Taste Test: Croissants

The Indigo Deli croissant wins for both taste and appearance.

SALT WATER CAFE
Rose Minar Annexe, 87, Chapel Road, next to Mount Carmel Church, Bandra Reclamation, Bandra (West). Tel: 2643 4441.
Price: Rs30
Verdict: In appearance and taste, this croissant bears little resemblance to the buttery French confection. More like a bun that was moulded in the shape of the croissant, it tasted almost exactly like plain old white bread. It also had a strange smell. ★☆☆☆☆

CROISSANTS ETC
Outlets across the city including No5-6, Pluto, Perry Road, opposite Kotak Mahindra Bank, Bandra (West). Tel: 2642 5702.
Price: Rs15
Verdict: This much-loved chain that first opened in 1987 is best known for its filled croissants (we like the chicken tikka one). However, with your standard butter croissant, they fall a bit short. Though flaky, with the requisite layers of butter-brushed pastry, it was chewy, heavy and not particularly flavourful. ★★☆☆☆

THE FRENCH LOAF
Sagarika Apartments, Shop No.5, opposite Foodlands Supermarket, Juhu Tara Road, Juhu. Tel: 2612 2386.
Price: Rs20
Verdict: The bakery’s name sets the croissant up for expectations it can’t quite deliver, in that there’s nothing French about it. The crust was more chewy than flaky and the scent of butter didn’t translate into flavour. Though soft, the generous dough filling was bland and dry. ★★☆☆☆

THEOBROMA
Shop 24, Cusrow Baug, Colaba Causeway. Tel: 2288 0101.
29/30 Link Square Mall, Linking Road, near KFC, Bandra (West). Tel: 2646 9010.
Price: Rs30
Verdict: In appearance, this came close to resembling a proper croissant, with a golden brown crust, flaky layers, and a faint waft of buttered goodness. The butter, however, tasted more like oil, and while the outside crust was dry, the inside was too greasy for our liking. ★★1/2

BOMBAY BAKING COMPANY
JW Marriott Hotel, Juhu Tara Road, Juhu. Tel: 6693 3399.
Price: Rs67
Verdict: The five star deli does justice to the French invention. The croissant is appropriately buttered, but not soggy. Baked to a golden brown, the crust is quick to crumble and the flaky texture is nicely offset with the soft centre. Our only complaint? Visually, the croissant wasn’t much to look at. ★★★☆☆

INDIGO DELI WINNER
Ground Floor, 5 Pheroze Building, Chattrapati Shivaji Maharishi Marg, Apollo Bunder. Tel: 6655 1010.
First Floor, Palladium Mall, Lower Parel. Tel: 2498 6262.
Price: Rs28
Verdict: We suggest you get your croissants here early in the morning, because by 11am, they’re either all gone or soggy. That said, the early morning trip is worth it, because in taste, consistency and usage of butter, it was the closest we came to finding an authentic croissant. It was appropriately flaky on the outside, with a golden crust, and a buttery, mildly yeast-y taste that is the signature of a good croissant. ★★★★☆