Mumbai Food: All-new Basilico with a globetrotting menu to reopen in Bandra

Restaurateur Farhan Azmi and wife Ayesha Takia Azmi follow diverse food practices Farhan loves his meat while Ayesha has been a vegan for six years Their endearing twoyearold son Mikail who has turned the soontoopen Cafe Basilico mdash Bistro and Deli into his playground is being raised as a vegetarian The Azmi family is an ideal example of how the kitchen works in the home of a young welltravelled family And the new additions to the Basilico menu which will open to Bandra folks on May 13 is a reflection of these practisesGrilled Polenta with Caponata won us over with its grainy texture and use of organic tomatoesldquoBasilico was here for 11 years when we shut down a lot of people were disappointed We have been out of the Bandra scene for almost two years now In our model of business this is our best shot Mentally I am open to doing more experiments here She Ayesha has given a lot of ideas about vegan organic and healthy ingredientsrdquo informs Farhan who made a dash to the cafeacute from the airport after a string of political meetings in Lucknow Looking around from the byreservationonly booth where we are seated we spot tiny jute bags hung on the wall which we are told will later be filled with foodflavoured attar bottles that will lift the aroma quotient in the cafeacute There is also a giant world map made with tea bags as an ode to the cafeacutersquos tea menu and the couplersquos love for the beverageldquoSo many Indian are vegetarians The option is there to go vegan and you donrsquot have to just eat three pieces of boiled vegetables it is deliciousrdquo says Ayesha The new menu will include several healthy dishes such as Five Bean Salad Roast Tomato soup and Bonsai Quinoa Burger They are also open to making dishes off the menu on requestThe interiors of the cafeacute have been designed by Anjali Mody PicsNimesh DaveldquoAll our regulars neednrsquot have to worry our menu still has a lot of our signature dishes Comfort food with a cafeacute vibe in India is different We want to serve homely food that people crave for however it will be more refinedrdquo says executive chef Evan Gwynne who also runs a restaurant in Goa called ShambaTiger Prawns with beetroot couscousFresh ingredients and flavours are what the Azmis hope to bring to life at their new space Organic vegetables will be sourced from Farhanrsquos farm in Bhiwandi The al fresco section with its plantcovered wall is an extension to this belief They also plan to grow organic vegetables like tomatoes which will be sold at the cafeacute In addition to veggies Basilico will also sell pasta signature dips and other goodies at their counterFrench Vanilla dessertThe Fig and Goat Cheese salad Rs 350 with maple vinaigrette and candied walnuts were a perfect start to our summer meal Meatlovers will trip over the Warm Teriyaki Chicken Rs 370 or the Mozarella amp Chicken Croquettes Rs 480 salads where the star of the dish is the cheese Their coolers such as the Cucumber Cooler Rs 210 and the Tropical Guava Cooler Rs 210 carry forward the refreshing palateIf you prefer spice try the Peri Peri Prawns Rs 480 that can be wolfed over straight from the skewer Chicken lovers would be delighted by the Barbeque Chicken Wings Rs 400 Mains call for the Tiger Prawns Rs 1100 that are crumb coated and come with beetroot flavoured couscous on the side The dessert list is wide from Maple Walnut Tart which is a nutty delight to delicious mini cupcakesBasilico is playing its cards right with a tastebudpleasing menu and cosy interiors free WiFi too As for surviving the Bandra restaurant race Farhan tells us that it is consistency that will be their trump cardAT Ground floor Eternia Building Hill Road Bandra W CALL 67039999