Standing tall at Kemps Corner since 1962, The Shalimar Hotel – a stalwart in India’s hospitality landscape is a known face in the South Mumbai culinary scene. And from The Shalimar Hotel now comes Cafe Calma, launched by Yash Advani, an alumnus of Les Roches Global Hospitality School (Switzerland).
In the heart of Kemps Corner, with the vista of the distant Arabian Sea, Cafe Calma is built around the ethos of sustainability and serenity. Using a hydroponic system, which grows plants in water-enriched nutrients; rather than soil, the cafe is about organic and sustainable ingredients which are sourced responsibly. What is not house-made comes from a carefully curated clutch of producers, ensuring freshness that gives the good food a good mood feeling. Even the littlest attempt in urban agriculture contributes to a larger eco-friendly step.
Founder Yash Advani said, “Cafe Calma was born not merely to give people fresher, nutritionally dense and hydroponic based super meals. While that is a vital aspect of our philosophy, the essence of Cafe Calma’s existence is – we want to craft a gastronomically honest and emotional story between our diner and every dish. This is why we seek to serve with culinary dedication and excellence – there are no shortcuts to our food served with a whole lot of love and warmth. I am very excited to see my vision come to fruition.”
The cafe’s menu is conceptualised to give patrons not only a gourmet experience but also to be a bridge between deliciously good tapas and great conversations. A culmination of subtle to robust to passionate flavours and palate choices, it includes an array of culinary concepts divided into Small Plates, Tartines and Large Plates. While Small Plates includes various flavourful and unique items like The Beetroot and Buratta Salad, Wild Mushroom Tacos, and Roasted Sweet Potato & Bacon Jam, to name a few, the Tartine menu is a classic mix of local and global cuisine. As Yash Advani puts it, “You don’t have to eat less; you just have to eat right.” It comprises delectable dishes such as Katsu Tartine, Avo Tartine as well as The Cafe Calma Signature – Roast Chicken spiced with Salsa Roja, Parmesan, Romaine, Basil, Cream Cheese Pesto, Aioli & confit Cherry Tomatoes – and more. The Large Plates menu consists of an extensive selection of delectable dishes, namely Ricotta Gnudi, Vegetable Paella, Herb-crusted Lamb Chops and The Mojo Picon Chicken – the perfect comfort food.
And don’t miss the desserts! Cafe Calma’s dessert menu brims with ambrosial goodness like The Orange Chocolate Tart paired with the in-house Gelateria- Nova’s Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Gelato, Vanilla Panacotta with a Blueberry compote and in-house Shortbread, and Raspberry Lemon Tart with Nova’s Apple Pie Gelato that will leave you craving for more. Want to unwind over some coffee? Grab the survival juice! Nandan’s blend of coffee beans won’t disappoint you. Good taste is Cafe Calma’s fundamental deal, and techniques like smoking, curing, fermentation, and pickling are used to create a flavourful profile for each dish served naturally.
Cafe Calma offers an avant-garde alfresco dining experience to its patrons. The vibe here is earthy, with a colour palette of Beige, Brown and Blue. The Blue is a deliberate part of the design quotient because it is evocative and draws a scenic parallel to the ocean nearby. Meanwhile, terracotta shade lights installed in planters hang over the log wood top tables along the periphery. What’s innovative is that the cafe truly blurs the line between the inside and the outside by replacing cast iron railing with clear glass and a glass roof in one section, visually opening up the space for its guests.
The Advani family has been an intrinsic part of the Indian hospitality and culinary space for over five decades. True pioneers and innovators of food and beverage concepts, the Advani Group showcases a variety of cuisines at its properties. And bringing a vast knowledge of the trade, Yash is a food and health enthusiast himself, whose genes add more pizazz to his new venture. Through Cafe Calma, he envisions giving patrons #CulinaryHeroesForTheFuture.
