#REVIEW: The Conservatory, Juhu – Glasshouse café of cool and calm

Review: We visited The Conservatory in Juhu, Mumbai – A newly opened glasshouse-themed European/South-East Asian café by master restauranter Suren Joshi. Here’s all about our experience.

I’ll make this review shorter, and tell you two reasons why Juhu’s The Conservatory impressed me most – Number one, the decor. A ‘glasshouse’ is understandably an unusual take for a restaurant in these parts of town. But since The Conservatory embraces all elements natural, their play of greenery, flowers, white curtains, and wooden furniture, creates a soothing Earthly aesthetic with an appeal of its own. During the day, it’s almost like having a meal inside a serene greenhouse with the sunlight leaking in and showing off all the greenery. But as dusk passes, it’s dimply lit, and comfy, and the woodland furniture brings out a unique sense of warmth. Number two – Their culinary artistry. It’s a lovely splashboard of European and South-East Asian cuisine but they’re also staying true to local delicacies and ingredients while giving it a creative twist. This versatile menu is a reflection of the global culinary journeys of the head chef duo Insiya Rangila and Soumojit Sinha.

“I wanted to create a lush paradise in the middle of the city and that’s when the idea of The Conservatory came about. I have always been curious about glasshouses and the peace that greenery brings with it.” says restaurateur, Suren Joshi, who’s also the owner of Bandra’s famed Joshi House, which was once-upon-a-time, Pali Vile Café. Joshi claims this former Bandra icon was the inspiration for The Conservatory, as it aims to revive its warmth and charm but more so, double down on it. Curious enough, we visited The Conservatory, and here’s all about our experience.

Being a cafe that embraces the greens, their artistry truly lies in experimentation and their play of natural elements. It was a cool Friday evening, and what better way to start off the weekend than a nice Scotch cocktail, right? That’s exactly what I did. I picked the Scotch Bite, which was a fairly simple concoction but really hit the mark. It was based on saline water expresso and laced with delicate hazelnut syrup. However, if you’d looking for something with a bit more homegrown appeal, try the Thai Sling – Whiskey, mixed with honey water and orange juice, with a big punch of Indian spices, (I bet you’ll ask for a repeat).

For gin lovers, there’s the Green House, which is also one of the bestsellers so far. What’s in it? Well, pure freshness – Cucumber, basil, and lime. If you’d like to play it safe, there’s always the Expresso Martini for you. But even apart from these, their bar menu is quite generous, right from the classics and essentials to their in-house experimental mixes.

I’ll admit, the dining menu is perfectly sized. It’s almost as if it’s aware you’re a discerning diner with an experimental taste and it simply wants to cater to that with its own creativity. More so, I feel like The Conservatory has a penchant for giving local delicacies and ingredients a creative twist. Surf through their menu, you’ll see what I mean. Also, just a heads-up, lots of names of dishes on this menu will make you curious, the Eggplant Lonche Tacos, Phuket Bhel, and Juhu Chowpatti Sliders, for example. If you’re looking for vegetarian starters, these are must-tries.

On the other hand, being this close to the sea, this could actually be a pescatarian’s heaven. Seafood is king around these parts, and they know that. No compromises here. Do not miss out on the Kardi Focaccia, i.e a garlic-chili fry of baby prawns, or the Fried Bombil. However, if you’re feeling experimental, ask for the Singaporean Crab Bun. It’s a deep and delicately fried, soft-shell crab in a Mantou bun. This is the dish that won me. There’s also a Crispy Octopus in black bean sauce, that got my attention. In the meat section, I’d like to suggest the Goan Chorizo Pizza and the Australian Lamb Chops.

To finish off, we went in for the Cookie Chocolate Fondant which came with a base of dark chocolate and topped with some vanilla ice cream. Also, try out the Old Madras, particularly interesting. It comprised banana ice cream and coffee caramel, all on a base of coconut dacquoise. That’s The Conservatory for you.

Opening timings: 11 am – 1:30 am

Average cost: Rs 2000 per person.

Phone number: +91 9619999909

Address: No. 549, Shop G-9 -A & B CTS, 5, AB Nair Road, Juhu, Mumbai

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All images: Courtesy The Conservatory