Mumbai Food: Versova's boutique-cum-cafe fails to impress
Salad Bagel
The closest we've come to seeing calories and fabric paired together is in the movies when the to-be-bride is given a glass of red to calm her Godzilla nerves. Which is why the proximity of the trial room to the community dining table at One Point Six takes us aback. After all, immediately after realising that you no longer fit into the size that you did last summer, do you really want to dig into a paan mousse? On the other hand, if you have a date and nothing to wear, you could easily just meet here and conquer two birds with one stone.
Just across the lane from Versova Social, One Point Six is a boutique-cum-cafe that opened two months ago after acquaintances Srinjini Ravat and Arpita Paliwal decided to bring together their dreams. Ravat is a fashion designer and Paliwal, a food designer. There are six tables (three inside and three outside) that can seat diners while dresses, skirts, pants and shirts — all made in cotton with paisleys, elephants and chappals — line the walls.
Paan mousse
With the junior chef running late and the main chef off for the day on account of dahi handi, we have enough time to browse through the collection as we wait for the food order. Mercifully, the masala chai arrives and it's a blessing to see that unlike what most cafés do, this cuppa is not a premix with hot water.
The menu is printed on handmade paper. The stirrer and teacup are made of corn starch. In fact, even the plate on which the Salad Bagel arrives is bio-degradable. It's a major plus.
Bite one seems good. We notice nothing amiss, but, at second bite, there's a sense of disappointment. The bagel is an imposter. The texture is your good, old, soft bread. Not the brittle bite we expect. The insides are just about okay. The harissa cloaks the hummus. Yet, this is not to say that the bagel is not worth finishing. In fact, it fills you. It's just not what we expected.
The boutique-cum-cafe opened two months ago after casual acquaintances Arpita Paliwal and Srinjini Ravat decided to bring together their dreams
On the subject of expectations, the one deal-breaker is noise. The inside seating is a bit distracting, what with shoppers coming and asking if the collection has been updated. Outside might be a better option. Especially, since you don't hear the horn that is blown every time Rose — you will remember her from Leaping Windows on Yari Road — needs to inform the chef of the next order.
The takeaways arrive, again in biodegradable packaging. The only thing they haven't managed to find an eco-friendly option for is the plastic cover for the cup. It's this cup in which the Paan Mousse is packed. Did we like it? The jury is out on that one. One of the tasters at office says it's more gulkand than paan; another disses it outright. To this writer, the texture seems smooth and the taste quite like the paan ice cream from the local Udipi, which is a good thing. Oh, and their Quinoa Khichdi is quite tasty. In fact, much better than anything we manage at home. The total bill comes up to Rs 950. Largely because, currently GST doesn't apply on the business.
And, why is the place named One Point Six? It slipped our mind to ask. But, we will next time. Which means yes, it's worth a second visit.
One Point Six didn't know we were there. mid-day reviews anonymously and pays for meals.
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