The Hindu Business Line : Out for a healthy bite

Size zero is in vogue, and it’s no surprise that many restaurateurs in Mumbai have decided to diet too. But wait. Which self-respecting restaurant can afford to stay off food? So there’s still plenty of great food on offer, but with a “healthy” twist.

With a growing number of health-conscious folks unwilling to compromise on fitness plans or diets, restaurants across the city have been forced to add healthier options to the menu.

These range from the fast-food biggies such as McDonald’s (which offers multigrain wraps with paneer and chicken variants), Domino’s (wheat pizza base) and Gracia’s (multigrain base) to five-star outlets such as the Pure restaurant at Taj Lands End Mumbai (health food made only with organic ingredients) and the Hilton Group’s Frangi Pani (grilled, steamed, sautéed and wheat options).

“Well, adding healthy options to a menu is something that many people appreciate, as it gives a break from monotonous home food and helps them stick to a diet,” says Shreya Garewal, a food critic.

Survival of the ‘fittest’

Several popular restaurants have decided to lighten their menus with ‘low-fat, low-calorie’ options. So you make the surprising discovery that even an eatery such as Soam, a bastion of Gujarati and Marwari cuisine, has the most tantalisingly light menu in Mumbai. The choice ranges from a moong-based bhaji accompanied by whole wheat pav (bread) to jowar pita pockets that are not only fat-free but also absolutely mouth-watering.

Another favourite of the health-conscious diner is Moshe, at Cuffe Parade; while there isn’t an exclusive diet menu on offer, the entrees are great options ranging from grilled ravas (fish) on a bed of vegetables to the grilled zucchini, asparagus and mushroom salad in vinaigrette dressing.

Talking of salads, Jazz by the Bay’s daily salad buffet lunch is a favourite with Mumbaikars and is unbeatable for its variety.

Anuradha Verma, a dietician, points out that the healthy menu options go beyond the salad and soup varieties, providing those fighting the bulge a chance to indulge in a wide variety of fare minus the guilt trips.

At some places, junk food gamely shares space with dieters’ choice. The popular eatery Candies, for example, has added a fresh-salad counter and a soup of the day to its daily offerings.

In fact, even the smaller restaurants have begun offering oil-free options: Sample Shiv Sagar’s oil-free dosas and butter-free pav bhajis.

One restaurant that delights with its vast diet menu is Out of The Blue. It has a dedicated ‘Spa menu’ with whole wheat pastas, paneer and chicken sauté starters, sizzlers, soups and salads. The Alfredo pasta and meat charcoal grills stand out here.

Sweet and light

The best part of this diet fad at restaurants is that it takes care of the dessert menu, too, where fat-free and sugar-free options abound. The trend began with Gelato parlours offering ice-cream lovers a chance to indulge in sugar-free gelatos and sorbettos. The restaurants have been quick to jump on to this bandwagon. The Mumbai Times Café, for example, offers scrumptious low-fat muffins and cakes while the Basilico offers baked blueberry cheesecake.

Pointing out that most metro cities today offer a range of options for the health-conscious diner, restaurateur Shammi Sahuja says, “Believe me, this is great, the customer gets his need and the owner gets his business”.

Also try:

Japengo Café — sushi and miso soup

Aambiir at Rudra Spa — roasted pumpkin soup, spinach salad, sautéed vegetables, grilled zucchini, Moroccan curry, steamed rice, and freshly made whole grain walnut bread

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