Crest Of What's Around

If you can almost taste the salt at the oceanfront Cafe By The Beach, rest assured it won’t be off the glass rim of a potent margarita. Occupying the controversial but stunning beach site at Chowpatty once taken by Salt Water Grill, this new eatery comes sans a liquor menu (gasp!), but plenty of sand, sun and servers in shorts. “It’s what a dry day must be like in Goa,” commented one of our fellow diners. We agreed, but not without shuddering at the thought.

Contains Traces of Yesterday

On a sunny Thursday afternoon we settled on a table where mats looked like waves and salad bowls assumed the shape of boats. The pretty interior - or should we say exterior - of the open space retains several elements of its predecessor: deck chairs, a beach bar and a few tables with individual pavilions.

Besides killing their spirits, the regulations also dictate that food cannot be cooked here, narrowing the menu options down to salads, wraps, sandwiches and cold platters. We started by ordering the red grape and goat cheese salad and chased the sun with a round of refreshing mocktails - Maltese Peel, Cafe by the Beach Colada and Choco Tsunami. The first of the trio made with orange and lime peel was yum (though it could have done with more ice), a liquid version of the orange boiled sweets we used to have as kids. The Choco Tsunami, a mighty thick shake with bits of dark chocolate cookie won instant approval, unlike the Colada which tasted like diluted milk. A bottle of pineapple-flavoured Energy would have fared better, was our intern’s opinion. But two out of three’s not bad.

Iron Oar

The salad (other options include couscous-orange, watermelon-feta) arrived right after the drink sampling in abovementioned canoe-shaped bowl. Featuring plump red grapes, generous amounts of feta and crunchy salad leaves doused in basil vinaigrette, it’s safe to say that the kitchen rocked this boat. Judging from the corn and spinach quiche, we suggest skipping any ready snack that will be re-heated minutes before being ordered. The quiche, which came with a rubbery crust and oily coat, seemed to have lost its taste due to overheating.

Making up for the pie though, were stellar sandwiches and wraps -  prosciutto and brie ‘wich, chipotle chicken and turkey wrap and romana roll. The first came with generous slices of melted brie, complimented by fresh ham and sweet rosemary-infused fig confit. The yum chicken-turkey wrap featured a gazillion flavours, literally all rolled into one, and cut up into sushi-like pieces that were artfully arranged on a plate. There was smoky (from the Turkey), spicy (from the chipotle, though we could have done with more, and jalapeno), creamy (from the cheese) and pungent from the accompanying wasabi-mayo. A true taste maker. Also palate-pleasing was the Romana wrap, a fine example of how simple ingredients like fresh mozzarella, juicy tomatoes and crunchy greens can rival a fancy dish.

Booze Control

We ended with the French Opera, a coffee-soaked slice layered with chocolate and sponge cake, garnished with pistachio. This cake, which made us think of restaurants that outsource desserts, drew neither criticism nor complaints, re-affirming its blah status.

At Rs 900 a head for casual food and mocktails, Cafe by the Beach is pretty pricey. But then a table at Marine Drive that affords a view of the jetty doesn’t come cheap. We suggest you bring your own flask and novel, order one of their delish sandwiches and don’t end with the Opera. And about the liquor license remember, it isn’t over until the fat lady sings.

Getting there: Cafe by the Beach, near Mafatlal Club, Seashore Beach, Girgaum, Chowpatty, call 7738387938, noon to 1 am, Rs 1,800 for a meal for two.