Old-timers swear by this place, even though it has undergone three name changes in the past decade. A little birdie told us that to understand what's special about The Pier in Colaba, one should try out their new Sunday brunch. Dhiman Chattopadhyay did just that
We loved it as Athena and enjoyed the lazy sundowners in its born-again avatar Tetsuma. So when in it’s new birth The Pier launched a new Sunday brunch, we could not resist the temptation to drop in for a bite to see if they live up to their star billing.
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It’s unusually empty for a Sunday though, when we walk in at 1 pm. A band of musicians are checking up on the sound and a few young women are sipping cocktails at one of the tables. The crowd, we are told, picks up only after 2 pm. The appetisers are lined up on the converted bar counter though and once we settle down, we don’t waste much time attacking the counter.
The Balagan brunch spread at The Pier in Colaba
As our first order, a strawberry smoothie and a sundowner cocktail, makes its way to our table, we fill our plates with some Prawns and Mussels in Coconut Kaffir Lime Broth, a scoop of Coriander-Crusted Beef and Onions, a bit of Smoked Salmon with Wasabi and a small portion of Cilantro Chicken with Bockchoy and Sundried Tomatoes. From the vegetarian section we choose the Young Greens with figs and pomegranate, Hoisin-Marinated Mushrooms with Scallions, Baby Potatoes, and a big helping of various salads.
The prawns are soft and the fragrance of kaffir lime makes it delicious. The Coriander-crusted Beef has our vote of approval too, though the chicken is about average. The vegetarian starters however, are superb. And that coming from a confirmed carnivore is praise indeed. The Young Greens and the marinated mushrooms both deserve a second helping and while the potatoes aren’t that great, the Vegetarian Pasta Salad gets a thumbs-up.
For the main course, we get a printed sheet with nine dishes to choose from five vegetarian, three meat and fish, and an egg preparation. From the veg selection, we pick the Ratatouille Stuffed Crepes with Charred Tomato Sauce. And to satisfy our craving for animal protein, we plump for the Pan-seared Fish with Lemon Caper Butter and the Minute Steak with Three Pepper Corn Sauce.
The steak is soft and juicy a perfect medium-rare steak if we have ever seen one. Mashed potatoes on the sides, gravy on top heaven. The pan-seared fish is well-made too, though those who prefer their fish not to smell very fishy (if you know what I mean) should not order this one! Once again the vegetarian stuffed crepes delights. Well-cooked, well-presented and not the least bit chewy. Even my five-year-old loves it. Now that’s as unbiased a review as you will get.u00a0The desserts are a bit of a let down. The Baileys cake is too dry and the mango not quite sweet.u00a0
The Chocolate Cake is good but that’s about it. Honestly, we hardly have any space left after the great meal. The cost of the buffet at Rs 1,250 per person (non alcoholic) and Rs 1,800 (inclusive of alcohol) makes it great value-for-money. The best part is that every Sunday the menu changes a bit, so even if you come calling on consecutive weekends, it’s not the same brunch you’ll be tasting.u00a0
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