Season’s eatings!

Whether you’re on a budget or in the mood for luxe dining, our guide to the best places to book a table this Christmas has you covered

Curated by Anju Maskeri, Nidhi Lodaya and Aastha Atray Banan

It’s that time of the year when you have a legit reason to loosen your belts, and perhaps your purse strings, too. No surprise then that restaurants are going beyond their regular fare to lure us with festive menus that have something for everybody, including seasonal entrees, hearty mains, decadent desserts and trippy cocktails. Team Sunday mid-day scoured through the city to find the jolliest places to dine this festive season.

All things smoked and charred

Don’t miss Toast & Tonic’s special Christmas menu, Under The Mistle-Toast, which celebrates traditional, festive cooking techniques. From prawn on embers marinated with sambal and baby potatoes flamed with brandy to the extraordinary pork created with pork loin and topped with some balsamic jus, there’s something for every food lover. The John Dory has charred tomatoes, berry and gobindobhog rice, pil pil, olive and betel leaf. Of course, there is plenty of eggnog, mulled wine, hot toddy, Santa Clausmopolitans and their signature gin cocktails on offer. Meals for two, including a drink each, will cost R3,000 plus taxes.
>>>
WHERE: Toast and Tonic, Unit 1, ground floor, Jet Airways-Godrej BKC building, BKC
WHEN: Monday to Sunday, 12 PM-midnight (children below 18 years are only permitted till 7 PM)
CALL: 7208871559

Eat like the Italians

Fancy a traditional Italian meal? Sorrentina has you covered with the Buon Natale, a 21-day long holiday menu. Dive into a selection of small plates like Baked Brie, a phyllo pastry stuffed with truffle brie, Salt Roasted Beetroot and Sesame, and Lentil Giandujia Toast, Slow-cooked Puy Lentils and home-pickled Ndujia served on freshly made toasted ciabatta bread. Round up your meal with mains like Ossobuco, a traditional specialty of Lombard cuisine, where the lamb shanks are braised for eight hours served in the pan jus over a bed of potato mash.
>>> 
WHERE: Sorrentina, second floor, Foodhall, Santa Cruz
WHEN: Till December 31, 12 PM-11 PM
CALL: 9136913747

In Floyd Cardoz’s memory

Celebrate Christmas at O Pedro which has rolled out a festive ala carte menu titled 12 Days to Christmas, where you can dig into signature items such as Bacon Choriz Pulao and Smoked Pork Sorpotel with Red Rice toddy-spiked Sannas. There’s late Chef Floyd’s Christmas Lamb with Sticky Sauce and Turnip Salad. Seafood lovers can opt for the Grilled Octopus with chunky red sauce, crushed potato, and fried capers. The customary dry-aged duck will be back too.
>>>
WHERE: O Pedro, Unit No 2, Jet Airways-Godrej BKC building, BKC
WHEN: Till December 25, 12 PM-midnight
CALL: 9967365514

Go the Goan way

Mahim’s good ol’ Goa Portuguesa has put together a small but interesting menu this Christmas. You’ll be treated to Goancha Wagh, Fried Tiger Prawns stuffed with recheado masala; Lobster Thermidor, a French dish of lobster meat cooked in a rich wine sauce, stuffed back into a lobster shell and browned; Arroz, a pilaf with seafood and chicken. You can also enjoy the traditional Sanna with Sorpotel. In dessert, we’d recommend the Serradura, a simple custard sprinkled with crushed biscuits or cookies. 
>>>
WHERE: Goa Portuguesa, Mili Building, near Hinduja Hospital, Mahim
WHEN: Ongoing, 12 PM-4PM and 7 PM-midnight
CALL: 24440707

Have a serving of stollen

Chef Sanah Ahuja’s new dessert shop House of Amel is offering a delicious range of traditional Christmas goodies.  You can try Stollen, the German Christmas bread, full of rum-soaked nuts, candied-fruit and spices, with a marzipan layer inside and coated with butter and icing sugar. There’s also Buche de Noel, Ahuja’s take on the classic Christmas Yule Log, which has spiced orange and prune jam, bourbon chocolate ganache Chantilly brought together into a classic Swiss roll.  
>>>
WHERE: House of Amel, Sea Croft Building, Wodehouse Road, Cuffe Parade
WHEN: Till December 31 (Shut on Mondays); 10 AM-7 PM
CALL: 7506307607

Dig into a lobster mac

The a la carte Christmas brunch at Bastian’s branches will feature specials like  a duck platter with Confit Duck Stuffed Pasilla Chile, Roasted Sliced Magret, a coconut-based curry; and Duck Tacos with confit duck, pan-seared duck breast, flour tortillas, pickles, slaw, and plum glaze. The menu is divided into “salt and sugar” sections that will see the Lobster Mac with 
Truffle Béchamel, Butter Poached Lobster and Elbow Macaroni; Kung Pao Shrimp Scramble and Crispy Chicken Benedict.  
>>>
WHERE: Bastian, Worli and Bandra (W) 
WHEN: Dec 25 and 26, 12 PM-4 PM
CALL: 7208656074

