“Where shall we dine? O me! What fray was here?” This line from Juliet’s monologue from the Shakespearean tragedy Romeo and Juliet finds a namesake and echoes the dining sentiment in Andheri’s newly-minted, Juliette Ristorante. Taking our love for modern European cuisine up a notch, the people behind the popular Yazu, Enso Hospitality now present a brand new concept with Juliette. At the outset, Juliette resonates with the quiet charm of European delis but its essence comes across as modern. With this inviting ambience, it also promises a one-of-a-kind gastronomical adventure led by a well-thought-out menu using contemporary ingredients. 

Located right next to Yazu amid the bustling Infinity mall in Andheri Lokhandwala, we explored this good-looking place with a decent buzz on a quiet Wednesday evening. Did we find some good notes on the drinks and food on the plate? Scroll down to read more.

How’s the ambience?

An ambient and soothing monochromatic theme sets the scene at Juliette that’s replete with lavish indoor space, alfresco seating and outdoor seating – exuding a distinctly European vibe. Designed by Sumessh Menon, we are instantly drawn towards aesthetic elements like a larger-than-life tree installation, a floral and exotic mushroom motif light feature and unique wall art features inspired by pea pods. All of these intentionally convey a sense of an authentic upscale European vibe.

How are the drinks?

As we embarked on a culinary journey of good food and fine cocktails, we were drawn towards the diverse anecdotes and stories weaved for every item on the specialised cocktails/mocktails menu on the protagonist Juliette – lending a unique ordering experience. We opted for mocktails Elderflower Hugo and Italian smooch which bore refreshing citrusy and rose flavours.

Their exotic cocktails like smoked hazelnut martini, barrel-aged Negroni and the namesake Juliette are a must-try.

How’s the food at Juliette Ristorante?

The menu, courtesy of Chef Nikhil Abhyankar is peppered with a taste of Spain, Italy and France and goes on to pay a hearty homage to the protagonist Juliette. The menu features a spread of appetizers, pasta, pizzas, risotto and mains that are good for sharing. We kickstarted our food journey with avocado on toast with guacamole featuring homemade sourdough bread, sundried tomato pesto, goat cheese, pickled onions, and black and white sesame seeds.

Following this well-balanced appetizer, we moved on to trying the famed cacio-e-pepe. Cheesy indulgence at its finest, the black peppered sauce was deceptively simple and rustic in spirit but packed a mean punch with flavour.

Next, we tried the roasted tomato broth which featured roasted bell peppers, coriander and croutons. Fresh and cosy, we loved how the roasting brought out a distinct goodness of tomatoes. Encouraged by the wholesome tomato affair, we moved on to the mains and ordered the sundried tomato risotto and Juliette’s roast chicken. The risotto featured Arborio rice, aged parmesan, sundried tomato pesto and caponata comprising roasted eggplant with sautéed bell pepper, celery, tomatoes, olives and capers.

The sundried tomato risotto, classic Italian comfort food is essentially a celebration of tomatoes and is known for its deliciously creamy texture but we found it a tad too tangy for our tastes and couldn’t finish the generous portion served to us. As for the chicken dish that featured a traditional French spice-rubbed chicken grilled and served with mashed potato, grilled veggies and porcini truffle jus was a delight to reckon with. We polished off the accompanying jus and loved the tender protein cooked to perfection.

Desert comes in the form of a basque cheesecake and apple pie featuring a warm apple pudding, pecan, and cranberry topped with almond crumble. While the cheesecake was luscious, creamy and caramelised to perfection, the re-imagined old-fashioned apple pie left us craving an encore owing to its sweet, tart flavour profile, aroma and warm fuzzy after-fee.

And what’s the verdict on Juliette Ristorante?

Finding the right restaurant for the next romantic date or an intimate outing with friends with all things pretty and food to boot can be tricky. Juliette with its timeless elegance and romantic charm hits that sweet spot. 

While the contemporary and casual setting charms, the menu with its reimagined classics is a modern take on European cuisine which translate well into gorgeously plated food. The efforts of the culinary team all while infusing a unique character into quintessential dishes are noteworthy. The service is prompt and the servers and warm and courteous. 

The Piquant paid for this meal and reviewed the restaurant anonymously.