Cafe Calma: Shalimar Hotel, Kemps Corner, Mumbai

Restaurant Name: Cafe Calma: Shalimar Hotel
Phone: +919930141178
Address:  The Shalimar hotel, India August Kranti Rd, Kemps Corner, Malabar Hill, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400036 India
Time: 6:00 PM – 12:00 AM
Meals for two: Rs. 2,500
Cuisines: Cafe, Beverages, Mexican, European, Spanish, Continental, Desserts
Facilities: Home Delivery, Takeaway Available, Valet Parking Available, Romantic Dining, Indoor Seating, Rooftop, Family Friendly, Desserts and Bakes

Cafe Calma: Shalimar Hotel – About

It’s exciting, but complex. Two dinner check outs and the second one with strangers. Both were totally different experiences. For an accurate assessment, it’s crucial to share both with you. If this column had a movie camera attached to it, here’s what you’d see.

There’s a buzz. A brand new café opens on the rooftop of the Shalimar, the family owned hotel, near Kemps corner. Cafe Calma is perched on the ninth floor. It has a small boxed-in indoor wooden floored section which seats 14.

There’s a more spacious outdoor space, which has a bar counter, a hydroponics garden, terracotta-hued lamps, and plenty of plants. Music plays.

Decor:

Fast forward mode. The café had just opened in October and six of us go there for dinner. We order the food with the waiter. No alcohol license. So, the men go to the ground floor bar to tipple while the forever helpful Nina Vasa and I catch up on each others news. After what seems like forever, the food is served and we call PK Vasa and his friends (who prefer to remain anonymous) to come up. The service sucks. Except for the burrata and the Snickers bar dessert, nothing else passes muster. We order a large number of small and big plates. Our bill, not counting the bill at the bar, was Rs. 13,287.

After a few months, I go back. While waiting at the ground floor lift, a lively young lady identifies herself as Aparna Dharira, a well-informed foodie who’s going up to Café Calma to join her school friends. Website developer Babita Bhatia and Asiya Shaikh, a councilor visiting from Saudi Arabia. “It is a chilled out place with delicious small plates and retro music” they point out.

I order separately and send across some of my dishes to them. It’s great to meet the lovely girls and spend time with them. I happily pay my bill and theirs too. Total bill was Rs. 10,013.

Cafe Calma: Shalimar Hotel – Food

After three tastings, here’s what comes up tops. Refreshing velvety buratta and beetroot sparkled with pumpkin seeds and pomegranate and fresh baby spinach from the hydroponic garden. Sweet potato cubes enlivened with bacon jam is a must try. As are the mushroom tartines topped with pickled onions. Arugula from the hydroponic garden enlivens the whipped feta and confit of the sweetest cherry tomatoes.

We all agree that the small plates are better than the big plates. The lamb chops are tough during one dinner and succulent in the next. Same for the Mediteranean bowl which is overloaded with hummus at one meal. The avo tartines, with the unique tasty pistachio pesto, made vibrant with tomato chillibutter pistachio, are a must try. Avoidable affogato. The Snickers gelato bar takes us back to childhood. The alcohol license is in place. Cheers!

Plus and Minus:

It’s from Aparna and her friends that I get to know that the café is the brainchild of the third generation owners of Shalimar hotel, Swiss-trained, 27-year old Yash Advani who is passionate about hydroponics, organic food, flavors and health. He has worked closely with Chef Ashish Das. Obviously, teething troubles led to our first lousy experience. However, don’t go looking for refined gourmet fare. Go for the alfresco, the retro music and vibrant, small plates. Open only for dinner. Weekend brunch too.

“A place like this was much needed in South Mumbai” chorus Aparna, Babita and Asiya.