Food review: Smoke House Deli

Smoke House Deli
Rating: ****

Smoke House Deli is easily one of my favourite restaurants in the city with a casual air. Its doodled walls house papier-mâché telephones and gramophones, and cut-out chandeliers serve no real purpose, but add a wonderful shot of whimsy to the room. Having worked in a restaurant and managed a café in Switzerland, I learnt a lot about the hospitality industry, the requirements, etiquette, dos and don’ts and I gladly confess that out of a lot of restaurants I frequent in Mumbai, Smoke House Deli almost always gets it right. A smart use of space, which ensures quick service.

From the chilled out vibe to the friendly and efficient service staff to a most exciting and innovative menu, this place keeps me coming back ever so often. I love the fact that the whole restaurant is, for lack of a better description, handdrawn. I wouldn’t call it a giant doodle, to me it’s more of art. There’s much to look at and admire as you await your meal.

They have a brilliant combination of fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers for interesting drinks, though my favourite is the kiwi, melon and jasmine lemonade. As far as food goes, for starters I have a couple of favourites such as the concoction of aubergine and mozzarella, fry devilled tenderloin. The smoked carrot and ginger vichyssoise soup is definitely a must-have on my list and it goes really well with a portion of artichoke and poached pear salad or a portion of chicken and asparagus salad. The mushroom risotto at Smoke is to die for, and is alone a scrumptious meal for one. Let me share a little secret with you, you can never go wrong with any of the desserts here so feel free to experiment. There are so many tempting choices, and I usually order something new each time.