Two frisky Rottweiler puppies came bounding up towards me, tails wagging, tongues flying and lay down at my feet. I knew this meal was going to be spectacular even before it began. We were dining at Su Casa – Bandra’s newest European restaurant – one evening. The large al fresco seating with greenery all around makes for the perfect romantic setting, if you can ignore the random mosquito that is. The indoor dining room is just as classy and dimly lit which will explain the poor quality of food pictures you’ll are about to endure.
Situated in the new, amoeba-like Bombay Art Society building the decor and menu does justice to the classy location. The food menu is predominantly European with a lot of the ingredients fresh and flown in. The menu focuses on clean eating, food that is rustic and holistic with the menu spanning small plates, mains and indulgent desserts.
We started our meal off enveloped in greenery, nestled under the open sky with some small plates and cocktails for company. The Beef Tostada (Rs. 385/-) was a crisp tortilla base topped with perfectly done meat, coriander, sour cream, jalapenos and bell peppers. The crunch from the tortilla perfectly contrasted the softer elements seated on top, the sour cream providing a sense of relief from the heat of the jalapenos and peppers. Never thought a vegetarian appetizer would be my pick of the night, but the Patatas Bravas (Rs. 350/-) won because of how beautifully the potatoes were treated. The confit potatoes served with a garlic aioli proved that simplicity is might!
Because Baos make me go Bao-Wow, I decided to order two! The Fish Tempura Bao (Rs. 450/-) came highly recommended, but left our eyes watering because of the liberal addition of wasabi mayo. Now I enjoy wasabi in mild doses as much as the next sushi lover, but the wasabi mayo was added too generously here and we could taste nothing else. The BBQ Pork Belly Baos (Rs. 450/-) redeemed themselves thanks to a perfectly cooked pork enveloped with a sweet, sticky glaze that makes you want to lick your fingers.
Another dish that came highly recommended was the Char Grilled Beef Steak (Rs. 650/-) and this one too let us down. The meat was seasoned well, the roast potatoes on the side were delicious, and the accompanying sauce was flavourful. But neither of these can redeem a steak if not cooked correctly. Our hunk of meat was a lot rarer than the medium rare cook that we had requested for. Our main course was redeemed thanks to the Seafood Risotto (Rs. 510/-) – a dish that smelt like the ocean, if I may say so. A beautifully cooked dish engulfed with flavours of the sea thanks to the calamari, clams, and prawns the dish contained along with a mild hint of fennel and saffron. I could feel the see breeze in my hair and sand beneath my feet.
We wrapped up our meal with the Dark Chocolate Mousse (Rs. 325/-) for dessert. The consistency here was more of a fudge and less like a mousse, but tasted dark, dense and decadent – exactly like how a good dark chocolate dessert should taste. The avocado ice cream on the side provided an interesting relief from the sweetness.
Overall, Su Casa dishes out some comforting yet classy dishes, in a beautifully romantic set up. The price point may be on the higher side, so save this one for the meals you’re looking to celebrate or indulge. And if you’re lucky those friendly Rottweilers will wag their tails at you on your way out too.
(The author was invired to dine at Su Casa. As always, the views are unbiased and entirely her own.)
