Cafe Panama, Lower Parel, Mumbai

Restaurant Name: Cafe Panama, Lower Parel, Mumbai
Phone: +919988214444, +919988164444
Address: NM Joshi Marg, Mathuradas Mills Compund, Lower Parel, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400013 India
Time: 12:00 Noon – 10:00 PM
Meals for two: Rs. 2,000
Cuisines: Mexican, European, Desserts, Beverages
Facilities: Home Delivery, Takeaway Available, Full Bar Available, Indoor Seating, Table booking recommended, Desserts and Bakes

Cafe Panama, Lower Parel, Mumbai: Decor

“The gifts of the pandemic” is what I like to call the new restaurants which have popped up right through the past two years. Serving Vietnamese, Greek, Georgian, Malaysian, Latin American, Indonesian and other cuisines. Some dedicated exclusively to these cuisines, too. It’s as though they popped up to console, to regale us and offer us “travel on a plate”. My top favourite amongst these is the dedicated Vietnamese Nho Saigon and hot on its heels, Cafe Panama in Lower Parel, another such exuberant example. While I’d eaten my way through the best restaurants of Peru, Mexico, Cuba, Colombia… I’d never been to Panama. Always been fascinated by this country in the centre of South America. Like I’d been by the brilliant authors of their recent bestselling biographical book.

ROYAL #FOODIEBLINDDATE

It’s my first time ever! A foodie blind date with a royal gourmet couple. Born in a palace, scion of the Cochin royal family, brought up dining on the finest cuisines, dapper author, banker and gourmet Raghu Palat was accustomed to dressing up for dinner and homes where there were separate kitchens and chefs for vegetarian and non-vegetarian food serving global delicacies. Pushpa, his charming author and passionate and versatile travel writer wife, pens both mythological tales and textbooks with equal ease.

It’s the most exciting night of getting to know more, not just about Panama’s food, but also more about Raghu’s feisty great grandmother about whom they have authored a bestseller which blends his love for facts with her skill of storytelling. Along with the discerning gourmet couple, I give Cafe Panama a thumbs up!

Banana Trees And Tropical Glam

Walk past the old rusty Ambassador car parked outside and into the small lobby with a shelf full of Panama hats. And then whoosh, the glass ceiling soars 30 feet canopying over banana trees (you read that right) in a 3,500 sq ft space. Hues of blue, white, gold and green are interspersed with globes of cane lamps. An old brick wall and cast iron pillars add to the charm.

Latino Love

My first-ever taste of the vibrant Peruvian Tiradito was in maestro Gaston Acurio’s flagship restaurant in Lima.

Peruvian glistening Salmon Tiradito’s luscious mouthfeel delight. The robustly spiced, smokey, succulent meats come up tops. Be it the slow cooked smokey Jerk Chicken, the Yucatan Style citrus-infused Pork Spare Ribs and the Cuban Garlic Citrus Marinated Mojo Chicken.

Plenty for vegetarians. Avocado Toast (topped with an egg) gets an unusual spin with the refreshing kiss of Ponzu. Bite into the crisp Empanada pastry shell into the soft yielding jackfruit. Fold the soft corn taco filled with the fleshy Portobello, dip into accompanying sauces, ask for the crisp flatbread topped with Zucchini Sundried Tomato. Adding vibrance to the food are the fermented chilli hot sauce and cilantro chilli lime salsa.

Minus Points

The menu confuses, it zig zags to include pasta and pizza. While that is advantageous and people pleasing, it diffuses the Latino focus. Overcooked prawns of the Prawn Tostado, stodgy Quinoa and Corn Chowder are avoidable. Small portioned, over sweet Bitter Chocolate Mousse and Biscoff Biscuit Coffee Cheesecake, too.

Cafe Panama, Lower Parel, Mumbai: My Point

Cafe Panama doesn’t take its name literally. It wanders all over Latin America, bolts to Mexico to assemble tacos, then dashes to Cuba for the Cubano. It touches down in Jamaica to get Jerk Chicken, then zig zags to Italy for handmade Pasta Sourdough Pizza. We enjoy the punch, complexity and vibrance of most of the dishes and rejoice in the abundance of vegetarian ones.

Kudos 22-year-old Shaan Gidwani along with Chef Sushil Multani for this open through the day, blithe spirited, banana tree studded Cafe Panama, which replaces Cafe Zoe. Live jazz band, Sunday brunch, salsa events, chocolate cigars and a new menu expected soon. Kudos, too, for keeping the excitement alive!