Aditi Pathak
Located on the popular Chapel Road opposite Salt Water Cafe, Desi Deli is a cutesy little cafe setup which dishes out the most delectable desi-style fast food we have ever had the opportunity of sampling. Right from their hot dogs to their burgers, everything is gourmet level! Also, it is one of the few places we’ve encountered where vegan food is readily available without any compromise on the taste factor! And this, my friends, we speak of after critically relishing their vegan offerings. In fact, the vegan dessert was the dessert everyone at R4Review savoured within seconds of it appearing on the table. In short, Desi Deli is one of those restaurants which can be labelled as Chota Packet Bada Dhamaka.
Ambience
Adorned with charming seating and fresh flowers, the ambience of Desi Del screams playfulness and makes itself known as a place aptly suited for grabbing a bite with pals over extended catch-up sessions. Also, the little kitschy touches studded all across the cafe is a win-win in our books and we cannot recommend this place enough for date nights.
Food
Where do we even begin? It would be an understatement to say that we LOVE their food! Everything we had was exceptionally executed and delightfully delightful. We began our food journey by trying to beat the heat through their range of drinks.
The Basil Orange Limeade was refreshing and exactly the drink one needs after braving Mumbai’s summer. The milkshakes are heavenly; We are particularly fond of the Alphonso Mango Milkshake and would go back again in a heartbeat to devour it repeatedly!
Next, we got in the salads- the House Desi Green, which is a vegan and gluten-free option, and the Mushroom Bowl with Roasted Chicken. We aren’t big salad eaters, yet the salads were so wholesome that we did not get any chance to complain. The Vietnamese Desi Hot Dog and the Chicken 65 Burger followed in next. Both of which were sensational and actually made our taste buds tingle!
Post snacking, it was time to try their mains. Desi Deli does weekly mains which change every week. Our pick from that week’s mains were the Bengali Shrooms and the Desi Chicken Shtoo. The Bengali Shrooms basically is a delectable spread comprising of mushrooms cooked in mustard sauce, buttery pao with a cheddar slice, a tangy mango relish, and a beautiful organic greens salad. This dish easily is a gourmet comfort food. We aren’t exaggerating when we everyone in this world needs to taste this beauty!
The Desi Chicken Shtoo again is a gourmet comfort food and is best indulged in on those cold wintry nights.
From the desserts menu, we ordered the Desi Cupcake, which actually is a gluten-free cake in a cup filled with vanilla custard and cherry sauce! As expected, it was delectable. In our opinion, it is the perfect dessert to share if on a date at this joint. We also ordered Crepe Ka Meetha and Chocolate Chantilly & Fresh Fruit.
While the former is the best pick for people with a sweet tooth, the Chocolate Chantilly & Fresh Fruit works amazingly if one needs something sweet yet fresh and if one is vegan. We ended our multi-course meal with a Darjeeling Cold Brew and honestly, we couldn’t have asked for anything more.
Service
Our attendant, Priya, made sure we have no qualms when it comes to service. Everything was impeccable, right from the start of the meal to the end. Overall, the staff is extremely well-versed and would leave no stone unturned to guarantee a pleasant dining experience.
Verdict
Desi Deli does everything correctly- we have no reason whatsoever to not award this eatery a 5/5. Be it a date or a catch-up session or even a fast food run, Desi Deli is where you need to head to without thinking twice.
