The Conservatory, Juhu, Mumbai

Restaurant Name: The Conservatory
Phone: +919619999909
Address: No. 549, Shop G-9 -A & B CTS, 5, AB Nair Road, Juhu, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400049 India
Time: 11:00 AM – 01:30 AM
Meals for two: Rs. 2,500
Cuisines: Asian, Continental, Beverages 
Facilities: Outdoor Seating

The Conservatory, Juhu, Mumbai: About

Pure joy! Ever dined in a restaurant lush with mulberry, mango and guava trees? If you love trees and nature with an equal passion as I do then head to Juhu’s brand new The Conservatory. Two glassedin floors, lush with trees and plants. It’s such a fun to have lunch with a terrific trio of foodies. Soft spoken and brilliant Firoza Moos , Cordon Bleu trained patisseur extraordinaire, renowned for her many splendored sweet masterpieces for the past 40 years. And currently in huge demand for her exquisite Christmas cakes, the gorgeous mother daughter pair, Azmina Rahimtoola and fashion and lifestyle consultant the bubbly young entrepreneur and digital influencer Tasheen Rahimtoola. She makes time from her busy schedule of curating luxe experiences all over India, London, Dubai and more. Both love to cook and bake too and we have a fun lunch in this air-conditioned, sundrenched restaurant and I happily pay the bill of ₹11,477.

Decor:

Love the feeling of light and freshness, the glass rooftop and the glass walls, surrounded by plants and trees. We walk through the tree-dotted courtyard, into the ground floor, with it’s rustic wood-fired oven, a 22-feet-long stone bar. Walk up the cantilevered wooden staircase to the top floor and lunch here. There are bamboo paper mushroom-shaped lamp shades, light wood and jute chairs. Love the way that the bar area is grounded, rooted within the trees, and the first floor is all about touching the skies. Kudos to the designer Parzan Daruwalla.
I’m told that The Conservatory transforms from a bright sunlit lunch restaurant in the day to a dramatically lit living room in the evening. Super service by Gavin Fernandes.

Food:

An interesting, eclectic Asian inspired, global tapas menu. Our tried, tasted, tested tops tars include Phuket Bhel, a light luxuriant, vibrant with raw mango and tamarind dressing, an edamame and tender coconut masterpiece. Equally brilliant is the tangy pomelo and fleshy lychee ceviche kissed with sweet chilly. Non vegetarians looking for something light, bright and raw? Ask for the Salmon Tartare. At the other end of the spectrum is the woodfired crusty, carb heavy prosciutto pizza and an even bigger hit, the plump aubergine pide. Ask for the baked-in-banana leaves Pomfret Paturi Sinha (named after their chef Soumanjit Sinha) punchy with mustard and gently sweet with panchphorun and honey. Octopus buffs are in for a well-made surprise. End with the beautifully presented pyramid shaped wobbly vanilla panacotta, with strawberry compote tastes as good as it looks. Cocktail lovers ask for Sherwin Fernandes’s creative cocktails.

Minus Points: The Conservatory

Ironically, the most touted dishes turn out to be the biggest disappointments. The Lobster Thermidor is served in a bowl of pasty white sauce. Deep fried batter crusted crab is greasy and served with a thousand island sauce. Soggy avocado toast. And the much recommended The Conservatory vegan platter, with it’s mix of raw and lightly cooked veggies, lacks punch. Old Madras cake is really old and dry.

My Point:

Two sun dappled floors, trees and plants! The menu reflects nearly as much thought as the details of the décor. Go for Chefs Richard Dsouza & Soumanjit Sinha’s light, bright and tangy Phuket Bhel, opt for the wood fired pizzas, expertly cooked Octopus served too. Skip the lobster and crab dishes. The superfit Suren Joshi, (owner of two popular restaurants, three gyms and three coffee shops ) including his very own Joshi House, has hit the sweet spot again. As always, the ambiance and the food, surprises, seduces and then comforts. Add trees, nature, sky and sunshine… and it’s pure joy!