across too often. I was buzzed as soon as my order was ready and went over to collect it. This gives consumers a chance to interact with the hands that make their food.
TIME TO TASTE
In the words of Julia Child, “The only time to eat diet food is while waiting for the steak to cook.” And so, we began with the salad of the day. I happened to drop by on a Tuesday — Italian day. The Rucola Salad (Rs 170) was loaded with juicy cherry tomatoes and garnished with lemon olive oil dressing. We also had the Farmers Grain Bowl (Rs 200), which had a quinoa base and was filled with grains and nuts, in addition to the fresh vegetables. A bowl of this power-packed salad is sure to get you through the day. It’s a common notion that people can’t usually tell the difference between regular and farm-fresh ingredients, but Yohaan told me how we tend to underestimate the Indian palate, which is sensitive to these flavours and quickly picks up on them. I then tried the Vegetable Panini Grilled Sandwich (Rs 230), which had delicious, stringy mozzarella, Italian basil and grilled tomato. It was an absolute delight for a cheese lover like me to simply watch the molten cheese come apart. Their patrons were glad that the Jerk Chicken Sandwich (Rs 150) is on their all-day every day menu, and so were we once we bit into it. The delicious chicken cooked in homemade Caribbean jerk sauce between grilled bread is the perfect tea-time snack, with a side of their fries, of course. We also tried the Chicken Burger (Rs 250), which had a delicious, soft bun and meat that was really chunky and juicy. I loved their Aglio Olio pasta (Rs 230), which wasn’t just the classic you’ll find everywhere — it was loaded with chicken and was quite sumptuous.
SWEET TREAT
We couldn’t wait to try their desserts and suggest you save the Nutella Toastie (Rs 120) for a cheat day. It’s loaded with nutella — a dose of chocolate to lift your mood. I was surprised to see Banana Bread (Rs 120) on their menu. It’s one of my favourite desserts, but you don’t come across it very often. There are many variations of the dish, but I liked the hint of cinnamon here. We also tried the Classic Chocolate Chip Cookie (Rs 100), but I’d pick the Peanut Butter Cookie (Rs 100), made with in-house peanut butter and zero preservatives. What stole the show was the Olive Oil Cake (Rs 120) — it was flawless (and flourless) and is perfect for vegans. The flavours combine beautifully as it melts in your mouth and we couldn’t resist digging into it for another mouthful before swallowing the first.
It’s strategically located, so office-goers should definitely hop into the eatery either for lunch or dinner. And, based on your cuisine choice, you can visit on a Monday for Chinese, a Tuesday for Italian, a Wednesday for American, a Thursday for Middle Eastern and a Friday for Arabian delicacies. So, head over to Kaboom! For breakfast, lunch or a quick evening snack and we promise you’ll be surprised.
Meal for two Rs 1,000 Alcohol served No
Where Trade World, 13/B, Kamala Mills Compound, Lower Parel
Contact 22614489