A sumptuous seafood repast

The exotic seafood festival at Maritime by San Lorenzo offered the perfect excuse to indulge in some home-style Italian cooking

Given the lineage this restaurant has — the London-based Italian institution Osteria San Lorenzo — it is indeed a pleasure to dine at Maritime by San Lorenzo, Taj Lands End, Bandra. Mumbai is no stranger to Italian food, but home style, simple Italian food is still hard to get. And the exotic seafood festival here seemed like the perfect excuse to dine at Maritime by San Lorenzo. Sophisticated, elegant décor, in blue and white, this place exudes warmth and is very inviting.

The menu for the festival was comprehensive enough and of course, replete with sea food options. We began with an insalatina di gamberetti con orzo e verdurine — which sounded complicated, but was simply put, a salad made with ahrimp and barley along with diced sautéed vegetables, parmesan, lime juice and extra virgin olive oil. Chef Alessandro had painstakingly presented this and it was a treat for the eyes. My heart almost broke as I cut into the neatly piled ensemble! The shrimp and barley proved to be a winning combination as the textures complemented each other and the sautéed veggies offered the right amount of contrast. The zing came from the lime juice — just enough to tantalise one’s taste buds.

The lemon and fresh herbs marinated Bekty, baked on skewers, with zucchini and bell peppers, after this, paled in comparison. Well-made undoubtedly, but not spectacular. But the zuppa alla Siciliana, a soup from Sicily, comprising mixed seafood in spicy tomato-based stock, with raisins, capers, olives, was a medley of flavours. The tangy tomatoes, balanced with other ingredients, were a delight for the palate with a distinct taste of the stock. An abundance of varied seafood gave the right bite and made this soup wholesome and delicious.

As for the mezzelune al salmone — what can I say about it This half-moon shaped ravioli, with smoked salmon filling, in creamy lemon zested white sauce with capers, was a first of its kind for me and took me by surprise. Of course I have savoured ravioli, many a time, with exotic fillings, but never with salmon. That’s what set this one apart. The salmon flavours were intact and the freshness almost seeped through. And yes, the lemony sauce with some freshly sprinkled pepper only added to the wow experience.

The pan-seared pomfret fillets coated with basil pesto, served with vegetables pappardelle, was a no-frills dish; yet light and delectable. One could actually taste the pomfret even though it was coated with other ingredients.

Fresh ingredients, simple cooking methods and artful presentation characterised the food here and showcased the real Italian homemade food, for once. Nothing was rich and heavy or even pretentious. I loved chef’s honest approach to the food and that no effort was made to boost the natural flavours of the ingredients.

So satisfying were the flavours of our lunch that I wanted them to linger longer on my taste buds, even at the cost of sacrificing dessert. But chef would not hear of that. And his tiramisu was the final testimony of his mastery over his craft.

With prompt and warm service from well-informed F&B staff, this lunch with old-fashioned Italian fare, turned out to be a memorable experience indeed.

Mini is a food writer