Cafe Churchill

Hidden among a million shops on the Colaba Causeway on the left side of the street when coming from Regal Cinema it is quite possible that one has walked past this tiny haven and not even noticed it. To be fair my only agenda to go to Colaba on a warm (to be truthful almost hot) sunny February afternoon was to dine at this place. After a delightful lunch I realized how right I had been to have added to my wishlist of restaurants to be visited in Bombay.

The decor is a perfect amalgamation of the old and the new. While the walls are redone to a humble modern lilac colour the old wooden menu that hangs from the walls or the beautiful iron grills on some windows is an ode to the past. The place cannot host too many people at one time and I was lucky to have gotten in without waiting. As luck would have it I was seated right next to the big glass refrigerator where they keep all those tempting desserts all of which looked exquisite.

A menu is handed over to you which has the prices written on it and well they have added some items since the days of the wooden menu-tablet on the wall. I had come for some juicy steak and so I chose the hash steak. I must mention here that their menu is extensive and they have something for all pockets .The smiling server asked me if I wanted it medium or well done. I wanted mine medium to well done to which he replied , 'Ah you like your's just perfect' Well when a restaurant appreciates a diner's taste all one can do is wait with breathless apprehension. 8 minutes later I found a beautiful steak with a side of grilled carrots and french beans , mashed potato and a delicious looking steak was served by one server while another was holding a gravy boat very carefully with both hands which seemed a bit unnatural at first and only when they placed it on my table did I realize the reason for the fuss. The gravy boat was filled to the brim so you cannot complain about the serving size.

Well my first bite into the steak and I knew that this would become one of my favourite restaurants. The steak was perfectly done to my taste. It was tender enough to easily use your knife and well perfectly juice yet not overdone. The gravy was amazingly good. From its taste I was certain that it had the full fatty goodness. The little bits of smoked chicken bacon was an additional delight. They had chopped a few french fries in the gravy and I must say it was a surprise bonanza.

While I was enjoying my delightful lunch Aunt Churchill asked me after my meal. Well there might be many a fancy restaurants where the managers ask you the same question but if I ever find one who has as much warmth as aunt churchill did I would be touched. She is constantly on her toes making sure every diner leaves satisfied. With a few tables to look after she personally sees to it that you are not kept waiting.
I was even more impressed when I asked for a glass of water and well at first she had of course asked one of the servers to serve it but finding him busy at another table she personally brought me a glass of water. If this is not being the best host possible I do not know what is.

I was well fed and satisfied yet I simply could not leave without indulging in some dessert . After all I was seated right next to the glass door with all that goody inside. I asked for the Irish Bailey which they did not have and so I asked them for the house special. The grinning server told em all that was on the other side of that glass door was house special . Being a coffee lover I settled for the Irish coffee cheesecake. They took the entire cheesecake to the kitchen and brought back a delightfully large slice of cheesecake. While they were slicing and placing it on my plate I was almost regretting having ordered it since I was quite full but one bite and I knew I would never regret it. A very strong taste of coffee left be giddy like a little girl. I savoured every bite and asked for the bill. The server simply said , '495' so there wasn't really a printed  bill but I did not really mind. Such an amazing lunch for a mere Rs500 seemed every bit the value for money.

While I loved my experience and believe that having had such a scrumptious meal and having met the loveliest of hosts  I shouldn't even try and find any faults I must be honest and so the only reason I would rate is say a 4.5 out of 5 is because of the absence of fresh fruit juices from their menu. Their offering of beverages is limited but then again with an extensive menu for delightful dishes I must say it makes up for more than enough for me. I am definitely going back again and again and again, and I highly recommend this place to any person who loves  western cuisine.