Green Village Cafe Mumbai | Healthy Delicious Vegetarian Vegan Keto Diet Food | Food Review | Restaurant Review

With every passing day,it warms my heart to see so many new eateries sprout up with the aim of providing delicious AND healthy food. When the invite to review Green Village Cafe arrived in my inbox, I was extremely excited to be here to partake in some healthy food. But on reaching here, got an even bigger pleasant surprise. Met the very passionate and enthusiastic owner family who explained to us that their aim is twofold-

1- Providing delicious, healthy food made fresh with organic ingredients, every recipe caters to Indian palate, including special dietary concerns such as gluten free, vegan and keto! They do not use maida, artificial flavors, white sugar, preservatives and such, only real ingredients, real taste. 

2- Most importantly, this project came about with an aim to help our farmers. We have been reading about unfortunate spate of farmer suicides for so many years now. The folks behind Green Village Cafe aim to help them by sourcing fresh,organic flours, vegetables etc. from them as well as a percentage of profits from this cafe will go towards making their lives better. How cool is that!

Ambiance is true to the name, completely green and beautiful. Nature is represented amply, there is a definite positive vibe in the air. They are still adding elements to the interior decor,so it should look even more beautiful in near future. Staff is very helpful, polite and suggests best dishes. Prices might seem a bit on the higher end but worth it in terms of quality as well as quantity.

Everything we tried was undoubtedly delicious and full of nutrients-

GREEN MINT SMOOTHER- Mint + Jaggery + Lemon, it might feel like Jaljeera at first but is a bit different, refreshing.

RELAX ROCKTAIL - Ginger + Lemon + Honey, MY FAV ♥ Strongest hit of ginger in every sip, smashing flavor.

CUCUMBER CHAAS- Mom loved this one, Buttermilk + Cucumber + Herbs, probiotic heaven :D

LEMON ICED TEA- Organic Green Tea + Jaggery + Lemon, refreshing and very different from usual packaged 'iced tea flavor'.

PUMPKIN SOUP - Wholesome Pumpkin + Walnuts to give little crunch with in-house bread made from almond flour, altogether the BEST soup we have tried in a long while. Can have a gallon of this everyday. MUST-HAVE ♥

VEG MEXICAN BOWL- Brown Rice + Kidney Beans + Bell Peppers + Mushrooms + Zucchini, mainly had the tangy tomato flavor running throughout, loved the avocado slices on top, mexican food lovers can try this, or if you really love tomato based dishes,

FUSION SAUCY PENNE - Penne in Pink Sauce + Zucchini + Baby Corn + Broccoli + Parmesan Cheese, really good pasta, wholesome and filling, had hearty portion of vegetables,

EXOTIC PUMPKIN RISOTTO - This is the STAR DISH ♥ You will be missing much joy in life if you don't try this. Brown Rice Risotto with Pumpkin + Spinach + Feta Cheese. I have had good risotto earlier but this is hands down THE BEST RISOTTO I have ever had. My sister does not like risotto one bit and once she tasted this, she was not willing to share it with me! Trust me, ignore the words 'brown rice, pumpkin' that usually give a not-so-tasty-vibe and just go for it. MUST-HAVE to infinity :D

For dessert, they did not have an egg-less dessert on the day we went so I could not try anything which was the only slight disappointment we had. My sister tried their Classic Brownie which was delicious but had an egg-y taste that we don't enjoy. But it is okay, keeping the dessert section on our wishlist for next time :)

Overall, excellent idea, pretty awesome execution, green village cafe is definitely recommended to all foodies, health freak or not.

266-The Wine Room And Bar | Global Cuisine Feast | Wine Dream Destination | Food Review | Food Photography

Prfect for romantic date as well as apt for a night out with friends, 266-The Wine Room and Bar is here to stay :)

Ambiance is relaxed, elegant, modern and favors dim lighting; staff is extremely helpful and service is fast; the menu is choc-a-bloc with international flavors, geared with enough adjustments to appeal to Indian palate, prices seem fair when looked at quantity as well as quantity (not to forget,prime location!) and they source highest quality ingredients locally, clearly visible in taste of every dish.

It was a pleasure being here for review session. 

As the name suggests, it is a heavenly place for wine lovers. But I am not an alcohol lover, so cannot comment on what to have and what not to have. What I can say happily is, leave it all to the excellently trained staff, they will suggest just the right wine/ drinks as per your personal preference :) Our host for the evening, Mr. Sagar, got us started on perfect note with the best mocktails and cocktails after we told him what kind of beverages we like. The bartenders know how to weave magic, so trust them.

My sister had a beautiful sparkling wine (I think it was Chandon Rose),

I was happy with my version of Bloody Mary mocktail with just a hint of chilli, followed by a refreshing Kiwi based mocktail,

Mom loved her fruity mocktail concoctions. 

