Two Gud Sisters: A Restaurant in Santacruz for Conversations Over Cuisines, Coffee, Cocktails and Cosy Corners!

One pleasant afternoon, we walked into a newly opened restaurant – sorry, a café; pardon us, a restaurant and a bar; apologies, a place that combines all three. The Two Gud Sisters, located in the quaint lanes of Santacruz, is a place to unwind, chill, and share stories over multicuisine food, coffee, and cocktails. The fusion of all these elements is the brainchild of Rinka Jha and Rashmi Mishra, ‘The Two Gud Sisters’ – not biologically, but friends turned sisters. “The concept was simple: we wanted to create a place where people can enjoy the food of their choice, spend quality time, and strengthen their bonds,” says Rinka. “As food has been the connecting point between the two of us, we believe a lot can happen over food and drinks, so we always thought about creating such a place,” adds Rashmi, joining the conversation.

The concept was born out of their personal discussions, and in 2024, they planned to make it a reality. Finally, after seven months of planning and execution, they opened the doors of Two Gud Sisters. We stepped into this space, where the idea of connecting people was reflected in the inviting European house-inspired interiors, with calming plants placed all around. What made the concept even stronger were the different aesthetic corners, each unique: one with bright lighting, another with miniature paintings on the wall, and yet another with a cosy, natural setup.

But one thing that caught our attention was the open bar and coffee house stationed adjacent to each other. This combination reflected the owners' personalities; while Rinka is an avid coffee lover, Rashmi enjoys cocktails, and they wanted to merge both in their project. This concept seemed appealing to us, so we started with a cup of Cappuccino and the 'Minimalistic' cocktail. The cocktail was a citrusy, refreshing blend of gin with oranges, passion fruit, lime, basil, and tonic, but what made it stand apart was the presentation: the bartender ignited the bottom of the glass, which was a visually stunning treat, complementing the tangy taste.

Once we got our taste buds active, it was time for us to order the Fennel and Orange Salad. There could not have been a better choice to pair with the cocktail than this salad, as it was equally refreshing. The juicy oranges and the dressing worked together to elevate the experience, while the feta cheese added a smooth texture.

Once finished, we tried the Truffle Tales Soup, which featured five different textures of mushrooms: chewy, soggy, soupy, frothy, and creamy. The taste was umami, and the black pepper provided a hint of spice amidst the creaminess, complementing the various textures.

From umami, it was time for us to taste the tradition of Bihar, but with a twist. It was time for Litthi Lagubitta – a smaller version of Bihar's famous dish, Litthi Chokha. We understood the Litthi part but went to the owner to find out what Lagubitta means, and she explained, "A mini version of something". The cute mini Litthi on top of a tart filled with Chokha and other veggies was the highlight of the evening. The Chokha awakened the tangy taste buds, while the Litthi and the tart balanced it with their crispiness.

Moving on, our table was filled with the main course dishes. The plates included Thai Pulao with Puffed Pastry, which was a unique take on Thai Pulao, and Jasmine Rice covered with a Puffed Pastry dome. The taste was actually a mix of Indian-flavoured Pulao with the creaminess of a Thai curry. The Bhaji Bananza was a uniquely presented Pav Bhaji with mini Pavs that did an admirable job of replicating the authentic taste of a Pav Bhaji.

Last for the day was the Wow Bao. This dish featured mock meat served with Bihari-style gravy, a crispy green salad, and garlic-yoghurt sauce, which became the highlight of the main course with its blend of sour, spicy, and savoury flavours. To tone down the spice, we ordered the Mille-Feuille dessert. The layers of crispy filo pastry with creamy pistachio cream, crunchy almond crumb, and tangy orange blossom syrup made for a perfect dessert.

In essence, you can visit this place if you want calming aesthetics, cosy corners, refreshing cocktails, good coffee, toothsome appetizers, a decent main course, and delicious desserts.

Where: No 1, Damodar villa, 396/4, North Ave, Potohar Nagar, Dhan, Santacruz (West), Mumbai

What Time: 11 AM to 11:30 PM

How Much: Rs. 2,000 for two (without alcohol)