If you love eating clean and healthy or are someone who has tried to do so, you must have heard of Acai berries. They’re hailed as a superfood and if you’re anything like me, you’ve always wondered what the big deal about them was. Well, on this fateful day, I finally got to try an Acai bowl at Tropicool in Khar. Tropicool is all about healthy eating but without compromising on taste. As someone who has never made a healthy food choice in her life, I was about to discover that healthy food does not necessarily mean bad-tasting food. Especially if the said food is from Tropicool.
Tropicool In Khar Serves Healthy Bites With Tropical Vibes
Located a short walk from the Khar station, my colleague Nikitha Sebastian and I found it easy enough to locate. One of the first things that jumps out to you when you enter Tropicool in Khar is the lushly painted walls. Covered with leaves and azure Macaws, the cosy establishment whisks you to the dense tropical Brazilian jungles.
I felt as if I was about to discover a post-deluge Macondo from One Hundred Years Of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, a book I read on the train to Khar that was fresh in my mind. The mosaic floor, designed to evoke the Ipanema street art style, adds a dimension to the aesthetic of the cafe that is seldom found in India.
The cafe also has outdoor seating and if you’re lucky, you might even get to say hi to an adorable cat that is among Tropicool’s regulars!
Randall Fernandes, along with Rohit Gupta, brought the concept to India. We had the pleasure of meeting Randall and he became our navigator for the day’s culinary journey. Touted as the first Brazilian cafe in India, its aesthetics were definitely on brand. But we weren’t there just for the aesthetics. After taking in the ambience, our tummies were now ready to take in some of their delicious dishes.
Innovative Tapioca Wraps, Succulent Coxinhas And More
Since we were novices to much that was offered on the menu, Randall was kind enough to arrange a platter for us to start with and then we ordered a couple of other dishes.
What We Ordered
Coriander Chicken Coxinha
Pastel
Pao De Quejo
Grilled Chicken Tapioca Wrap
BLT
Brown Butter Garlic Prawns & Calamari
While we waited for our food to arrive, we sipped on the Amazon Sunrise and Acai Coconut juices as Randall regaled us with the details about the cafe. Priyanka and Prathamesh were as polite as they were prompt in their service and it wasn’t long before our food arrived.
The beverages themselves were very refreshing. Both had Acai in them, which is Tropicool’s speciality, and Acai Coconut had a stronger Acai flavour of the two. It paired well with the subtle sweetness of the coconut water and certainly made me feel like one of those fit health influencers on Instagram. Acai has a more earthy, Jamun-like flavour and the taste is very interesting. The Amazon Sunrise has a stronger orange flavour and tastes delicious. If you love orange juice, you will love this.
We started with the platter with Pao De Quejo, Pastels, and Coriander Chicken Coxinhas. The Pao De Quejo were essentially a type of cheese bread. They were pillowy and paired excellently with the three dips provided – Mango Chilli, Garlic Aioli and Acai Balsamic. The Acai Balsamic dip reminded me of those tiny tamarind paste packs that I ate as candy as a child. The familiarity was unexpected but not unpleasant.
Would I Order It Again? Yes
The Pastels were reminiscent of pizza puffs, both in appearance and taste. The cheese, I was told, was housemade. The pastry was fresh, the cheese was gooey and with the garlic aioli, it was perfection.
Would I Order It Again? Yes
The Coriander Chicken Coxinhas were my absolute favourite. If you don’t know, they are essentially Brazilian Samosas. They are stuffed with chicken and spices and are juicy. They may be small but they pack a lot of flavour. The most prominent flavour was that of coriander and as an ardent coriander lover, I was a fan. I still have dreams about this Coxinha.
Would I Order It Again? Yes, Absolutely!
Next was the Grilled Chicken Tapioca Wrap. The cafe offers a lot of items featuring tapioca in a bid to offer healthier options that are not entirely unfamiliar to the Indian palette. Tapioca makes for a great gluten-free option for this purpose. The wrap’s texture was like a dosa but more brittle. If you are not careful, like me, the wrap can quickly disintegrate and you’ll be left eating a salad instead of a wrap. It came with a chimichurri sauce which added a lot of flavour to the wrap.
Would I Order It Again? Maybe
We then ordered BLT which came with Turkey bacon. This came with a side of fries that were so good, they might just be the best I’ve ever had. The cut was an interesting kind and I hadn’t seen such fries before. They were crunchy and perfectly salted. The sandwich itself was adequate but my colleague really loved it. The ingredient-to-bread ratio in the sandwich was perfect and it wasn’t too bready. She even called it comfort food.
Would I Order It Again? No From Me But Yes From Her
Finally, we got the Brown Butter Garlic Prawns and Calamari, or as I like to call it, garlic lover’s heaven. The flavour was *chef’s kiss* and it came with two pieces of bread perfect for soaking up the garlic butter! The prawns were dripping with butter and were cooked perfectly as was the calamari.
Would I Order It Again? Yes, Absolutely!
The Star Of The Show
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By this time, we were stuffed but we couldn’t leave before trying the star of the show, the Acai bowls. We got the Original Brazilian Acai Bowl. It came with pieces of dragonfruit, bananas and coconut flakes. The texture reminded me of a sorbet and it made for a great dessert after the hearty meal we had.
Would I Order It Again? Maybe
It was a great experience overall and my personal favourite, in case it wasn’t obvious, were the Coriander Chicken Coxinhas and Brown Butter Garlic Prawns and Calamari.
About Tropicool In Khar
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Tropicool is an international brand but the cafe is an India-exclusive entity. Founded and conceptualised by Rafael do Prado Ribeiro and Caio Nabuco in 2019. It was brought to India by Rohit Gupta and Randall Fernandes. Unlike other places that serve dishes made from dehydrated Acai powder, Tropicool is the only place in India where you can enjoy items made from real Acai pulp as it is the only entity authorised to import it. It has great vegan and gluten-free options for its dishes and is a haven for healthy eaters.
Also Read: CT Review: I Visited Mazi In Santacruz And Enjoyed Whispers Of Rain With Whiffs Of Coffee
Where: Bajaj Arcade, Off Carter Rd, CHS, Union Park, Khar Danda
When: Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 11 PM and Sat-Sun, 8:30 AM to 11 PM
Cost: ₹1,500 for two approx.
So, when are you heading to Tropicool? Let us know what you think of the place in the comments section below!
Cover Image Credits: Nikitha Sebastian
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