A beachy affair! Enjoy some delicious food at this scenic cafe at Mandwa

Little did we imagine that our Friday morning that started on a chaotic note would end up in a surreal evening by the sea The party began almost the moment we jumped ship literally so and stepped on to a speedboat to Mandwa jetty where a new scenic restaurant was awaiting us Wind in our face crashing waves and a vast expanse of the Arabian sea ahead we were ready to leave Mumbai behind even if it was for only a couple of hoursNitin MongiaWithin 20 minutes we arrive at Kikirsquos Cafe and Deli a casual dining cafe perched on the waterfront The property marks yachtsman and Arjuna Award winner Nitin Mongiarsquos debut into the restaurant business Kikirsquos Catering had started in 2010 as a kitchen to cater to the guests living at his luxury villas Ccaza Commodore and Ccaza Amore in Alibaug and moved on to takeaways within the island It was not until a couple of months ago that Mongia decided to cash in on the influx of Mumbai beachbums happy to spend mornings in Mumbai and evenings in Alibaug and the easing of process of securing licences for ferry servicesThe space designed by Krsnaa Mehta has elements of his signature style mdashquirky colours hanging bicycles and tiffin artworks As we step inside the restaurant spread over 1700 square feet therersquos an instantaneous Goa vibe While there is an indoor section itrsquos the one outdoor that commands favouritism what with its solo chairs and high bar stools looking out at the setting sun The space designed by Krsnaa Mehta has elements of his signature style mdashquirky colours hanging bicycles and tiffin artworks The table graphics feature all the aspects of your journey to Alibaug mdash the Gateway of India rickshaws and cutting chai reminding you of the metropolis you left behind As we sink into the chair with a warm comforting glass of sangria we find pulled chicken sliders Rs 295 on the table Stuffed with chicken tikka the sliders are delicious with the right amount of spice from the chili marinated onions The chicken samosas Rs 275 make for an impressive filling but the coating could have been less oily The prices seem a tad steep but the magic of Mongiarsquos self taught recipes that he acquired during his travels shine throughharissa chicken pizza prepared on a sundried tomato flat bread The menu however is a versatile mix of dishes from artisanal thin crust pizzas with homemade sundried tomato to parmesan flatbreads and dabeli sandwich to assorted mezze and crostini platters Mongia insists that the menu has been designed to indulge the local people as much as the holidaymaker and the Alibauger mdash homeowners who have embraced Alibaug as their weekend home The place also offers a breakfast menu like masala omelet Rs 200 Kejriwal mdash toasted bread melted cheese fried egg green chili Rs 200 mdash and The Heart Attack Rs 300 comprising fries fried eggs salami cheese and mayoThe chicken tikka sliders at Kikirsquos Cafe and Deli PicPOONAMacircu00c2u0080u00c2u0088BATHIJA Next up is the harissa chicken pizza prepared on a sundried tomato flat bread Itrsquos an item that Mongia is proud of and itrsquos easy to figure why The stretchy mozzarella peppered with chunks of chicken is made of a harissa hot sauce that whets your appetite Interestingly the crust remains as is even hours after itrsquos out To get a sense of the local flavours one can try the slow cooked Malvani king fish curry with rice It caters to the Mangalorean in us who loves the taste of surmai fillets dunked in the subtle flavours of tamarind pulp and coconut paste For the vegetarians therersquos the cheesy penne pasta Rs 150 which is a creamy delight for those who donrsquot mind indulgence What we recommend is the apple pie and salted caramel tarts two treats that made us wish we had a bigger appetite at the end of the meal As we catch the last 830 pm boat back to Mumbai and soak in the cool winter breeze it almost feels therapeutic We couldnrsquot have asked for a better cheat vacation than this