A Gulp fiction, please

If you want to make the most of Mumbai’s crisp weather, head to Worli’s rooftop restaurant La La Land, which has rolled out a new Christmas menu. Start the evening with the Gulp fiction, made with caramel-popcorn infused bourbon and homemade popcorn syrup. But, if rum rocks your boat, try the oreo-washed dark rum with homemade chocolate cookie bitters. You can pair it with Avocado Toast on Russian Borodinsky Bread, or the Hungover at Halal Guys, inspired from the iconic Halal guys food cart in NYC. 
>>>
WHERE: La La Land, Atria Rooftop, above Inox, Worli
WHEN: Ongoing, 4 PM-11.30 PM 
CALL: 9820436666

Enjoy a vegan Xmas meal

Yogisattva Cafe, a farm to fork plant-based rooftop restaurant, is hosting a special four-course set menu dinner experience on December 23. The dinner menu, priced R2,000, features dishes that are vegan, raw vegan, gluten free, refined sugar free, lactose free and whole food plant-based. Kick off with Steamed Cabbage Wraps cooked in indigenous black garlic and a house-made organic pine nut sauce base. For the mains, enjoy a delicious Mushroom Risotto cooked with eggplant scallops, beetroot yoghurt and beetroot chips. You can end your night on a festive note with a Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake layered with molasses, caramel sauce and a side of vegan vanilla ice cream. 
>>>
WHERE: Yogisattva Cafe, Pinnacle House, Khar West
When:  December 23, 7.30 PM  
CALL: 9867455009

Road trip for a Christmas feast

Drive down to Karjat for a Christmas special menu at Saltt, which consists of French Onion Soup with Port Wine, Baked Brioche with Emmental, BBQ Chicken Meatball in Cheese Tart, Baked Eggplant Parmesan in Vol Au Vent, and Honey Bourbon Roast Chicken. You can also pick up vintage wines from the wine shop and chocolates from Cococart.
>>>
WHERE: Saltt, Oleander Farms, Karjat
WHEN: Till December 25, 12 PM-midnight 
TO BOOK: 9967725518

Order a Christmas snow globe

White Light Foods has Christmas special snow globe desserts in two flavours—Reindeer Snow Globe that has fudgy dark chocolate brownies, Decadent Belgian Chocolate Mousse, Classic Eggnog Cheesecake, and the Enchanted Forest Snow Globe, which includes a vanilla brownie sponge with eggless eggnog. Since they are known for Asian food, their Christmas special menu comprises the Tofu and Avocado Asian Salad, Thai Green Curry Guacamole Dip, Noodle Spindles and Korean-style Popcorn Cauliflower.
>>>
WHERE: White Light Foods
PRICE: R 1,600 onwards for snow globe
TO ORDER: wlf.co.in

A Spanish, Mexican fiesta

Poco Loco Tapas and Bar is giving a Christmas twist to their Spanish and Mexican menu consist. You can try Christmas-themed drinks and delicacies like Dr Loco’s Cerveza, Ginebra Navidena, Whisky de Navidad, Dr Loco’s Egg Nog, Cranberry Kale with Feta Salad and more. Their menu also includes both, vegetarian and non-vegetarian options like Cottage Cheese Empanadas, the Mix Veg Pazole, the Poco Loco Roast Chicken or the Jamaican Spice Pork Belly along with delectable desserts like Christmas cupcakes, a decadent Chocolate and Raspberry Entremet and some classic gooey chocolate brownies. 
>>>
WHERE: Poco Loco Tapas and Bar, Khar
WHEN: Dec 24-26, 12 PM-midnight
TO BOOK: 9324191366

If you don’t want holiday weight

Sante wants to make sure you don’t regret the Christmas joy. You can choose from a wide range of healthy treats, especially curated for healthy and conscious eaters. These are guilt-free indulgences created from locally sourced ingredients. The desserts include the Fondue du Valhrona, a French dark chocolate blended with Elle Et Vire cream, served with fresh fruits, ginger bread and dehydrated plum pudding. The specials are the Cranberry Cheese Ravioli, and the Pumpkin-spiced Risotto with caramelised onion jam and watercress.
>>>
WHERE: Sante Spa Cuisine, Fortune Paradise, Khar West
WHEN: Ongoing, 11 AM-11 PM 
CALL: 8767861111

A mouthful of Eton mess

Tuck into some comfort food at the charming Gallops, Mahalaxmi Racecourse. Dishes created for Christmas include Winter Vegetable Risotto, the Baked Christmas Brie, Maple-glazed Ham, Roast Turkey and Warm Swiss Fondue with Crusty Bread. You can finish the meal on a sweet note with Eton Mess, a traditional English dessert consisting of a mixture of strawberries, meringue, and whipped cream, or the signature Christmas Pudding. 
>>>
WHERE: Gallops, inside Mahalaxmi Royal Western India Turf Club, Mahalakshmi
WHEN: Ongoing, 12 PM-11.30 PM
CALL: 20841234

A very sushi Xmas

For those who cannot decide between a Mexican or Japanese festive treat, head to Parinee Crescenzo, which is home to Origami and Casa Mia restaurants on the same floor. The Christmas menu at Origami boasts of a festive sushi platter. You can later head to Casa Mia for a fuller feast of Roasted Turkey served with corn bread, sweet potato puree, cranberry kelly and turkey gravy. 
>>>
WHERE: Origami and Casa Mia, Parinee Crescenzo, BKC
WHEN: Ongoing, 12 PM-midnight
CALL: 8591706362

"Exciting news! Mid-day is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!