Score a ‘brownie’

Courtyard Marriott opened its coffee shop — Momo Cafe — only a couple of months back. The name has no connection with dimsums or oriental cuisine. It stands for ‘modern living modern dining’.

So the ambience too is vibrant with splashes of bright colours. The menu too is modern, with a blend of global tastes. They offer a wide buffet spread as well.

The buffet has continental style non-veg starters, Indian veg starters, soups, main courses, a wonderfully stocked salad bar with dozens of condiments and vinaigrettes. The chef can also toss up a salad of your choice. Coming to the taste, the fish served here is truly the best. All sourced directly from Mumbai, with some that we won’t find elsewhere!

Barbeque Jerked Chicken and Grilled Calamari were the best. However, Chicken Tikka Marinated in Cream tasted a bit sour and bitter. The salads were amazing, specially the tossed glass noodles.

Still I felt something missing, until the wood-fire baked pizza arrived — very thin, very crispy, very good. The main course was also enjoyable.

What left me frustrated was the wide spread of desserts in the end. Well planned, well blended and well presented! Blueberry Cream Cheese, Basil Mascarpone, Walnut Brownie, Black Forest and of course, Tiramisu. It was served in a large margherita glass with the best mascarpone cheese I have ever had. Basil and Mascarpone blended well too!

Then, we ordered crispy mushrooms from the a la carte menu. They tasted good, but were soggy from the time they arrived on the table. The cost of one dish was almost close to the buffet. Soft beverages also cost about the same!

The ambience, though vibrant failed to give privacy to couples. But the style of displaying the buffet was great and it’s for this reason, along with the desserts, that I’ll remember the place.

Address: Momo Cafe,

Courtyard Marriott Hotel,

P No 4 S No 19 & 20 Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park,

Hinjewadi, Pune,

# 42122222

Thanks to www.punemirror.in for the review