The brunch shift begins early (5 am, if you must know). With an extra set of hands (they have a chef come in to help with the lavish spread), the men work the JW Marriott kitchen, to perfect all the dressings and dips, and make sure the French butter is cold enough to roll their famously flaky croissants. And by 12.30 pm, they’re up and running for brunch. Sure they’ve got the whole deal here, eggs (in every style), live pasta and grill counters, duck specialties and even some Indian delicacies. But their new market-style seafood counter is the star of this show.
The extensive fare includes shrimps, anchovies and a variety of shellfish – with fresh catch flown in from Kerala every morning. We started with oysters (brought in from Burma) topped with shallots soaked in red wine vinegar. The vinegar added a much-needed zing, while the shallots added a subtle hint of spice. Next on our plate was a freshly grilled salmon with bone (from Japan, not the canned variety). Served with a side of the most comforting, creamiest mashed potatoes in the world, the grill was delicate, had a smoky charred taste and highlighted the saltiness of the catch. Third came the clams. The bite-sized preparation (marinated with freshly chopped garlic and chilies) offered a natural burst of flavour with each bite. And what’s brunch without lots of dessert? A scoop-yourself mousse-in-a-jar offering, was light and creamy, with rich dark chocolate and rounded off our meal nicely.
Lotus Café, JW Marriott, Juhu Tara Road, Juhu, Mumbai. Tel: 022 3015 1027
