Alice, down the grab-it hole

The GUIDE drops by retail store Westside to sample premium choclates that taste less than premium and biscuits that claim to be good for your bones, for the launch of new sections: Gourmet West and Cocoa West. Here's what to expect

Walking down the well-stocked aisles of Gourmet West and Cocoa West - retail chain Westside's new sections - made us feel like Alice in Wonderland. We rushed inside, hoping to make it in time before the store's closing at 8.30 pm, trying to figure our way through the gourmet maze. Incidentally, why does the store close at the time when most professionals are likely to be staggering out of their offices!

Cereal Bar. Pics/ Prathik Panchamia

The first section stocks ready-to-eat meats, including Chinese (Rs 120 for 200 gms), Thai (Rs 120 for 200 gms) and Italian sausages (Rs 80 for 200 gms), as well as barbequed meats and tikkas.
So far, so good. Our next stop was the cheese counter. Cheeses like Feta and Mozzarella share shelf space with French cheeses, including Brie (Rs 250 for 100 gms), Camembert (Rs 235 for 100 gms) and Gouda (Rs 170 for 100 gms). The best part? You get to sample the cheeses, before choosing to buy it.

Cocoa trick or treat?
A signboard that reads: 'Make Your Own Chocolate Bar' leads us to Cocoa West, Westside's in-house chocolate brand. The premium handmade chocolates come at a steep price. To sample one bite-sized chocolate, you have to shell out Rs 20, which might not leave a very sweet taste in the mouth.
We tried the Dark Chocolate and the Rum 'n' Raisin, but could barely tell the difference between the two, as there wasn't even the lingering taste of rum to tell them apart.

The Oriental section, on the other hand, is a dream come true, especially for lovers of all things sushi. Wasabi paste (Rs 375 for 43 gm), Wasabi tube (Rs 180 for 43 gm), Sushi Maki Set (Rs 975 for 596 gm) and Cooked Sushi Rice (Rs 395 for 500 gms) are just some of the items that you can choose from if the urge to whip up an Oriental meal in the comfort of your home ever arises.

Sausages on a plate

See biscuit
Browsing through the health section, interestingly, led us to a container of chocolate biscuits (Rs 60 for 200 gm). The baked treats are supposedly free from cholesterol, eggs and lactose, and are especially suited for patients suffering from osteoporosis. Biscuits that are good for your bones!
We also picked up a bag of the most expensive BBQ-flavoured chips we might have ever tasted at Rs 189, which is incidentally sold for less than half the price across the seven seas, as a visit to the official site led us to discover. So much for customs duties.

High price for health?
Health, like everything else at this gourmet store, comes at a price. While bowls of cereal in different flavours might prove enticing, the cost is prohibitive enough to deter you from breaking your 'fast'. After all, there are cheaper versions that cost less than Rs 10 in the market. But if oats, float your boat, head here (Rs 95.80 for a small cereal bowl, with your choice of toppings).

What else?
Chef Moshe has worked on a special range for the store that include his signature breads, dips, sauces, sandwiches and salads.
The store also has a range of imported products, including pastas, sauces, vinegars, oils, condiments, cookies, confectionary, chips, snacks, frozen foods, beverages, as well as a variety of Italian, French and Indian wines.

At Westside, Army and Navy Building, Kala Ghoda.