Food Review: Drift Café Serves Artistry In Every Sip And Bite

There are cafes and there are cafes. Drift is from the second category. Seemingly small café at the end of another restaurant. But the variety of coffee that they have is amazing. That said, they have more than 12 varieties of tea as well.

The coffees are curated by Prashant and presented by Rahil. Cocktails have been created by Varun. Coffees, teas and cocktails, kind of, hustle for attention.

Cold Brews are the USPs here. They use medium dark roast to brew the coffee for nearly 22 to 23 hours. I take a taster shot. The dark chocolate notes come through better after a bite of the mini chocolate cookie that they serve with it. Rahil and Prashant have used the cold brew in myriad ways to create tasteful versions. Not surprised to see Orange Brew knowing orange is Prashant’s muse. This is brewed only for 18 hours and then infused with orange peels and pieces for four hours to get the essence right.

Chilli hot dog

Chef Sumit Savardekar recommends Lentil & Millet Salad to start followed by the Cucumber & Chicken Salad. The fruity Orange Brew proves to be perfect company for the lentil salad with barley, ragi, pomegranate, dressed with polenta croutons that give it a nice crunch. The sourdough bread slice that comes with it is house-baked and delicious. All bread and pastries, except the croissant, are baked in-house. Chicken salad has spicy chilly and tamarind dressing, togarashi sprinkle. Cucumber and chicken combo is cooling, but salad is cucumber n spice forward.

I shift to cocktails while I wait for my next dish—Cheese Negroni. Bite into orange leather and cheddar cheese garnish (piece of cheddar cheese rolled up in dried orange peel) to get the cheese flavours of the Negroni.

Cookies & popcorn milkshake

More than 40 hours of sous vide with cheese lends the finish to vermouth and cherry tomato flavours. Blue and Goat Cheese Mille Feuille that chef serves is a good company. Crisp thin filo topped with blue n goat cheese. It nearly melts in mouth. Sharpness of cheese is pleasurable on the palate as it’s balanced with slow cooked tomatoes, green apple and sprinkle of hazelnuts. Try Tarte Flambee – a super thin flat bread that’s liberally topped with fromage blanc, caramelised onions, zucchini, and leeks.

The next cocktail is Veneto Spritz. Orangecillo is made with 20 days infusion and further seeped with blanched basil, orange peel. Fresh on the palate. Goes well with the Sunchoke and Truffle Agnolotti. The pasta is delicate with emulsified butter as the sauce. The USP of this dish is the dried and fried sunchoke that’s liberally sprinkled on top. The texture of this is so bacon-like that you might just wonder if they have by mistake given you a non-veg dish.

I go back to my coffees as I have promised to give them preference. Fruit Symphony. I get a whiff of pineapple when it comes on table. Infused with pineapple and orange and later lacto clarified is the reason says Rahil. Very balanced coffee that starts with mellow coffee notes and finishes orange on palate. Try the Chilly Hot Dog with it. Despite the name, the chicken frankfurter sandwich is not so spicy. However, the spice comes through when you follow it with a sip of Fruit Symphony.

The juicy miso mayo in the Lamb burger is the umami. Pork lovers go for the Drift Cubano. Belgian Pork shoulder braised with mustard n orange is slow cooked for 8 to 10 hours for the fall apart consistency. It is tossed in its own jus before spreading it on the bread and topped with Spanish ham before sealing the sandwich. The flavours are so delightful on the palate with the succulent meat titillating it.

Waffle Punch Croissant avocado tartine

It's time for some mocktail. Mediterranean Snaps is a delightful, slightly spicy thanks to the pickled gherkin garnish that adds sour n spice to the sweet freshness. You can pair it with Smoked Chilli prawns with green apple salsa served with sourdough toast for crunch. Prawns tossed in Asian barbeque sauce are sweet, sour n spicy on palate.

Don’t miss the Chicken Pithiviere – a chicken pie of sorts with thin flaky crust that's right crisp. Stuffed with delicious subtle flavoured chicken n veggies wrapped in lettuce. Jus that’s poured on it at the table adds the umami.

Fog on Drury Lane Salted dates and cashew milkshake

I start the dessert journey with a classic dark chocolate souffle. Cant go wrong with that. Next is boozy granita/sorbet - Frozen Kalimotxo. A classic Kalimotxo is mixed with dark rum to get the complex flavour and frozen to sorbet consistency. Good way to cleanse your palate after the meal, especially so if you love your alcohol.

Soufflé pancake

I end the meal with a Light Roast coffee that’s made on your table in a siphon. It’s almost a chemistry lab experience while you wait for seven minutes for the delicious dark liquid to be poured in your mug. I walk away in euphoria.

Average cost for two: ₹ 3000

Where: Drift Café Bar, Lower Parel, Mumbai