Magic happened at Café Mangii. It was an occasion when the best of the wines India produces was showcased vis-a-vis the best that the café does
Cafu00c3u00a9 Mangii
Sophia Bush, when asked about her figure had once famously exclaimed “Life is too short, and I’m Italian. I’d much rather eat pasta and drink wine than be a size 0.” I cannot help but agree with her, because whenever it occurs that a good wine is paired with good Italian food, magic happens.
This Wednesday, the 20th of July magic did happen at Café Mangii. It was an occasion when the best of the wines India produces was showcased vis-a-vis the best that the café does. This evening was also meant to showcase the new elaborate menu that the restaurant have launched just a couple of weeks back.
ADVERTISEMENT
Café Mangii's new menu
We were taken along a ride through the 10 courses carefully curated by the chefs. Every course was a story unto itself, starting from a refreshing amuse bouche of mini watermelon cups, and through a kaleidoscopic selection of carefully crafted dishes to end with a sweet Philadelphia cheese cake.
Mini watermelon cups
Desserts at Café Mangii
The highlight of the dinner for us had to be the Cranberry Apple salad. I have always believed that salads are what showcases a chef’s talents.
Cranberry Apple salad
They may look simple, and fixing a classic salad may not be a formidable task, but at the same time, coming up with a new recipe requires a thorough understanding of flavors, textures and temperatures. It also requires one to appreciate ingredients in its different forms and shapes.
Guava and Mint granita
Different cuts and shapes of ingredients may all taste the same, but in a salad they may play distinctly dissimilar roles. To this end, the Cranberry Apple salad with that silent hum of fennel, the dense fruitiness of dried cranberries and with the punch of Honey Dijon, ticked all boxes.
Lemon Pepper Basa
Other dishes that stood out for us were the roasted red pepper soup, and chicken pancetta envelope & gorged mushrooms from the small plates’ platter. The new menu also showcases a wide variety of pizzas, pastas and riso. We were treated to a select sample from them. I like my risotto a little loose, and both the risottos felt a bit dry, however, the rice was cooked perfectly and the flavors were good.
Each course was paired with a wine selected by Wines of India; a collective body launched earlier this year, which has been set up to promote Indian wines in the country and abroad. Sommelier Nikhil Agarwal, director of the body introduced us to the profile of each of the wines served and also took us through the reason why they were picked for the specific courses. 10 wineries from the state of Maharashtra were showcased along the courses.
A Café Mangii staffer holding a bottle of wine
Pollo Lombardy
The surprising and an unexpected pairing was sauvignon blancs from two vineyards being presented with the warm red pepper soup. The wine provided the perfect vessel for the soup, and the flavor got that edginess with the pair. The Sula late harvest 2016, was paired with the two desserts. I felt the sweet wine alone would have sufficed to end the meal.
Small Plates platter
Café Mangii has never disappointed when it comes to delicious Italian fare. With the new menu they have brought in a new dimension to their food; addition new preparations and retaining some old favorites.
Smoked Barbeque Chicken Pizza
The menu is elaborate, more complex and worthy of the patronage of Mumbai food enthusiasts. I look forward to trying out the other new additions in the restaurant. May the mangiic never cease.
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
