South Bombay's latest address Cafe Calma on the sixth floor of The Shalimar Hotel offers you a verdant view. Decked in creamy hues with hints of blues and browns, the entrance opens into a whole new world of alfresco dining. We couldn't help but appreciate the well-thought-out interiors that provide a much-needed break from the usual white-washed, checkered floor café décor in SOBO. What we appreciate the most is the cast iron railing with clear glass and a glass roof visually opening up the space for the guests as it separates the inside and outside space.
Launched by Yash Advani, an alumnus of Les Roches Global Hospitality School (Switzerland), Cafe Calma is built around the ethos of sustainability and serenity. Using a hydroponic system, which grows plants in water-enriched nutrients; rather than soil, the cafe is about organic and sustainable ingredients which are sourced responsibly, we were told. We learn that what is not house-made comes from a carefully curated clutch of producers, ensuring freshness that gives the good food a good mood feeling. And we couldn't agree more as the food here tastes so delicious. The cafe invited us for testing and we recently drove down there when the weather favoured the open-air dining experience.
Interiors |
Exterior | RAHUL_MAHADIK
To start with we ordered a fresh orange juice and Greek Filo Pie stuffed with baby spinach and feta mix topped with roquette and crispy sesame feta. The melt-in-mouth filo pie had a delicious taste and feta mix added to it wonderfully. Our Citrus Summer Salad of leafy greens and avocado with fresh orange segments topped with citrus-balsamic dressing was refreshing and we were tempted to order the second plate, however, we picked Whipped Feta with Cherry Tomatoes and Sourdough from their small plates instead. The slow-roasted cherry tomatoes with feta had a distinguished taste of garlic butter and we loved the salty taste of the dish paired with buttery bread.
Whipped Feta with Cherry Tomatoes & Sourdough |
Teriyaki Eggplant |
Poke Salmon Bowl |
The illustrious and carefully curated menu offers an array of culinary concepts divided into Small Plates, Tartines and Large Plates. From the small plates, you can choose from Beetroot and Burrata Salad, Wild Mushroom Tacos, and Roasted Sweet Potato and Bacon Jam. We liked their Tartine menu which is a classic mix of local and global cuisine.
Choose from delectable dishes such as Katsu Tartine, Avo Tartine as well as The Cafe Calma Signature Roast Chicken spiced with Salsa Roja, Parmesan, Romaine, Basil, Cream Cheese Pesto, and Aioli and confit Cherry Tomatoes. The Large Plates menu consists of an extensive selection of comfort food like Ricotta Gnudi, Vegetable Paella, Herb-crusted Lamb Chops and The Mojo Picon Chicken. We picked the Mediterranean Supper Bowl – a mix of brown rice, pico de gallo, corn, guacamole, and hummus paired with lettuce and pita crisps. The guacamole in the bowl is a winner.
We hardly had any space for desserts. But the artisanal dessert menu looked tempting. We sampled Raspberry Lemon Tart, which didn't disappoint us. You can choose from Orange Chocolate Tart, Vanilla Pannacotta with a Blueberry compote and in-house Shortbread, and Raspberry Lemon Tart with Nova’s Apple Pie Gelato.
In addition, the cafe offers a host of coffee options for all the caffeine lovers out there.
Where: Cafe Calm, Kemps Corner
When: 7.30 pm to 12 am
Price: INR 2,000 for two.
