Most Fridays in December and January, Gateway of India is full of upwardly mobile families making their way to holiday homes in Alibaug, the quiet coastal village that’s an hour away by ferry. So far, the only option to get a bite at Mandwa jetty in Alibaug was Boardwalk, an eatery run by the folks that run Flamboyante in Cuffe Parade. Last month, however, Nitin Mongia, who has been running a catering company in Alibaug for over five years, opened a second eatery next door: Kiki’s Café.
Mongia also runs and rents out luxury eco-villas like Ccaza Ccomodore, Casa Amore and Forest Hills in Alibaug. The café and deli are being rented out from the company that has privatised Mandwa jetty. “We were one of the first people to start up, and there’s been a lot of change in the last five-six years,” Mongia says.
The deli, which includes a small interior space that is designed by Krsnaa Mehta of IndiaCircus, is colourful, without taking away from the views that look out onto Mandwa Beach. Bright walls, bicycles suspended from the ceiling and a display case filled with grab-and-go food — from quiches and muffins to decadent and gooey salted caramel and chocolate tarts — compete for your attention in the cosy interior. Those who are crossing the jetty to their much-coveted holiday homes, can get hampers packed with some of the snacks. A tip: if you’re entertaining, the green pea dip is highly recommended.
The menu at Kiki’s ranges from comfort food to local cuisine (like the excellent Malwani curries) and encompasses everything in between. So a group of friends or a family can order one of their signature flatbreads, or try the samosas (there’s a vegetarian spinach and Parmesan variant, while meat eaters can try the chicken version), jalapeno cheese empanadas and buffalo chicken wings that you can order off the sharable plates menu. With both indoor and outdoor seating, you can choose to look out at Mandwa Beach or take in the warm yellow interiors while waiting to board the ferry.
We went with the former, and caught the sun’s descent while enjoying a beer and some hearty sliders (the deli also serves wines and sangria, but no hard liquor).
Be warned, though. The bread isn’t as moist or pliant as we’d like it to be. A better option are the thin-crust flatbreads, which are available with eight types of toppings. The breads are all baked in-house. “It took me four months to develop a pizza dough recipe where the bread doesn’t get soggy with time and retains its crispness,” Mongia says.
Of the flatbreads we tried, we enjoyed the black olive and jalapeno version; meat eaters should order the harissa chicken variant.
When prompted to tell us about which time of day the restaurant is most popular, Mongia says, “Breakfast. [It’s] becoming hugely popular. There are people who get out at 8-8:15 a.m. and come here.” The menu offers a range of breakfast items — mainly eggs — like truffle oil scrambled eggs, eggs Kejriwal, baked eggs and more, in addition to pancakes to start the day with.
If you are looking for a quick but substantial bite before returning to the city, Kiki’s does full-fledged meals as well. We were won over by the golden brown fish and chips, which were coated with a crunchy batter, before giving way to a moist fillet inside. The aforementioned Malwani curries too, were full of complex flavours and are bound to make a heartening meal for those are looking for some local flavour. Kebabs, pastas and a host of other comfort food is ably executed by the kitchen staff.
Mongia is also working towards growing much of his produce himself, both for the catering operation and the restaurant. As of now, he grows mainly herbs and some stray vegetables such as zucchini, broccoli and baby corn.
To end the meal, make a beeline for the display vitrine, which holds a range of desserts, from salted caramel and chocolate truffle tarts, to apple pies that have just a hint of cinnamon.
Items that we’ll be back to sample before the weather gets stuffy again include the baked cheesecake and brownie with ice cream. That, and of course the café’s pristine beachside view.
Kiki’s Café and Deli, Mandwa Jetty, Alibaug, open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.; 8308802678, 8308802680
