On the eighth day, God went to brunch at Indigo Cafe

And God said, let there be mushrooms, and there was mushroom cappuccino with truffle oil,  He said, “Let there be fish”, and there was baby rawas , He said “Let there be lamb” and there was lamb shank and last of all, He said “Ay Ganpat, chal daaru la” and there was pitcher of white wine sangria.

This very conveniently edited version of the opening of the world’s best selling book came to mind as I walked out of  the doors of Indigo Cafe this afternoon. Brunching with Dad on Sundays is a welcome ritual. Though, gastronomically, I’ve not been in the best shape since I moved back, jumping too eagerly into spicy plates of Sev Puri and glasses of water with grimy finger prints from bus boys with rags on their shoulders- which have led to having to excuse myself in social situations because I’ve had to attend to important “calls.”

So we chose Indigo Cafe, over the Blue Water Indo-Chinese buffet. Tucked into a lane Off Link Road in Andheri-Oshiwara, Indigo was located at the end of very bumpy lane, not the kind of place you would expect for a place like it to be. The valet found a place for our car to park, and even though we had no reservations, the waiters smiled and found a place for our asses to park in very little time. The decor style of Indigo Cafe is deceptively simple; divided into two sections by glass panes. We sat in what could be construed as the “outdoor” section, even though it was air conditioned and sunlight was streaming in through the opaque ceilings. The selection is diverse and American, like a New York bistro that I’m quiet sure would be packed on a Sunday afternoon, much like Indigo Cafe was.

And to add a disclaimer here- I have been a waitress before. I know what an absolute shit job it can be, but it can also be a lot of fun, when you actively make yourself a part of the experience for the diner. I’ve connected with people who I’ve served and met some very interesting ones.

At the prices we pay for dining out these days, food alone does not a a good restaurant make. The attitude in India towards wait staff is quite sad, where they can be perceived simply as people who carry the food back and forth the kitchen, as opposed to representatives of the restaurant or brand. They are the ones who are directly in contact with the point of sale and I think our service industry at large needs to wake up to that.

Having said that, Cafe Indigo was definitely more than a cut above the rest. Our server was polite, friendly, laughed at dad’s jokes like he genuinely enjoyed them and pretty much had us sold on anything that he said. One glass of  Sangria, at his suggestion, turned into a pitcher.  The wine was sweet though I was marginally disappointed to see only apples and pears in what is supposed to be an assorted fruit drink. (And even this, I thought I must mention, because the rest of the experience had me spouting superlatives, the good kind, so that I don’t seem biased.) Dad’s Baby Rawas that was on the 1 year anniversary menu, was delectable and Azra’s lamb shank meat fell off the bone and melted in your mouth before you had a chance to start chewing. My mushroom cappucino was what God had in mind when he first bestowed upon the earth, the holy gift of edible fungi.

We got talked into Molten Lava dessert. (Disclaimer time once again: I hate Molten anything. It’s just a bunch of chocolate cake, with chocolate sauce, and chocolate sprinkled on it, topped with chocolate shavings and a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. It’s pedestrian and unimaginative not to mention a whole lot of calories for two of the most common flavors in the dessert world.) Of course, Cafe Indigo, proved my fears unfounded. Chocolate whipped into a frenzy carefully placed in layers in a tiny square with a snowy dusting of powered sugar and the mandatory scoop of vanilla ice cream blew my mind. It was light, unique and sinful, a perfect ending to a perfect meal.

Two entrees, one soup, one side, a pitcher of Sangria and a dessert put us back by Rs.3000. Not the cheapest brunch excursion, but one worth every single rupee.

As we walked out to get into the car that the valet promptly retrieved for us, I know we will be back soon. What a treat this was!

And so on the 8th day, He called up a bunch of friends, and God went to brunch at Indigo Cafe. And that is the word of the Lord.

Sadly, I did not find a website to link to, but if you ever find yourself in the Andheri-Oshiwara area I would suggest getting your reservations in place and definitely making the time for a heavenly experience.