As far as indulgences go, there’s nothing quite like cheese to hit the spot. There’s comfort to be found in the road-side vegetable cheese grilled sandwich, those desi pizzas topped with mountains of Amul cheese, and a steaming plate of cheese pav bhaji, but there are times when cheese from a tin just won’t do. For the times you’re really looking to spoil yourself, there’s plenty of the good stuff to be had in Mumbai.
Here's a list of delectable cheeses from around the world and the best of it in the city. Go crazy!
Feta
This salty, Greek cheese finds the perfect foil in sweet, juicy chunks of watermelon, and spicy, bitter arugula leaves. Watermelon feta salad is served at a number of Mumbai restaurants—each using their own dressing—but common consensus has The Tasting Room (reserve now) as one of the best places to sample this dish. For something heavier, try the Oven-roasted Feta at Sundance Café. Prepared with a tangy balsamic glaze and slivers of onion, slather it on slices of crisp garlic bread.
Mozzarella
The buffalo mozzarella at Maritime by San Lorenzo, the oft-overlooked Italian restaurant at Taj Lands End, is some of the best in Mumbai. Served in a salad with tomatoes, avocado, and a drizzle of olive oil, the cheese stands out for its freshness. However, it’s the Fried Mozzarella that steals the show. Fresh mozzarella is lightly crumb fried until it’s gooey and yielding. You’ll never look at frozen mozzarella sticks again.
Burrata
Mozzarella’s naughty younger sister, burrata is the Italian cheese you reach for when you’re looking for something truly decadent. A fresh mozzarella casing hides a filling of more mozzarella mixed with heavy cream, which spills out in a glorious ooze of cheesy guts when cut. Try the Fresh Burrata at The Table, which comes with marinated peppers, olives and hazelnut. If you’re really in the mood to splurge, try the Burrata, Cherry Tomato and Avocado Sandwich at Fenix at The Oberoi.
Brie
Versatile and mild, French brie is the crowd-pleaser of fancy cheeses, a fact that’s supported by the number of brie-based dishes you can try in the city. At Fatty Bao, brie is served tempura-style with a sweet plum sauce on the side. Café at the NCPA serves it warmed with a salad of black grapes, pears, and greens. Le Mangii bakes it with a port wine reduction and sweet pepper salad while at Byblos the Drunken Brie is baked with a whisky reduction and onion marmalade. For a twist on the old-fashioned cheese sandwich, try the Brie and Caramelised Onion Sandwich at Cafe Zoe, where salty, gooey cheese, sweet onions, and crisp arugula balance each other perfectly.
Goat cheese
Strong and salty, goat cheese is the star of Café Zoe’s Goat Cheese Tart, while it serves as the perfect embellishment on the Prosciutto Mirtilli Rosi e Caprino pizza (toppings include prosciutto and cranberries) at Ray’s Café and Pizzeria and the Goat Cheese and Caramelised Onion Pizza at Jamjar Diner.
Gruyere
Delicious to nibble on its own, this hard Swiss cheese is even better melted in a sandwich, which is why Café Zoe pops up on this list again for its Tomato, Basil and Gruyere Toastie. At The Table, gruyere is used in Mini Gougeres—savoury choux pastry puffs—that go perfectly with olive tapenade.
Cheddar
Sharp and perfect in a grilled cheese sandwich, cheddar is the star of Indigo Deli’s Chilli Cheese Toast, that comes topped with green chillies, jalapenos, onion and bell peppers. You can also try it in the deli’s famous Philly Cheese Steak.
So which one are you going to dig into first?
The post 7 Cheeses from Around the World and Where You Can Try Them in Mumbai appeared first on Fine Dine Love.