PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIAMonsoon consists of a casual dining space, alfresco seating and separate dining area with comfortable, padded chairs. In conjunction with a comprehensive a la carte menu, Monsoon offers itself as a sweets cafe. A vast range of house-made traditional delights lie in wait to tempt you, yet just four sweets make up the dessert menu. Ras malai stands out as a Bengali dessert made with paneer which, quite uniquely, is also made in-house. It rests in a rich milk sauce and is showered with grated pistachios. If you have room left for dessert however, something has gone wrong.
A sweep of entrees comes together on a platter boasting chicken tikka, garlic seekh kebab and black pepper prawns. Mint chutney and kachumber salad (dressed cucumber, tomato, onion and carrot) seal the deal. The largest chapter of the menu comes from the “vegetarian kitchen”. It impresses with methi malai matter which has fenugreek starring as the main role, cooked with peas and spinach in the chef’s special recipe. Monsoon’s version of chicken vindaloo will put a flame under your socks – alas, “a fire extinguisher is not included”. But don’t let these flavours overwhelm you. Take a journey through vinegar, garlic, ginger, coriander and fresh-ground chillies. A dozen breads, including the distinctive naan baked with the vindaloo sauce, are served to help sponge up the remaining goodness. A softer option is the buttered, leavened layers of lacha parantha. The seafood banquet offers a taste adventure of fish curry, prawn Goa curry, daal, raita, rice, naan, pappadums and pickles – followed by dessert if you can muster the strength.
Roz Taylor