Brunch Diaries: The Clearing House

A visit to The Clearing House (TCH) – a swanky dining space in Ballard Estate – had eluded me all this while, until recently. I finally decided to make good use of that one precious Sunday and trekked all the way to ‘town’ for TCH’s special weekend brunch. TCH does brunch a bit differently – for starters their brunch menu is ala carte and brought right to your table. Which in my opinion is a welcome change from the boring ol’ buffets where the food turns cold and insipid after lying out for so long. Their brunch menu is available on both Saturday and Sunday – because why should the joy of brunch be restricted to just one day in the week?

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Three Reasons to Dine at The Bandra Project by Pizza Express

Among Bandra’s ever evolving culinary landscape, where restaurants open daily and an equal number shut shop, very few eateries manage to leave a mark and be remembered. It has been a week since my preview meal at the newly launched The Bandra Project by Pizza, but the recall and remembrance value still remains high. The iconic Pizza Express undergoes a makeover to transform itself into a community hub that is a lot more than just a restaurant and bar. Because change is the only constant in life. 

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Brunch Diaries – Le Pain Quotidien

Brunch on Sunday > Clubbing on Saturday

If there is one mantra I strongly live by, it has got to be the one above. There is nothing like waking up late on a Sunday, fresh as a daisy without a heavy hungover head, and spending the rest of the day indulging in the best of food and drink. I dream of summery white dresses, mimosas and sangrias, a runny Eggs Benedict on a bed of ham, waffles that are crunchy from outside – airy within, and conversations that last the entire day. My long standing affair with Sunday brunches has been documented on this blog time and again. Last Sunday was no different – we visited Le Pain Quotidien at Bandra Kurla Complex for their Sunday brunch and sampled some of the new dishes on their specially curated summer menu.

The interiors of LPQ epitomise simplicity and class. Minimalist wooden furniture, interiors that are bright and beaming, with large glass panelled walls that allow plenty of sunlight to shine through during the day. Not to forget their large community tables, a concept which they pioneered in the city when LPQ started off years ago. 

On My Table – Spicy Mushroom Tartine, Mediterranean Platter
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Take a Trip to Drunky Town With These New Bars

With restaurants and bars sprouting all around the city like moss during monsoons how does one determine which bar is worth your time, money and most importantly worth those calories. Yours truly recommends trying out these two watering holes among all the new entrants the city has seen this month. Read on, and then drink on! *hic*

1. Swey, Worli

Perched on the top floor of the now defunct Atria mall in Worli lies Swey – a sprawling casual dining bar where you can nibble on appetizers under the open sky and drink cocktails with the sea breeze in your hair. What I loved about Swey the minute I walked in was the sheer magnitude of the space – large and spaced out unlike most bars in the city where you’re bumping elbows with the drunk on the next table.

Their signature cocktails come strongly recommended. My pick of the night was the Kale and Hearty – a vodka, spinach, cucumber, kale and ginger mix – that definitely tastes better than it sounds. Why have your greens when you can drink them mixed with alcohol? Another favourite was the highly potent Tequila Surprise – a tequila, kiwi, jalapeno concoction. What I loved about the cocktails here was that they were generous with the alcohol quotient which is a rarity nowadays.

(Left to Right): Rechado Fish Tikka, Cajun Chicken Pizza, Bottle Masala Chicken
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Su Casa es Mi Casa

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.

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