Sofitel Mumbai De-light Menu: De-Light-Full!

[Rated: 3.0/5]

It was a balmy afternoon, when I reached for a meal that was explained to me as “It may not fit your foodie palate, but it surely can be a pleasant change.”

Was it a change? I have to admit – a rather surprising one at that.

The idea of Delight was driven by the new breed of health conscious travelers. “We get a large number of guests, who are into healthier ways of eating. And this menu is designed keeping in mind the preferences and demands of a high flyer’s life,” says Executive Sous Chef Deepak Dandge.

In fact, the team took nearly four months to zero on the menu. Reason:  Flexibility, good taste and of course the right calorie count. “Each of the dishes in the menu is tweak-able to suit a certain taste and preference,” says Chef Deepak who has even designed a fruit sushi for dessert lovers like me.

But did all the explanation come true on the table? It was with this thought that I made my way to the table where a menu was promptly presented – the dishes, I was told, were made to my preference of having tangy main courses and a slightly bitter, creamy chocolate mousse. A healthy, four-course menu, with an extra starter, custom-made?!! Now that is enough to get the EQ (eager quotient) in me up and on high alert.

We start with shooters— shot glasses of Tomato Basil and Litchi Juice. Refreshing! Next is soup. My tanginess got me the Spinach and Lentil Soup with garnished parmesan. Unstrained and with freshly ground whole spices, it was much like the traditional palak dal, with extra creaminess lend by the Parmesan. Oh by the way, there is a low fat variation of the cheese, so an extra bowl would not hurt!

Starters came with the option of the German bread with cream cheese and a rice roll with alfa alfa filling with sweetened cucumbers and a sweet-spicy sauce. While the bread didn’t make up my alley because of the bitter taste, though for trained palate it would come as an interesting combination; the rice roll was more appealing to the palate – and for a change lighter to the bread by no less than 30 calories.

The Duck Salad that came in a Lilliputian jar looked interesting – though beware of the overpowering after taste of boiled duck. The sprout salad on other hand was a welcome change. Served on roasted papad for the crunch and contrasting taste, it could be one reason for calling a second run – with a change in dressing of course.

The main course had a choice between Chicken Basquaise, which is chicken breast served Spanish style with lots of tomatoes and capsicum and Eggplant Involtini, essentially baked egg plant with cream cheese  (yes, low fat ricotto and parmigiano cheese) filling served on a tomato base.  The chicken in spite its pleasing presentation and heartwarming portion size was dry and flavourless. The use of capsicum to add spice failed to get the desired effect. Perhaps using hot peppers and tenderizing the meat or a little longer marination could do the trick. The Eggplant Involtini on the other hand was delicious. Baked to crispness with the cheese melted enough for a gooey bite, it could get even a foodie like me addicted – and complaining of the portion size. Two rolls are just not enough.

The Aero Chocolate Mousse did complete the meal for us. Made of single source cocoa powder and not dark chocolate with skim milk cream, butter and Philadelphia Cheese (low fat again) added for the mousse texture the little scoop at 355 calories wasn’t exactly healthy but for the creamy, bitter and luscious tongue feel it is surely satiating. Perfect when you need to restrain your cravings with one serve.

Sofitel’s De-light menu is a mixed bag, but with a little tweaking, this menu can very well be an indulgence, especially when you are looking for a break from palate overpowering food and mindless bingeing. It surely worked for me.

Ratings out of 5

Food: 3.0 | Ambiance: NR | Service: NR | Overall: 3.0

Meal Per Person: 1700 (Lunch), 2000 (Dinner) | Credit Card: Yes | Valet: Yes Address: The Sofitel, C-57, Bandra Kurla Complex, Bandra (East), Mumbai 400 051 | Phone: +91 22 61175000

– Madhulika Dash