UpperCrust Discovery
Westside Foodie Corner
In the few months that Westside, the revolutionary departmental store, allotted and opened a section of its vast shopping premises to cater to the growing needs of a committed foodie, life just got enhanced for this Tata enterprise. Gourmet West, they called the new food nook.
Without doubt, shopping at Westside, particularly at its Kala Ghoda branch, is a pleasure. Right from entering its heritage portals, in the beautiful Army & Navy Building situated so centrally in the art district of Bombay, to leisurely strolling through its many well-designed sections, to actually finding any number of things you realise you need (well, crave) and so, sigh, pick them up.
I was happiest when I learnt long ago, before Gourmet West actually took shape, that such a concept was being planned. We needed it and it was only logical that a departmental store that size ought to do it. I’d even say it came five years too late. But better late than never.
Westside was Simone Tata’s baby. It was not uncommon to see her at her stores, walking around, checking, seeing for herself that all is well. Now the baby has been passed to Noel, her son. And he seems to be doing the same. Personally looking into the many aspects that make such an enterprise successful. Why, even at my very last visit, I bumped into him there. Guess it’s that Tata culture. No job too small, no position too big. Refreshing! Just like all the goodies on the innumerable shelves. Yes, the food section at Westside is bursting with stuff you never dreamed you would be able to pick up, off the shelves, right here in amchi Mumbai. No more lugging back stuff from gourmet shops at international airports. No more worries, no more fears. Will the smoked salmon stay, will the cheese spoil, will the foie gras get mashed...
I met up with Gaurav Mahajan, COO of Westside, who walked me through the multiple aisles of the 3,000 sq ft. gourmet shoppe. A decent size, I thought, with comfortable aisle space to push your cart through, and so well-stocked! The dynamics of what you place where, allotting what kind of space to which product, becomes all important in the nature of a food store and I like how Gourmet West has been designed. Obviously, the ‘science of merchandising’ has been adhered to. Customer convenience, stock and order in the crowded shelves, handy location, etc.
Ideally situated in the far end of the ground floor, besides and under the escalator and stair-case, Gourmet West houses hundreds of food and drink products, including plenty of exotic herbs, sauces and dips. Top quality and well-known brands. Gaurav, hardly the aggressive, pushy kind of marketing man, gently and smilingly said to me, “Bombay House shops here, you know.” By which he means the Board of Directors. Now, that’s an endorsement for sure, if you have the big boys of the Tata empire shop here for its kitchen needs, you know you are shopping at the right place. Much like dining at a restaurant where the owner himself eats and entertains as well.
So what will you find at this foodie paradise when you go shopping there next? Plenty, actually. Let´s say if you were to decide to cook some international fare at home and ran out of some ingredient, you would most likely find it here, be it Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Mexican. They have a wide range of cheese, freshly marinated cold cuts, curated products, savouries, biscuits, sauces, olive oil, noodles, pasta, ready-to-eat frozen finger foods, lots and lots of things. Let me name just some of the brands that caught my eye; Sahale Snacks, El Amendro, Jordans, Weetabix, Teekane, Mugshot, Jamie Oliver, Sammy’s Cous Cous, Fiddes Payne Sprinklers, Alpen Bars, Fox Biscuits, Barilla Oil, Pedras, Bella Parma, Nature Smith, among hundred others.
Now since I had Gaurav with me, I was curious to know their future plans. Obviously Gourmet West seems to have caught on and it would seem only logical for the group to extend this concept to all its other outlets, not just in Bombay, but throughout India. “Yes,” said he, “but things will move forward keeping the Tata ethos in mind.” Which subsequent discussions revealed, they will settle in well with the first prototype, iron out every small crease, adhere to every small food norm, study customer response, look into the culinary needs, what the market demands and then cautiously go forward.
Which means the next step is looking into what complements food. That is wine. Yes, shoppers and wine lovers will soon see a wine cellar in place at Gourmet West. I got a peep at the wine list and can tell you wine lovers, both new and the connoisseurs, that you will not be disappointed. There are quality (read expensive) and new world wines (read, inexpensive) that will soon be available to you. Reveilo, Sula, Fratelli, Chateau d’Ori, Good Earth, Vallonne are the Indian brands you will find here and the price range will be from Rs. 375 to Rs. 900. Wines from Argentina, South Africa, France, Portugal, in the region of Rs. 1200 to Rs. 4500, will also be available. The Australian Yellow Tail from Jacob´s Creek is what I plan to pick up first.
Exciting times for us who love the good life, now to keep our fingers crossed and hope the 60 outlets of Westside across the length and breadth of the country will have a little foodie-nook, in the form of Gourmet West tucked away in each of its stores, so that the foodies of the world can unite!
Gourmet West @ Westside, Army & Navy Building, # 148, MG Road, Kala Ghoda, Mumbai - 400001
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