The cut-copy-paste formula of Instagrammable restaurants doesn’t work if the food doesn’t match the pictures
Butter chicken naan bombs
Breach Candy has a vibe of its own and clearly, it’s not every day that a new cafe or restaurant can open here (real estate prices put the ‘real’ in bummer). And so when it does, it arrests our attention. On a pleasant afternoon, we head to Balmy Cafe for lunch, twinning in whites with our bestie.
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The doors open and it’s deja vu—a large glass facade, comfortable seating options, swings, a bar area, plants, vintage feel, boho vibe. This has been done far too often in pursuit of creating instagrammable eateries. The menu comprising all-day breakfast dishes, and Asian, Indian, and Italian cuisine is not new either; perhaps the ‘Jain’ options are. Shaken and stirred cocktails, artisanal coffee—done that too. Premium all-day café and bar—What’s new here? Except that SoBoites are being given another reason to not cross the sea-link.
Prawn Tempura Roll
Across ours is a table full of ladies-who-lunch, playing tambola. The one calling out the numbers is so enthusiastic that we wish we could join in. Sitting under a statement roof, with trendy cloth umbrella lanterns hanging from the ceiling, we start with a Canterbury summer (Rs 375): It had elderflower, angostura bitters, topped with soda and basil, and was so achingly sweet that we found it difficult to finish the tiny portion. The prawn tempura roll (Rs 475) that comes after is a fresh respite. Perfectly made, the sushi has the perfect balance of crisp prawns, rolled rice and nori sheets. For an Indian taste, we try the butter chicken naan bombs (Rs 475), which we found perfect—creamy, but not runny and with a smoky-flavoured outer crust. What came next is tad disappointing: The herb-crusted fish with saffron risotto (Rs 755). This is something you put on the menu only when you are extremely confident in the chef’s culinary skills. The Indian salmon isn’t fresh, and is overcooked. The risotto is dry and didn’t taste like it is infused with saffron. We sent it back.
Miso Caramel Tart
In its place, we opted for the safe chicken madeira (Rs 655)—sauteed chicken breast with fresh asparagus, melted mozzarella cheese covered with fresh mushroom madeira sauce, and mashed potatoes on the side. Sounded promising, but looked drab. The sauce is runny, the chicken hasn’t imbibed the flavours and the mash is dry.
We wish the server would have had deeper questions about our preferences, and suggested an appropriate dish to better our experience. So we took it upon ourselves to choose a dessert that would help the mood: The miso caramel tart (Rs 475) is filled with rich Belgian chocolate and miso caramel. It salvaged the experience a little.
Balmy’s Instagrammable decor has a statement roof with trendy cloth-made umbrella lanterns hanging from the ceiling. Pic/Ashish Raje
From dim sums and dabeli bao to burrata pizzas and lettuce cups—the menu is an exhaustive list of nouveau crowd favourites. It’s best to cut down the list or up the culinary game. Sure, this belt of Breach Candy, Peddar Road, Nepeansea Road, Altamount Road and Malabar Hill till Tardeo lacks a spot that one can grab a coffee, lunch or dinner in a cool atmosphere. And just with that, Balmy earns its tagline: Warm and welcoming.
What: Cafe-style meals
At: Balmy Cafe and Bar, 3rd Floor, Hubtown Skybay, Bhulabhai Desai Marg, Breach Candy, Cumballa Hill
When: 12 PM to 1.30 AM (breakfast)
Call: 8828866148
Rating : Okay
Balmy Cafe and bar didn’t know we were there. Sunday mid-day reviews anonymously and pays for meals.
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