Café with a view!

The first thing that strikes you about Lake View Café is, undoubtedly, the view. Powai lake's clear blue waters seen through the glass walls make you pause for a second, before the chic and contemporary al fresco seating area, catches your eye. Renaissance Mumbai decided to enhance the all-day dining experience and not only did they revamp the interiors to make Lake View Café look even more stylish than before, they notched up the food quotient as well.

When we visited the Cafe on a Sunday evening, the twilight hour had just begun and we managed to get ourselves seated at a table near the window. The restaurant was slowly filling up with patrons, eager to try out the live cooking stations offering authentic Indian, inspired Asian, Western grills, antipasti, desserts and some innovative cocktails.

Telling us more about their offerings, Executive Chef Sahil Arora told us that since the venue is unlike any other five star hotel, their menu, too, goes beyond burgers, sandwiches and butter chicken! “Also, we take inspiration from local ingredients for the dishes. For instance, we have a Kolhapuri Mutton which is very popular in Maharashtra, but we serve it in an interesting manner. We make a Mutton Mantao, where the spiciness of the Kolhapuri mutton is balanced with the sweetness of the bao. The all-day breakfast is also a great hit with the regulars,” he says. The buffet menu changes daily and has an entire section dedicated to vegetarians. “The vertical micro green garden next to the salad section encourages customers to take a scissor, cut their own greens and add them to their salads,” he adds.

Here's our pick from the restaurant's large menu...

BBQ Salad – Barley, Beats and Quinoa: Superfoods, Green Apple, Lemon Vinegar, Gorgonzola Cheese and Micro Greens

The BBQ salad comprises of the super grains - barley and quinoa. The acquired tastes are derived from the gorgonzola and the beats. This particular salad is contemporary and adheres to the needs of today’s generation of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Burmese Khao Suey: Hand-Pulled Noodles, Seasonal Vegetables, Brown Onion and Roasted Peanuts.
The dish is prepared using artisan freshly made hand-pulled noodles done at the restaurant itself. The coconut milk used is freshly procured from a close by the farm.

Kerala Coffee Cardamom Creme Brulee

Shatter the bruleed shell of caramelised sugar, and dive into the undertones of coffee and cardamom that sweep through the rich, custard filling. If you’re feeling nifty, use your pistachio biscuit dotted with chocolate sauce and tamarind jelly to sop up the silky, smooth filling.

Chili Chicken Tacos

If you fancy kaffir lime, the Chili Chicken Tacos are right up your alley. Mini corn tacos and cups of iceberg lettuce serve as the vehicles for eating the Southeast Asian inspired chilli chicken. Tangy lime, the warmth of lemongrass, and a peppy punch of galangal are the flavours this dish is built on.