Tres Bell

We’d seen it before, that designed-to-look-faded green door. Was it at Wtf! or Yellow Tree Cafe? Either way, Chez Moi, Bandra’s newest European restaurant wasn’t doing much to stand out amidst the crop of cutsie cafes sprouting all over a suburb currently OD-ing on delightful. At least that’s how it seemed from the outside.

Charmed, I’m Sure

Determined not to let bpb’s strict door policy get in the way, we decided to ignore the gate and bite the bait. Inside, this four-day old breadbox-sized cafe (seats 30) is predictably charming, but charming none the less. There are flower pots and brass switches, old clocks and ice cream stick walls, French music and posters featuring Paris. Plus, random bric-a-brac including a 45 year-old wash basin and a human hand soap dish that co-owner Amman took off a mannequin from his previous stint with a fashion brand. Biting the hand that feeds?

Micro Menu

After sufficient eye spying, it was time to focus on the two-page micro menu bound in an old L’Officiel magazine. The idea behind the brevity – we’re still not sure about the magazine bit - is that Chef Vinod (formerly with Out of the Blue) plans to routinely change the selection of dishes at Chez Moi. Considering round one isn’t big on imagination, you'll find yourself banking on taste.

Since the soups - broccoli-walnut and butter corn – weren’t available, we started our meal with the black olive-fig tapenade and chilli pepper mushroom pizza, casting aside other dull dough (garlic bread, bruschetta, chicken mayo sandwich) options. The tapenade served on bread is a yum medley of sweet and slightly bitter, drizzled with olive oil. Upper crust seekers will love the expertly baked lean pizza that turns up looking terrific and tastes just as yum. Since Chez Moi’s beer and wine license arrives later this week, we toasted to our first food review of 2011 with mock champagne, and proceeded to scan main course options.

Mustard Up the Courage

Despite its French moniker – Chez Moi means ‘my home’ in English - there are few French influences on the menu; the mustard chicken is one of them. Now the mustard may or may not be from Dijon, but the well-built sauce offset by mash potatoes and complimented by juicy bell peppers is delicious. If the chicken-dominated plated meals don’t interest you, try the spicy thyme and mushroom pasta.

Dessert (supposedly sourced from Moshe’s) for the night included tiramisu, chocolate mousse and passion fruit cheese cake. We got the last option – a fat slice of fresh Philadelphia cheese cake topped with fruit. Home sweet home, indeed!

Getting there: House no 13, ONGC Colony, lane opposite Lilavati Hospital, Bandra Reclamation, next to Candies, call +917738382407, open from 1 pm to 1.30 am, Rs 850 for a meal for two without alcohol.

bpb reviews restaurants anonymously and pays for its own meals.