Chinese fit for royalty

Spacious new Juhu restaurant, Balthazar, is a fun, upscale dining option for those bored of the usual multi-cuisine fare available in the suburbs

Spacious new Juhu restaurant, Balthazar, is a fun, upscale dining option for those bored of the usual multi-cuisine fare available in the suburbs

In the Bible, Balthazar is one of the three Magi from the east who came bearing gifts for the infant Jesus. In Mumbai's posh Juhu Tara Road, it's a grand new restaurant bearing authentic food from China, primarily Beijing. In New York, it's a French bistro that serves traditional fare from breakfast through late-night supper.

Balthazar can accommodate at least 124 diners.

The American Balthazar is renowned for its exceptional design. The building was converted from a leather wholesaler's warehouse to an airy space that can accommodate over 200 people in the dining room and at a "zinc" bar.

The Mumbai eatery -- which has no connection to the Big Apple favourite -- can accommodate at least 124 diners on its great wooden chairs, and then more in the bar area. This one "was converted from a spacious banquet hall," manager Daniel told us on the evening that we we stopped by.

The interiors of the breathtaking 3,000-plus square foot restaurant drips with character -- high ceilings, long corridors, glowing columns, ambient lighting and an upscale waiting area. The pop art wall frames and African wall hangings are a tad confusing, considering the cuisine is Chinese.

The promised exotic rope-hanging dancer and Blue Label lounge, which will have Southeast Asian hostesses and cascading candles, will up the chic quotient. We ditched the upper-level smoking room with a bird's eye view and the private booths, for a table adjoining the massive VIP Balthazar table.

Both the tofu and the dumplings passed the authenticity test. Our Tofu in Black Bean Sauce (Rs 400) had tofu so silky, it slipped of our forks when we tried to lift it. Prawn and Chive Dumplings (Rs 260) had gleaming translucent white skin, and was steamed just right.

Monks Pot (Rs 350) looked and tasted like a refined version of the ubiquitous Pot Rice, with a few strands of noodles instead of rice at the bottom.

Fresh Prawn and Vegetable Noodles (Rs 400) was the most substantial dish on the epic menu, which also offers interesting prefixed meals for one. More good news is that the menu will change every three months, as informed by Daniel.

The bar menu is extensive; there are at least 30 wines listed from across the world, mostly available by the bottle. The Balthazar Potion (Rs 500) that the bartender stirred up for us was a potent combination of chocolate, fresh fruit, vodka and liqueur. We're hoping the potency of this impressive eatery remains
the same.
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AT: Juhu Tara Road, near SNDT College, opposite HP Petrol Pump, Santacruz (W).
Call: 9930999930
Balthazar didn't know we were there. THE GUIDE reviews anonymously and pays for meals.