Newly opened Versova eatery serves healthy fare

Cafe Sprightly, Versova, health food, Mumbai Guide, Mumbai food, JP-Versova Road, Glee Cafe, Food review, restaurant review

Cafe Sprightly
Food: Average
Service: Polite
Ambiance: Simple

As a foodie but a health conscious one, we have always been perplexed by one decision: when to binge? Does a lazy Saturday afternoon or a slow-mo Sunday brunch seem more inviting? Clearly this Saturday, we didn't have much of a choice. After eating greasy, cheesy and obviously yum meals (think, Mac n Cheese) and a burgeoning belly, we decided to put a stop to the feasting, and walked in at Cafe Sprightly that promised only vegetarian fare.

With minimal decor and ample seating options in the sprawling space, we were pleasantly surprised to know that we were in for a healthy meal. Cafe Sprightly offers wraps, sandwiches, burgers, salads and juices - all nutrition-laden. We opted for a BBQ Cottage Cheese Burger (Rs 140), a Vitamin Booster salad (Rs 160), a Pasta Marinara (Rs 210) and a Digester juice (Rs 170). Later Deepali Mehta, the food technologist and nutritionist behind the place, shared that not a single item is fried. A big thumbs up.

The BBQ Cottage Cheese Burger is a great way to sate hunger pangs

Our first bite was the burger that arrived with diet potato chips on the side. Simple and dishy, we liked the texture of the well-cooked patty that was smooth, giving the breaded cottage cheese a welcome taste. Perhaps one of the grouses of all weight watchers is that healthy food ought to be tasty and inviting, otherwise the meal loses its flavour.

Pasta Marinara was overladen with vegetables and might be enjoyed with those who get a healthy high from eating those many

This clearly did not. Pasta Marinara served hot, was fusilli and included a bevy of bell peppers, broccoli and onions along with other vegetables tossed together. With a pulpy texture to the sauce, we could tell that it was just the tomatoes that comprised it, however the tanginess was a bit too much. Lastly, the Vitamin Booster Salad had sprouts, julienned guavas, wheat grass and more but the dressing felt amiss. With salads being the new main course, we weren't too thrilled with this set of tossed greens.

Personally, the space offers some amount of privacy to each patron, a feature we definitely liked. Pics/Kaushik Thanekar

Our Digester - a mix of guava and papaya - was delicious too. Given that desserts were ‘healthy' here, we ordered a Chocolate Chips Brownie (Rs 100) too - the best gooey dark chocolate item on the menu.

As we settled our bill, we were told that the place also offers a stack of diet snacks - The Nutty Dates, Baked Bajra Squares, Moong Jor and more. Till Sunday, whatever the bill is, snacks worth half that amount can be picked up. The place is fresh and vibrant and by nudging its quality one notch higher should attract a throng.