In food, we loved and recommend-

NIBBLES

Lotus Stem Crisps - Excellent, could be among the top 3 versions of lotus stems I have ever eaten, crispy, tangy+mildly spicy thanks to gunpowder sprinkle, amazing cilantro dip alongside,

Sweet Potato Crisps - I personally am not a big sweet potato fan but these won me over, crispy, herbed, flavorful, mildly sweet cilantro dip alongside,

Dauphine Potato - Was expecting these to be heavy and starchy, but these deep-fried potato puffs were EXCELLENT, cheesy yet light, delightful.

APPETIZERS

Caponata on Toast -Anytime perfect snack with eggplant, tomatoes, bell peppers atop toast, wholesome, mom especially loved this (and she usually does not like anything with bread),

Arancini - Inclusion of Barley alongside vegetables and cheese, made this healthier than usual, loved it, 

Mushrooms with Black Rice, Soy, Kale - Healthiest of the lot and something to be kept under the heading of 'acquired taste', not something that everyone would love. It has 3 types of mushrooms alongside anti-oxidant rich black rice and kale providing a bit of bitterness while mild tanginess of soy envelops it all. I thoroughly loved it as I am very much into healthy ingredients, I like bitterness on my palate, so this was delightful for me. I would re-order it.

Veg Polenta - Unexpectedly good. Spongy base savory cake topped with hearty amount of corn, tomato chutney, cream cheese, complete medley of flavors. Mom said this was her favorite appetizer, a thumbs up from the toughest food critic I know,so clearly a MUST-HAVE here :)

MAINS

Eggplant Involtini - Roasted sliced Eggplant rolled around parmesan cheese, tomato sauce, pine nuts, amalgamation of flavors, the most dominant being tangy. Must-Have for eggplant lovers, I personally do not like them much, however this was good :) 

Fettuccine - Ask the staff to suggest the special pasta of the day, we were suggested homemade Fettuccine in pumpkin sauce preparation, it was simple but among the BEST PASTA ever, did not take us much time to wipe this plate clean. Simplicity is the key, absolutely stunning flavors, MUST-HAVE.

Gnocchi Gorgonzola - Homemade Gnocchi in Cream sauce, a bit too starchy, we could not finish this one, were absolutely full by now. Good one though but need something to cut through the heaviness.

DESSERT

Dark Chocolate & Olive Oil Mousse - Darkness of chocolate, lightness of olive oil, faint inclusion of Himalayan pink salt, P-E-R-F-E-C-T-I-O-N.

Saffron Panna Cotta - For those not enamored with chocolate, go for this one, light on the palate, refreshing, simple and unforgettable, another thumbs up from mom, keep this in MUST-HAVE category too. 

All in all, pretty close to a perfect foodie destination in the area. Bon Appetit!

The Chimney Factory | Street Food From Hungary | Dessert Extravaganza | Food Review

With love from Hungary!

Tunnel shaped cones, baked golden, resembling earthen chimneys, filled with all sorts of delicacies ranging from cheese to banana slices and whipped cream - this famous street food from Hungary has now entered Mumbai. Come to The Chimney Factory at Pali Hill, Bandra and indulge in a variety of sweet + savory chimney cones that bring international taste with a twist for Indian palate. Offering cones in flavors ranging from Paneer Bhurji, Hummus to Chocolate Brownie,Cotton Candy and everything in between, The Chimney Factory is a small but delightful must-visit foodie destination.

Ambiance is quirky, the glow-in-dark wall that is adorning many instagram posts right now is the main attraction of course. Service is fast, staff is extremely helpful and will suggest the best (so many choices!), prices might seem a bit higher but are totally worth it for excellent gourmet taste.

We loved being here and sampling these for our review session-

-- (Savory) MAMMA ROSSO- Assorted Vegetables in Creamy Tomato Sauce, it had tangy + cheesy + wholesome feel, like having pink pasta in a cone (that's how I can describe it in simplest terms :P), absolutely LOVED it. 

-- (Sweet) TIRAMISU - Oreo Dusted Cone + Vanilla Sponge + Coffee Filling + Mascarpone Cheese + Duet Soft Swirl + Coco Powder Dust, good one for mild coffee lovers, all the elements came together well to give a sublime dessert cone experience.

Tried and LOVED these milkshakes-

-- BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE - Real cheesecake, real blueberries, real flavor, creamy and chunky at the same time, MUST-HAVE,

-- KULFI ELAICHI - Reminded me of my favorite childhood drink made with milk + nuts + saffron...extremely refreshing saffron based drink, another MUST-HAVE, I think every milkshake here must be superb.

There is so much more on the menu I want to try... Charcoal milkshake, Popcorn & Pineapple Cooler, Bubblegum Boomerang sweet cone...can't wait to come back soon and try it all, absolute pleasure being here :)