Keep it simple, silly

Cuban spicy sriracha tofu with milk buns. Pics/Sameer Markande

Located in the F&B hotspot of Khar, Silly, all white and serene, appears like an oasis of calm from the outside. A towering 65-year-old mango tree and a brick-exposed wall with a living room-style shelf of antiques peep out, inviting curious glances from passersby. When we step in, the rustling of flora, footfall on the gravel pathway, and a faint chirping of birds drown out the traffic. As we soak in the filtering sunlight and check out the Boho, macramé detailings, vintage mirrors and cosy but elegant seating options - there's a jute swing set to call dibs on - one of the many quirky signboards around us sum up our feelings: "Be Silly, here and everywhere".

Madras lamb curry with steam rice

Created by Pawan Shahri and Dhaval Udeshi of London Taxi and Butterfly High fame, along with luxury events expert Nikita Harisinghani and first-time restaurateur Karan Nohria, the all-day café-bar-and-restaurant opens doors this evening. With a seamless blend of indoor and outdoor dining options, the 4,700-sqft hangout exudes a classy, intimate charm. "From being able to roast your own coffee, to picking herbs for your cocktails, and from dropping in to work or chill in a corner, to curling up with a book from the library, there's something for everyone," says Udeshi. Shahri adds that the idea is to turn it into a community centre, saying, "We plan to collaborate with small businesses for pop-ups and workshops." It makes sense as we pore over the expansive menu boasting of 90-odd items. "I call it thoughtful food. There's an amalgamation of all cuisines, with focus on seasonal and local produce," Udeshi asserts, as we sip on a fragrant and summery gin-based Cucumis rosai ('700).

The space has an al fresco area, dining space, a mezzanine co-working floor and a roastery-cum-bar area

First up from chef Ganesh Bisht's kitchen is a hug-in-a-bowl brown butter, cream of mushroom ('325). It sets the tone for Bisht's fare which is light and playful, as we find out with a refreshing bowl of watermelon, berries and feta ('425) that makes us want to become a salad person. Next up are yummy milk buns, one with a filling of Cuban spicy sriracha tofu ('350) and the other, of pulled BBQ chicken ('375) - both repeatable.

(From left) Karan Nohria, Nikita Harisinghani, Dhaval Udeshi and Pawan Shahri, the team behind Silly

The real star, though, is the hand-rolled peri peri potato chips served on the side. Among other small plates, is a stellar cranberry and pecan crostini with goat cheese ('350) and Asian skillet nachos ('350), while the wild mushroom truffle dim sums ('425) fail to impress. Sliders - one, a chatpata curry chicken with mango chutney ('395) and another, a healthy umami almond quinoa variant ('425) - also deserve a thumbs-up; we wash them down with a smoky, whiskey-based Curry Mary ('650).

Silly kulhad

The stand-out from mixologist Latesh Kotian's bar is Silly kulhad ('550), a sweet reminder of cool, clay pot lassis. A blend of kiwi crush and pineapple juice along with white rum, it's the perfect drink to kick back with on a sweltering afternoon. From the mains, our pick is a flavourful, comforting Madras lamb curry-steam rice ('425) that we follow up with desserts, of which, the Mango panna cotta ('450) impresses. As we wrap up with a heady coffee-roasting experience, we can't wait to head here to soak in its post-sundown avatar, and perhaps, peek at the moon from the swing that caught our fancy.

Watermelon, berries and feta salad

At: Silly, Ground floor, 5th Road, Khar West
From: 12 pm to 1 am (open from 7 pm today)
Call: 9004418531