Lotus Cafe is a multi-cuisine restaurant of JW Marriott, Juhu, Mumbai.
The Food: A la carte. We ordered a curious mix of margherita pizza, dal makhni with lachche rotiyan, kathi rolls and fruit mocktails for lunch. The lachche roti and dal makhni were heaven on a plate as was the pizza. The Kathi rolls should have been rolled a little more. A little overdone in places and the stuffing was not as mouthwatering as it read in the menu. The portions are generous and we were just two, so some food got wasted. Avoid the mocktails, especially anything with a layer of coconut milk in it.
The ambience: It is not as beautiful as some heritage hotels but seats by the lotus pond are worth waiting for. One glance outside and you catch a linear, yet expansive view of the pond, the pool and the Arabian Sea at one go. The view is best in the evenings. At night, the sea is not very clearly visible unless there’s foaming surf but the people in the pool glow like glow-worms. Later from a higher floor, while sipping on hot tea, we could see legs shining clearly in the pool at night, every movement clearly visible. Nothing in the pool is this visible in the day time!
The pond could do with some fresh lotuses. Once you go out beyond the pool near the hotel boundary, you see the littered beach as well. A slim, quaint passage leads on to the beach, which didn’t seem clean or welcoming at the time. It is not the Marriott’s private beach. So, expect random crowd. You’ll need a pass to be able to come back.
The tables are well spaced to allow for discreet conversation. The upholstery is not shabby but not very elegant either. For the prices in question, I would expect better.
The service: Courteous but delayed beyond bardasht. The attendants always seem to rush about empty-handed with a look of busy purpose in a half-occupied restaurant! My family members who have been there on separate occasions witnessed the same funny phenomenon.
The tab: In line with 5-star prices. I don’t recall the exact amount.
Overall: For the most part, the ambience is pleasant and well-scaped, and the food is good. Go if you have time to while away before you get hungry and upset. Maybe the food tasted wonderful because we were ravishing hungry by the time it reached us! Going during buffet timings would be less wasteful and happier for the tummy and your pocket.
The healthiest and yummiest of food is at home, the second yummiest in real dhabas.