Restaurant Review: New Phoenix Marketcity eatery offers healthy fare

Tall, exquisitely constructed fin-like wooden panels and cosy private seating areas greeted us as we stepped into Craft Deli. Bistro.Bar. Come Sunday and this newest entrant in Kurla's bustling Phoenix Marketcity will open its doors to patrons. Owned by Bellona Hospitality (the group behind 212 All-Day Café & Bar and Sichuan House, also in the mall), the spacious 120-seater includes an al fresco section, lit up by myriad bulbs that presented a cheery vibe. We made ourselves comfortable indoors and poured over the lengthy menu - divided into deli, bistro and bar section - comprising modern European cuisine helmed by chef Paul Kinny.

Savoury Baklava

Grog and grub
The Spiced Apple Grog (Rs 450), a spiced rum-based cocktail infused with cinnamon sticks and fresh green apples, soothed our nerves quickly and also, complemented most of the dishes we tried. Meanwhile, Watermelon, Kokum and Fresh Mint (Rs 175), a sweet-and-sour mocktail was one of the best kokum drinks we've savoured in a while.

The interiors of Craft. Pics/Shadab Khan

From the deli section, we tried Trio of Deli Dips (Rs 355, also available as takeaways on their deli counter) and liked the roast beet chickpeas dip with a hint of rose. The Craft Caprese salad (Rs 355) scored because of its melt-in-the-mouth house made cheese that blended with oven-roasted tomatoes and basil pesto. The Torched Pork Ribs (Rs 485) were flavoured with a lovely coffee barbeque glaze and made for a good starter.

Watermelon, Kokum and Fresh Mint

The highlight was Savoury Baklava (Rs 395), a spicy take on the Turkish sweet. The crispy phyllo sheets were packed with spinach and crunchy almonds, topped with caramelised onions and a dab of bhut jolokia pepper coulis, that took the dish to another level.

Kale on my pizza
The menu includes unique options like Healthy Kale and Artichoke pizza (Rs 485), Roasted Beet Burger (Rs 395) and No Carb Spaghetti (Rs 425). Our favourite was the thin-crust pizza with finely chopped kale leaves that were pre-sautéed to remove bitterness. The feta added to the taste. The spaghetti featured strands of carrots, zucchini and squash - instead of noodles - tossed together with olive oil, hints of almond and pepper. Impressive.

Grilled Chicken Breast was sumptuous

Among the mains, we liked Grilled Chicken Breast (Rs 495). The tender meat was piled on savoury peppercorn jus and
citrus scented beans and barley that added to the flavour. We preferred this spin on veggies. Though stuffed, we couldn't resist the Peanut Butter Pie (Rs 275). Lost in the bliss of thick and creamy peanut butter chocolate ganache and vanilla ice cream, we didn't realise when we polished off the plate.

Healthy Kale and Artichoke

Some items on the menu aren't comfy on the wallet but we don't mind an encore, especially for their take on European fare. Oh, and for that heavenly Peanut Butter Pie.