Located in the busy student hub of Hudson Lane, where a number of cafes and restaurants line up both sides of the road, By The Bay comes as a pleasant surprise. With a thatch roof, and rock pavement, leading to the dining area that also includes a beach area setting, the cafe aims at a Goan-feel. We decided to pay the place a visit as they have recently launched their new menu.
Talking about the café, owner Varun Bansal says, “"The café offers a fun and chic space for you to enjoy and chill in. It is the right place for parties, themed-brunches, get-togethers, entertaining lunches, dates and fun evenings – experience the right texture of good food, flawless drinks with a touch of our doting chefs."
We started with their signature cocktail Demon In The Melon. The drink is a mix of green apple vodka, Triple sec, watermelon and coconut served in a hollowed watermelon with a tap at the bottom and a shot glass that you can continuously refill.
Needless to say, the drink was dominated by watermelon and if you want a summery touch to your drink, this is the one for you. For those who prefer rum as a base, try the Goa in a Shell; a mix of rum, peach, passion fruit and coconut, served in a coconut with a small umbrella adding the final touch.
As the evening progressed and the volume of the music increased, we tried their Non-Vegetarian World on a Platter, bearing Chilly Chicken, Fish Tikka, Chicken Garlic Bread, Malai Chicken Tikka and Nachos loaded with thin slices of chicken. Among all these variants, we enjoyed the Fish Tikka the most.
It was fresh and perfectly cooked with the spices doing their trick. For the vegetarians, they have a separate platter with Spring Rolls, Chilli Paneer, Loaded Nachos, Paneer Makhni Garlic Bread and Dahi ke Sholay.
With the platter being so filling, for the main course we stuck to the basics – Dal Makhni and Kadhai Chaap with Butter Naan. Kadhai Chaap was on the spicier side with think gravy, pair it with the soft naan and you are good to go. While we were already stuffed and had no space for dessert, you could try their Chocolate Brownie, Fresh Fruit Sundae Platter or the Apple Pie. All in all, it’s a nice spot to hang out with friends and taking a break from the daily hustle of city life.