A feast by the sea

First impressions of Estella range from being completely awed to slightly amused. Despite being a coastal city, Mumbai has very few beachfront restaurants. And, Estella is one of the very few that offers a scenic view of the Arabian Sea. Coming from the house of Silver Beach Entertainment and Hospitality, Estella serves modern Australian cuisine fused with Asian flavours.

Estella replaced the once popular Aurus in Juhu and has done a good job filling its place. The variety of modern Australian cuisine the restaurant offers is interesting. The evening started off with the Thai Salmon Fishcake with poached salmon salad and tomato chowder. While the highlight of this dish definitely has to be salmon, it is nothing without the tomato chowder, which holds the dish together with tangy flavours and right consistency.

Plum & Frangipane Tart

The Grilled Tasmanian Scallops are served on a pureed floret with miso honey cream and carrot foam. The carrot foam, in all honesty, didn't contribute much to the dish and the miso honey cream was disappointing beyond expectations. If the Grilled Tasmanian Scallops were a disappointment, the Chicken Wing Cakes Decompressed made up for it. In layman terms, decompressed chicken wings are sans the bones and the cakes are served with poached spinach and barbeque glaze. What’s most surprising about the dish is how well the poached spinach compliments the cakes.

If there is something that you must have at Estella, it is the Tiger Prawn and Scallop Fettuccine that is served with a light clam lemon grass Burmese curry sauce, pine nuts and green apple pickle. The combined fragrances and flavours of the dish are so overwhelming that it is a treat to indulge in this one.

Chicken Wing Cakes Decompressed

The evening came to an end with the Plum and Frangipane Tart with their in-house vanilla ice cream and the Banana and Caramel Parfait. The former, being too sweet for our liking is a suggested miss while the latter is a beautiful amalgamation of fruits, coffee and marmalade.

That said, Estella is the kind of place you would want to reserve for a really important date because the prices are a tad steep. Having said that, the setting is just right — the ambience is dark and dimly lit, you are blessed with the sea view (be warned of the mosquitoes) and the food is a celebration of flavours.  

Price for two: Rs 4,000
A pint of beer: Rs 400
Estella, ground floor, Nichani Kutir Building, opposite HDFC Bank, Juhu Tara Road
Contact 7999998232/ 7999998212