Restaurant Review: Ray’s Café & Pizzeria

Bandra has countless cafés, many of which are indistinguishable from each other. Typically tiny but cosy, they usually serve sandwiches and similar fare. Ray’s Café & Pizzeria, however, comes with the promise of New York-style pizzas. But that wasn’t the only thing that got us all excited about visiting the place. It was the fact that its pizzas are crafted by Rashmi and Hemant Mehta, the founders of Pizzeria Uno on Marine Drive that, in its subsequent avatar as Pizzeria, helped line our stomachs before beer binges during our college days.

Much has changed for the Mehtas during the past decade. They now have a son named Ray, reasonably priced real estate on Marine Drive is an oxymoron, and their Bombay Masala pizza is now called Mumbai Masala. That signature dish aptly represents the trouble with Ray’s Cafe—it isn’t bad; we simply expected better.

Ray’s pizzas are mercifully less greasy than those of Pizzeria and, though there are only four options, it’s one of the few places that give you the choice of having pizza by the slice. It’s also heartening to know that Ray’s is already improving; on our first and prior visit, the pepperoni pizza, called the Ray’s Special, came with dried out slices of meat with burnt edges. This time, the pepperoni was satisfyingly juicy and warm. Even the tomato paste was fresher, lighter and more flavourful.

While the pizzas are the highlight, the other dishes on offer are just about alright. The charred vegetable and couscous salad featured grilled eggplant and red wine vinaigrette, a combination that worked to create a nicely smoky, earthy flavour. However, the salad was misleadingly described as we got a sprinkling of couscous rather than a bed, and stems rather than asparagus spears. Our chicken burger had a generous fillet and came with jalapenos that lent it a spicy touch, but the disproportionate serving of sautéed onions fell into our laps (caramelised onions would probably have worked better anyway). Since Ray’s recently started serving a couple of white and red wines by the glass, we ordered their sangria, which was the only truly terrible thing we tried. There was enough ice to numb our taste buds and when it melted, it diluted all the flavour out of the wine.

Ray’s café is, in true Bandra spirit, very cute and cosy, especially the inside white-walled section. The service though isn’t particularly attentive or efficient. It would be lovely if Ray’s stayed open longer and served more–or even perhaps only–pizzas by the slice. The larger pieces are certainly more enjoyable when folded, in true New York style.

A meal for two without alcohol costs approximately Rs800 .

Devendra Das likes a bong, all Bongs and while not preoccupied by either, chronicles his gluttonous experiences.

LocationRay's Café & Pizzeria
Gazebo House
Behind Godrej Nature’s Basket
133 Hill Road
Bandra (W)

Phone2645 1414

HoursMonday to Sunday, 11am to 11pm