Fit for a queen

The heat and noise of the Churchgate street is left behind the second you step into the delightful soothing environs of Goodricke’s Tea Lounge – The Queen’s Deck. A profusion of whites and greens accompanied by some really comfy seating, makes it the ideal spot to schmooze with your gal pals over tea and nibbles.

And yes, there are generous amounts of both. We tried the Chai Ki Chamak from the Goodricke Curated Range, which promised a sweet smell and rejuvenating properties, and the Turkish Mint Tea which delighted with its notes of freshness. The menu offers a range of Darjeeling Specials, Assam Specials, Bada Saheb Selections, a Curated Range and even a Bespoke Range, and lets not forget the Iced Tea range. We started off munching on Avocado Brochettes with a topping of tomato, red onion and coriander salsa – scrumptious! We also sampled the Chilly Cheese Toast from the Nostalgia menu, namely old favourites that the restaurant has retained, but had to rate it lower than the Brochettes. For mains, we tried the veg version of Shepherd’s Pie, with soya mince cooked in tomato sauce topped with mashed potato. Again, a winner. Our nonveg companion enjoyed the Crusty Chicken, a herb-encrusted chicken cooked with mushrooms and served with spiced carrots and beans salad. Deelicious! We chat briefly with the charming Head Chef Ritesh Rajguru who has been guiding our choices. In fact, all the service staff as well are pleasant and well-informed.

For a sweet ending, we are recommended the Creamy Matcha Pannacotta (yum) and the Lemon Almond Souffle (not as superlative). Definitely a place to return to, to do justice to its wide range of eats and more than 36 unique flavours of tea.

Where: Queen’s Deck, Resham Bhavan, 78, Ground Floor, Tea Board Of India, Veer Nariman Road, Churchgate, Mumbai