Lighthouse Cafe - Worli, Mumbai.

We sailed on the Sea of shipwrecks for the first time. Till now, it appeared calm just like any other day in the ocean. However, we had not seen land for quite some time. It was as if there was no land in this part of the world. But what of the legendary islands and the great taverns that were said to be located within this sea? Were their existence mere myths? Our ship was running dangerously low on rations. We just had two days of stock left. Perhaps, there was a deeper sense in why this sea is called a ship's graveyard. Sailors starve and die. Just then the lookout rang the bell frantically.

I took out me looking glass and saw where he was pointing at. There seemed to be a lighthouse in the distance. It stood on a small island. There was also a small village around the lighthouse. I almost jumped with joy as I directed me mates to set course for the Lighthouse. We could restock now.

This was my first trip to Lighthouse cafe, Worli but second trip for the brand. I had visited and enjoyed the burger festival at the Khar outlet a few months back. This time it was a Food and Wine festival.

The Worli outlet has about the same area as the one in Khar but it divides itself into two sections. A glass walled and air conditioned outer area faces the Worli roads and feels like a Al-Fresco. While the interior area feels like a bar or a lounge. The decor is a mix of contemporary and a bit of steampunk. The steampunk bit comes from the decor that resembles the inside of an old lighthouse like pressure gauges and industrial pipes. The lighthouse is a dim lit pub ideal for evenings.

Lets say that if the road outside is like a sea then this lighthouse directs hungry and thirsty sailors towards a satiating meal. Makes sense right?

(Menu provided by Restaurant's PR)

The festival sees nine different wines paired with the grub. The lighter and younger wines paired with the appetizers while the aged and more flavorful wines paired with the mains. It is truly a unique culinary experience which has a special food and drinks menu. Post 31st May, things will go back to normal and none of the items on this menu will be available.

I tried an appetizer, a main paired with its wine and a dessert.

Assorted Seafood was colorful and pleasant to the eyes. For those into Foodporn, a different version of this picture can be found on my Instagram. This dish had Prawns, Basa, Calamari and mussel marinated with white wine and Tarragon tossed in. The taste was almost perfect. It was a nice mix of Mediterranean and French themes.

There was but one problem with this, Basa isn't seafood. A sea fish would have worked wonders adding natural saltiness and an oceanic feel.

Captain : What? Potatoes for 200? That's four times more than what we paid elsewhere.

Grocer : Well, this ain't elsewhere. We don't grow stuff here. We buy it from passing traders. 

Captain : But reselling it at this price? You are robbing me.

Grocer : Rich words coming from a pirate.

Captain : Don't judge me from my get up lad, I am no pirate.

Stuffed Chicken with White Bolognese. This was a well done breast of chicken stuffed with a mix made of white Bolognese, different kinds of mushrooms and roasted vegetables. The insides tasted amazing and pampered the tongue. The exterior felt a bit too well done to me, though this was not any different from chicken breast mains served in other Mumbai restaurants. This problem was compensated by the wine which completed the experience.

Myra reserve cabernet sauvignon 2014 had a better flavor than the Sulas and other young wines. It provided just the right balance needed to overcome the harsh Chicken breast exterior of the above. I am no wine connoisseur but I can tell when two things taste well.

Cappuccino Cheesecake did not taste like a traditional cheesecake. It was too soft and creamy to be one. But it did seem to be made of cream cheese and was quite delectable. I was almost tempted to ask for another portion of this. The sweet cream cheese blended well with the Cappuccino making the dessert feel like a mix between a pudding, cheesecake and a Tiramisu. The base was made of Oreo crumbs rather than Graham crackers which gave the dish a very decadent feel.

Captain : This is so delightful, so heavenly. I could have one more of this.

Tavern Owner : That would be 400 for one, 800 for two. 

Captain : Wait, What? 

Quartermaster : Well done mate, you just set of our budget by 400. >:(



The service was very professional throughout most of the course. The serving staff looked well kept, spoke English and was polite. The only flaw was that they did not follow the wine serving protocol. I was not shown a bottle and the wine filled glass came directly from the bar. In a wine festival, it is important to follow the said protocol to maintain the theme of the event.

The pricing at LHC appears to be on the higher side. While the quality of the ingredients and the fine dine finish justify a large part of that, the prices could have been a little lesser - say about twenty percent lesser.

Between the two Light house Cafes, I would actually bat for the Worli outlet. It felt better in both crowds and ambiance. The Khar outlet was a favorite of college students while the Worli outlet seems to cater to the working professional crowd. It could simply be an age thing though ha.

Note : The Food and wine festival concludes on the 31st of May 2016.

The Captain's Score : 8/10



"
Captain : So the island was expensive but at least we are loaded for another week.

First mate : Here is hoping we find more islands inside this sea. Dying from hunger is the worst way to go.

Navigator : We can still turn back. One week of rations can take us back to start of this sea. Moving forward would be the point of no return.

Captain : Barnacles, we did not come this far to turn back. Open the sails and move at full speed ahead.
"

Map Co-Ordinates
Light House Cafe,
Ground Floor, Sunville Banquets,
Dr Annie Besant Road,
Worli, Mumbai.


