Elegant, indulgent, and anything but rushed… these are the brunch boxes in Mumbai that you should be ordering right away, especially after a tiring week of festivities. And the best part is that you don’t have to dress up before you show up! By Nivedita Jayaram Pawar
Brunch is everything you want in a meal: carbohydrates, a casual dress code, and day drinking. Incidentally, these are also the things you want in a lockdown. While the live bands, sunny pools and crowded seafood counters may have to wait in these times of ever-lurking fear of contamination, the yummy spread can still be enjoyed at home – especially after days of festivities! Restaurants are now packing brunches in fancy boxes—complete with dips, sauces, garnishes and plating instructions. All you have to do is unbox, put on some breezy music and enjoy. So grab a glass of Prosecco, and go on a gastronomic tour with these five OTT brunches in Mumbai.
1. Qualia
At the top of the brunch game is Chef Rahul Akerkar’s internationally-inspired menu that takes your taste buds across Africa, Europe, Latin America and Turkey. His latest South-American spread is all things delicious. The star of the menu is undoubtedly the labour-intensive but delicious hallacas, a traditional Venezuelan cornmeal wrap steamed in banana leaf. It’s a work of art! The creamy and coconut-ty goat stew (vegetarians get an eggplant version), and delectable chickpea rice with bell pepper and fried garlic are other tantalising options. However, no mention of over-the-top brunches would be complete without extravagant desserts! In this case, it’s delicious doughnuts stuffed with dulce de leche (slow-heated sweetened milk) and cream cheese. The spread comes with a premixed drink; all you have to do is add your choice of alcohol. The menu changes every weekend, but its lavishness remains constant.
Price: INR 8,270 for four people; INR 4,135 for two
To order: call +91 7304586862
2. Marriott on Wheels, JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar
This indulgent brunch in a gorgeous red box will leave you ecstatic, simply by the sheer scale of it! Sit down to tackle the seductive and stirring scamorza-stuffed lamb and the joy of eating the stromboli with chicken salami and mozzarella. It even has multiple small bites of all things zesty, umami and delicious. Mains include Nasi Goreng rice with prawns—which is an explosion of flavours, like the Chettinad chicken with hot, flaky parathas. But the piece de resistance is the osso bucco-style lamb shank where the flavours aren’t too punchy. Instead, it’s a gentle shake into wakefulness. The sweet and sticky gulab jamuns make for the perfect ending. The bespoke bagasse packaging with recycled wood cutlery is reassuring for all the green hearts.
Price: INR 2,500 plus taxes for non-vegetarians; INR 2,250 plus taxes for vegetarians
To order: call 022 6882 8656 or +91 9136981955
3. The Colossal Spread, Colossal Kitchens
This is the kind of brunch that beautifully straddles the line between breakfast and lunch. But what we love most about their brunch is the way it elevates comfort food to works of art. The heartwarming minestrone soup is deeply satisfying, as are the Margherita kulchas that shake your taste buds into action. Even the humble patatas bravas pack a flavourful punch. A mammoth mezzo spread with various dips and bread is a constant. The Spaghetti aglio e olio with an extra kick from the dried peperoncino is a personal favourite. Desserts incorporate classics such as cheesecake, Oreo fudge and a gooey chocolate cake.
Price: INR 4,999 plus taxes
To order: call +91 7208558111
4. Sofitel Mumbai BKC
What a brunch this is: fresh, seasonal, complex and amazing! The array includes Indian, Italian, Asian and Mediterranean dishes. Its highlights? Chargrilled potatoes stuffed with pomegranate, cheese, nuts and spices. They are sweet, spicy and incredibly addictive. The shallow fried vegetable cutlets with zesty kasundi mustard dip is another star dish. The Parsi style marghi nu farcha retains its crunch in the box. The Asian selection includes an exceptional Kung Pao chicken in a tangy sauce and wok-tossed spicy prawns. But the hero of the dizzying array of dishes is undoubtedly the fragrant chicken dum biryani. The only problem with this brunch is overindulgence, but who’s complaining?
Price: INR 4,500 for four people; INR 3,000 for two
To order: call +91 91673 91130
5. Dara Singh Thali by The Mini Punjab group
This decadent, ‘gram-worthy thali calls for an army to demolish. Kick things off with the assortment of chaats (read gol gappe, shakarkand aloo chaat, and Amritsari tikki) before immersing yourself in the wondrous world of naans, gravies, pulao and khichdi. Rare dishes like the lamb yoghurt curry and murgh musallam rice make this thali a delight to indulge in. Desserts like halwa, malpua, jalebi, gulab jamun and moti choor malai will call for stretch pants! The thali itself is mounted on a giant, dried leaf complete with earthen pots for gravies and a plating manual. Just a word of caution: the thali holds over 35 items!
Price: INR 2,400 for the vegetarians; INR 3,200 for non-vegetarians
To order: call +91 8879558688
Related: 5 Best Brunch Places In Kolkata For That Lazy Monsoon Sunday!