Powai has no dearth of restaurants, but none that served fresh, unpretentious continental fare...until now! Lenny Martin (we hear he's been involved with the management of several nightspots in the past) and his partner have set up this gem in the foodcourt area. The menu is small but well thought out. Keeping in mind the limitations of foodcourt service, all the dishes are prepared such that they can be had with just a fork (yes, even the steaks). So don't expect a formal meal with table setting, et al. The chicken steak with spinach cheese sauce was fantastic. We had the grilled chicken salad on our first visit and that was light, crisp, fresh...and superb! They do a chicken ranada with hummus and grilled vegetables which is also very, very good.
Okay, so the food's great. But what we truly enjoy is to see Lenny carry out his vocation with such unbridled enthusiasm. The passion that goes into the cooking is apparent not just when you take a bite, but also when you watch Lenny at work. In the few weeks since we first discovered Gostana, we've been there thrice and will surely go many more times! We took along a vegetarian friend for dinner last night and Lenny offered to whip up something. It was a paneer steak with spinach cheese sauce. Though our friend really did like it, he had had paneer for lunch as well and so couldn't finish his portion. Lenny was a picture of disappointment...almost offended and apologetic at the same time despite our assurance that the dish was indeed good. Needless to add, that dish was not charged for.
If you're in the Powai area, visit Gostana for a highly satisfying meal. For the sake of Lenny's art, I hope his business venture is here to stay!
ssavkur
