Mumbai food: Health junkies get a new bistro and juice bar in Bandra

Food

Sequel
Food: Healthy
Service: Friendly
Ambiance: Warm

Saffron Infused Almond Milk

The view from the outside pleased us in a flash. White walls with polished wood furniture and Ikkat cushions dotted the space as smooth Jazz notes played in the background; Sequel Bistro and Juice Bar made for an ideal place to chill on a quiet evening. It's run by Vanika Choudhary, who was perched on a barstool and was tucking into her creations from a bowl. As we stepped in and checked the menu, we asked for something - anything - that could be conjured up for two hungry souls. We were informed that no item is whipped up in a hurry. Everything is prepared after the order is placed. The kitchen is small and visible to patrons. We could hear the blender whiz. Another family also waited for their order. Meanwhile, a man stepped in to pick up a takeaway that his girlfriend had ordered the previous night, and ‘loved'.

The Big Heist. Pics/Shadab Khan

We started with Kale Chips (Rs 175) and a salad called Mixed Signals (Rs 515). A plate of baked leaves was served to us, much to the amusement of my companion. The dish was perfect and light. Each leaf was tempered perfectly with a brush of vinegar and a dash of rock salt. It's worth a second helping. The salad was made of avocado, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, baby lettuce, organic cranberries, pomegranates and Kashmiri walnuts tossed with lime juice and honey, and scattered with scrumptious Feta cheese. Delicious.

Mixed Signal Salad

For mains, we chose The Big Heist (Rs 425). I've eaten homemade whole wheat and pretend-whole wheat bread too. This was good gluten-free whole wheat bread. Served with poached eggs (two), a yoghurt-based Hollandaise that had been placed over a bed of roasted vegetables, it was an interesting blend of textures and tastes. But the best dish of the day - a real delight - was the Italian Heritage (Rs 530). Sitting before us was a mesh of what looked like green noodles. ‘Zoodles' were beautifully julienned strands of zucchini tossed with pesto sauce and scattered with sun-dried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes in organic baby kale and organic sunflower seed.

Italian Heritage

We tried one of each from the beverage section. We loved the idea that the swetness quotient was measured for good health. Saffron Infused Almond Milk (Rs 255) was gentle and light. I've sipped on almond milk before but nothing matched this version. The Kashmiri honey was used minimally; it allowed the cinnamon sprinkled over it to emerge the dominant taste.

Kale Chips

The Daily Dose of Vitamin C (Rs 280) was a tad too sour for my liking, but the Blueberry Mango Jar smoothie (R325) was, once again, a perfect dense blend of blueberry, organic mango, curd and organic banana.

By the time we reached desserts, we learnt that the space offers just two options: Chocolate Lust (Rs 195), which is a cookie that we would have chosen (sadly, it was over) and Indulgence (Rs 290). Left with no option, we ordered for it. This dense triangle of bitter chocolate cake with raspberry in the centre was a mood-upper, and won our vote.

My mother said how you cut your raw food makes a difference to the meal prepared. When you look at the manner in which each avocado was exactly like the next, and how perfect the zucchini was stripped, you know that the fare at Sequel is created with love. The non-vegetarian section is minimal and can be skipped. Portions are meant for only one, and the price is a tad steep, we feel.

But if you want a good, healthy meal, where every ingredient is true to what it claims to be, and you want to be sure that it is delicious, this is where you head to.