Summer Garden Powai Mumbai | Healthy Nutrition Diet Redefined | Food Review | Restaurant Review

Why I would revisit Summer Garden-

1- Ambiance + Eco-Friendly + Pet friendly = Rustic, elegant, simple decor comprising of trees,bamboo shoots and jute, reminding of Goa or Hawaiian shacks,

Bamboo straws used for drinks instead of plastic straws,

Hand written menu,

PLUS there is a stillness and sense of calm here even in the midst of a bustling urban jungle, 

And they love pets, their menu has a special little pet section too.

2- Food & Drinks = Honestly good ingredients, 

Mostly organic, Low GI, super-foods sourced locally, 

Made fresh from the scratch when the order is placed, 

Using absolute minimal processed ingredients, 

Not even using processed sugar or salt, instead using Jaggery or Himalayan salt, 

No ice or artificial flavors or even sugar used in drinks,

Luxury Teas offered via TGL Tea Co.,

Slow-cooked food to retain maximum nutrients.

So yes, even the higher prices are worth it for this place :) 

My sister and I kicked back, swayed to the tunes of some classic hits, enjoyed the cool evening breeze and had the healthiest meal we have had in ages, *Note*- Literally every single dish tastes the same as it is explained in the menu, no surprises, there is absolutely no meddling with flavors, so order accordingly,

Started off with bevy of drinks, first up was Golden - Turmeric, Ginger, Lemon, Honey = detox session ahoy, bitter taste because of turmeric, felt like grandma made a kaada in the kitchen, tasted pure, I had ordered this because it is great for liver and loved it thus :)

Yogi Smoothie- Dates, Banana, Hazelnut, Almonds, Coconut Water, Cinnamon = Wholesome mix of some tasty ingredients, refreshing, would love to have it every day,

Epic  Shake - Raw Cacao Powder, Figs =Innovative mix of ingredients rich in antioxidants and minerals, no chocolate lover can miss this purest raw form, there was a literal fight between my sister and me for the last drop (#NotAshamed #CacaoForever #ILoveMySisterButIAlsoLoveChocolate )

I very rarely order smoothies or shakes anywhere but since these guys do not use any ice or flavors in their drinks, it all tasted brilliant, real flavors coming through. 

Off to little nibbles, we had Mushroom Cigars- Slow Cooked Mushrooms in Filo, baked to perfection, served with mustard sauce for a spicy kick, really liked it, even my sister who is not a big mushroom fan liked how smooth it was,

Rosti Potato- Crunchy Potato Rosti, Lemon Aioli, Baby Spinach and Orange Salad, we would suggest this to typical Indian palates who are averse to experimenting much because this will feel like a potato uttapam/paratha sort of dish for them (taste is different from an uttapam/paratah, but for those who think 'health food is bland' and they need something more, this would at least be something close to their favored taste profile) 

Up next was Smoked Avocado Sandwich - Sourdough bread, Smashed Avocado, Tomato, Olive Tapenade, Roccula, Toasted Almonds, Olive Crumble = a mix of some really healthy and strong flavors, I would reorder it because I adore Avocados and the way it spread over the amazing sourdough bread, again, very real flavors with very little meddling,so order if you like these ingredients :)

Among Salads, we chose Flower Bed- Crumbled Feta, Cherry Tomato, Sweet Potato, Tapioca Puffs, Beetroot Hollandaise, Roasted Pumpkin, Cream Cheese =Looks pretty and has a mix of familiar flavors, I would personally like more quantity for this,

Indian Salad Bowl- Spiced Chickpea, Mushroom & Broccoli Tossed Red Rice, Yogurt Tamarind Jam = Another dish we would recommend to traditional Indian palate, just like Rosti Potato! Brilliant amalgamation of healthy rice with spicy chickpea and tangy-sour yogurt tamarind jam, nostalgic South Indian flavors seeping through, a must-have dish we say :)

Mediterranean Thali - Pea Hummus, Baba Ganoush, Pumpkin Butter, Tapioca Tabbouleh, House Salad, Beetroot, Kalamata Olives, Whole Wheat Pita = I love me some hummus and pita and this is what I would definitely reorder with the whole platter of tangy, spicy, sour, lovely flavors, a bit different, a bit traditional, I like it a lot :)

And then we came to desserts and oh boy,were we in for a surprise! You might taste the salads, sandwiches and say 'okay so this is what healthy food tastes like, hmmm' but when you taste their dessert you will certainly go 'say whaaaaaaaat,this is what dessert at this hardcore healthy place tastes like?!!!'

First we had Sticky Toffee Pudding - Baked Toffee Pudding, Sticky Toffee Sauce & Toasted Almond Ice Cream = Heaven! A boatload of caramel to drown into, it had dark flavors and enough quantity for 2 people to share (and this is coming from a dessert fanatic like me!)

Just when we thought that nothing could beat this toffee pudding, we tasted Brioche- Golden Buttered Brioche, Jaggery Caramel and Toasted Almond Ice Cream and we were so wrong! This might be one of the best brioche in the world, just think of bread,butter,caramel together,make it warm, make it fragrant, make it nutty,make it smooth, make it....forget the imagination,just try it for yourself :)

Since the whole concept is based so intensely around natural flavors, healthy ingredients, fresh food, obviously it tastes different. Most of the dishes here would be categorized as 'acquired taste' but I am really rooting for these guys because as a self - confessed glutton, I really need places like these to detox and I swear, if I had all my meals here for a month, my liver, kidney and heart would send me biggest Hallmark Thank You cards :D Take a leap of faith, move ahead of the naans and kulchas, pizzas and pastas for a day, take some time-out and have some healthy grub here. I know I am coming back for sure :)