GPS:Atlanta Building, Nariman Point, Mumbai - 21
Tring Tring:+91-22-22800055
Click: www.suzette.in
In & Out: 8:30am – 10:30 pm Monday - Saturday
Damages: Rs.1000/- for a meal for two without alcohol
Must-Order: Nutella & Banana Crepe with Grated Coconut
Umami Quotient: Sweet
Mariam and I get asked all the time how we manage to eat so much to write about without becoming XXL missies! The thing which few seem to get is that good food is part of our lives, our daily schedule if you will. While some of our sojourns are planned evening, many are off the cuff encounters en route work, meetings and holidays. Thus, Mariam’s rendezvous with Nariman Point’s best kept secret Suzette was all in a day’s work. A hot afternoon in the business district warranted for a refueling stop and she made her way to the newish French creperie opened by a trio of French friends looking to infuse a spot of chic c’est la vie into manic Mumbai.
Bar-O-Meter
Since it was too hot for a drink and Suzette is a teetotaler anyway Mariam and her assistant (not quite Carrie Bradshaw but close!) settled for her favourite fresh lime water which she is very picky about and a pineapple and mint juice. Both passed with flying colours and the mint in the juice was especially ingenious as it tamped down the tartness of the pineapple and upped the refresh quotient.
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| Pineapple juice. Photo - Mariam Mamaji |
Palate
Thirst quenched they started off on the Poulet Salad, a proper heat buster with grilled chicken, rocket and mushrooms doused in a chilled avalanche of minty yoghurt loaded with garlic and crunchy lettuce. Each mouthful was delish and satisfying and a perfect primer for the mains.
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| Poulet Salad Photo - Mariam Mamaji |
Ever since Mariam heard the crepes were made with imported buckwheat, she dunked her flimsy guilt at the doorway and dug into the healthy carbs with guilt-free gusto. The Provence Crepe with olive tapenade, Provencal herbs, and sundried tomatoes was a bit of a sober earth call with no discernible flavor or taste and not much hint of tapenade either. However the Complete Crepe that followed lived up to its short and effective name. Loaded with chicken bacon, emmenthal and an egg of choice (Mariam being true to umami chose hers sunny side up!), it was hearty, full-bodied with the perfect balance of meat, cheese and eggs to complete a meal (pun unintended!).
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| Complete Photo - Mariam Mamaji |
While the sweet crepes are made with regular flour, desserts have a life of their own and they are exempt from silly diet rules so Mariam dutifully capitulated to her sweet teeth and went for gold aka the Banana & Nutella Crepes with Grated Coconut. To say it was sinful, creamy, just rightly sweetened and soft and oh-so-satisfying would be a cliché. We’ll just settle for a mouthful of umami!
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| Chocolate Crepe Photo - Mariam Mamaji |
Crowd v/s Company
if there ever was a Mumbai establishment that could evangelize its smallness it would have to be Suzette. The tiny interior and even tinier porch is redeemed by its simple classy lines, dark wood, quirky paper linen and a touch of class. It’s a great breakfast joint or even a working lunch. Whether you want to quickly catch up for a bite post work or stroll in for an early post-dinner coffee Suzette is your best bet, because in this case small is truly beautiful.
Comeback Quotient
When we want to keep things unofficial despite being in Bombay’s original office district you’ll be sure to find us divvying up the crepes and gossip here!