 -I was invited to sample the festivals offerings and hence the meal was on the house. My review however is objective.-




 

Lighthouse Cafe - Khar, Mumbai

It was a dark misty night and the seas were rough. These conditions be treacherous for any ship at the high seas. The crew was extra alert, not a lad out of place. Suddenly out of the dark mists, a brief flash of light caught our attention. I immediately changed course towards the light. As we moved into the unknown, the flashes grew brighter and brighter. Any experienced man at sea knew what this meant. There was a lighthouse nearby. 

As me ship pushed though the mists, the view became clearer. There was a small island in front of us with a lighthouse in the middle. The lookout sounded confused when he claimed that there was a tavern right inside that light house. This was enough to arouse me curiosity as I asked the fellas to look for a good spot to dock at while the landing party prepared to explore the island. Tavern inside the lighthouse? Fascinating.

The nice folks at Zomato remembered good ol' me when they were organizing a meet up for epicures at Light house Cafe. This cafe is more of a pub or a tavern if one has to strictly go by the appearance. The most prominent part of this small sized restaurant is the bar. But a small obscure counter adjacent to the bar with a loud signboard saying FOOD reassures that there is plenty of grub too. The dim lit appearance is perfect for a sinful weekend binge.
 

And if that wasn't good enough - There is live Music(Wednesdays) and a DJ too. So much in a little cafe is worth every moment spent here. The vibe is similar to that in a club. Food, drinks, frolic and music to go with that.


The party started with a bunch of house special cocktails. This was a part of their special Beer and Burger's menu. Some of these cocktails were made by the fellas at the meet up themselves. Fun for us to be honorary bartenders(though lousy), I reckon.

Caribbean Mix was undoubtedly my first choice. If you have to ask why then you are not reading enough of my works mate. This was a beer cocktail mixed with Vodka, Malibu, Coconut water, pineapple and some Tabasco. The flavor was sweet to start with. As the tongue bathed in the drink, the flavor of the coconut which was somewhat similar to that in Bounty Chocolates emerged. And as the drink went down me passages, a strong tangy-spicy aftertaste could be felt. This definitely got my spirits up.

Crewmate : Any Pirate gags coming Cappy?

Captain : No, let me enjoy me drink.

Crewmate : oh...ok.

The Paneer Kebabs and Murg Alishan were savory snacks that went well as bar nibbles. The chicken in the latter was a tad bit rare but the taste was great.

The mains were greasy, messy and scrumptious burgers. These felt very much like real burgers as opposed to the basic dumbed down burgers sold in most run of the mill places like the ones by a clown and a king. And as this was a Beer and Burger festival, I was told that the line up was a special edition menu. These huge burgers were quite heavy so I could not taste em' all but I did enjoy what I could grab. The place would make a great spot for a burger lover.

Bengal Fata Fati was a messy burger which tasted much like homemade Tariwala Chicken. I suppose Bengali homemade chicken and Punjabi homemade chicken have a similar flavor. The mayo in the burger was mixed with a Bengal mustard chili paste and added a twisty zing to the familiar flavor. The wedges were coated with Panchphoran masala which is a blend of spices used in Bengali cuisine. A welcome change as opposed to the overused and over done piri piri mixes.

Jerk Chicken Stoner was definitely the best of the burger lot. A spicy and potent Jamaican jerk mix applied to roasted chicken and draped with lots of mayo makes a great burger. It had a great aroma too. This burger was quite messy but if it ain't messy then it ain't fun at all. To play around with names a bit, Jerk Chicken Rocker would have been more apt.

Captain : This burger gave me a high. 

Crewmate : Thats why this is called a stoner.

Captain : Good food fixes anything eh?

Crewmate : I wouldn't know, you usually eat mine too.

Fiery Punjabin is strangely a pure veggie burger. For folks like me, Punjabi food symbolizes meat and spiciness so this was definitely something, different. This monster was primarily made of a cottage cheese(Paneer) patty with pickled vegetables. The Yoghurt used is billed to be Bondi Yoghurt(Aussie) which I am not sure about. Appears to be a corruption of Boondi Yoghurt ha.

Eggless Hazelnut mousse was average. The liquor was rich but not very dense. It was quite airy from appearance. The major problem with this dessert was the unwelcome addition of hazelnut flakes. This felt like a last minute post work addition and felt very annoying as far as taste goes. I ended up flipping the mousse and slicing a layer off which contained the flakes.

The pricing seems fair for the generous portion sizes served. Most burgers are between 400 to 500 INR which feels fine. The drinks have variable prices. Some feel like a good deal while some feel on the higher side. In totality, the menu is well priced for a burger lover.

The service can be a little slow but the place was crowded beyond belief so its pardonable. The staff was professional in conduct. The bartender was extra polite as he walked us through making drinks and tolerating our sacrilegious mistakes ha. I remember not shaking the drink hard enough.

The evening was great and I can say that the complete package was well worth the trip. The Beer and Burger festival is a limited affair so the reader should make haste.

The Captain's Score : 8/10

"Best lighthouse ever, eh lads?"

Map Co-Ordinates
Lighthouse Cafe
3rd Road, Khar West,
Khar, Mumbai. 



-The event was part of a Zomato meetup. Food and drinks were on the house.-