10 January 2014, 02:50 PM IST
Please look carefully. No! its not a genie's lamp (spewing smoke) that you are seeing in the photo. But I still held it in my left hand and clicked the camera with my right hand. Reason? This liquid nitrogen smoke is at once a symbol of magic and science that Mumbai's latest progressive Indian restaurant uses to coax surprise, taste, texture from it's dishes. We have been moaning about Indian cuisine being frozen in time and not evolving or pushing frontiers at all. On the other extreme, in the West is the Spanish wizard Ferran Adria's (now closed) El Bulli where my palate and mind was blown by the 33 courses of molecular gastronomy. And then, a few months ago Voila! Maestro Jiggs Kalra and his dynamic son Zorawar pulled out all the stops and opened up their "Masala Library" (which should rightfully be called Masala Laboratory). They push the frontiers of Indian food, infuse their pan Indian fare with molecular gastronomy. They tell stories through their dishes and use high-tech science to do so.
FOOD
You have to go for this Library's bestsellers. These are produced when Science weds art, when dishes tell stories with scientific panache. The vegetarian flavour of Rajasthan is distilled in a symphony of crunch and ooze in the three iconic dishes on one platter… Papad Ki Sabzi, Hand Pounded Churma and Jaipuri Bhindi. The Wild Mushroom Chai ( served on a Tea tray with dehydrated mushrooms replacing tea leaves, dehydrated truffle oil taking the place of sugar) is actually a clear, light, flavoursome mushroom soup in the teapot. Curry Leaf and Pepper Prawns, Thayir Sadam, Banana Crisp Distil "A taste of Kerala".
Twenty-six-year-old chefs, Himanshu Saini, Saurabh Udinia drive the kitchen and again and again. What stands out most is the sense of surprise, the creative plating and attention to detail. Chicken Tikka is infused with smokey flavours of hickory wood. The Kabab spiked with pesto, kulchas stuffed with gucchi, Quessadillas with sarson ka saag, Butter chicken mellowed and smoky with San Marzano tomatoes. Outstanding lamb chops are braised with a hint of sweetness of maple and tang of kokum.
It all begins with an amuse bouche of papdi chaat beautifully served over plumes of dry ice as a chilled sphere of yoghurt (infused with flavours of tangy and sweet tamarind sauce) implodes on the palate. It ends with an okayish jalebi caviar, superb Ghevar Cheesecake. This progressive Indian cuisine is balanced with the more traditional and conventional well-made dishes like Galouti, Kakori Kebabs and Sarson Ka Saag. Heard of freshly spun pan flavoured Candy floss served on a mini tree? Full marks for attention to detail by Varun Puri and his young team.
DÉCOR
All this in a large, brightly lit, 90 seater space, with dominating beige/brown colours, wooden lattice screens and a wooden ceiling. Décor kept simple so that the spotlight remains on the deftly made innovative progressive Indian fare.
MINUS POINTS
In some dishes, creativity tips over into gimmickry (the cycle rickshaw with the sev puri on the go). In others, the brilliant concept falters in execution, like Flavours of India where a steamed John Dory is served on artist's palette with eight differently flavoured relishes (Goan balchao, Amritsari ajwaini masala etc) but these lose their punch due to overdose of butter in them.
The Gujarati Kadi Risotto flounders due to it's inability to balance sweet and spicy. The Chicken Dhansak is tasteless and inauthentic, Curry Leaf Martini is overpowered with curry leaves, Laal Maas lacks punch and the different textures of chocolate (liquid nitrogen et al) is a banal rendering.
MY POINT
Is it a library of bestsellers? Or a laboratory of cerebral shenanigans? Sure! Lecithin foams, spherification processes, liquid nitrogen are used and most of the time they intensify flavour and define texture, and turnout must-try dishes. On very few occasions, this does tip into lackluster gimmickry and pale imitations of dishes I have eaten in foreign restaurants. If you have the time, go for the nine-course tasting menu (`1,900 veg and `2,100 non-veg).
Progressive Indian fare may not be right for everyone or every occasion ( they do offer conventional dishes too and many vegetarian options) but it certainly is a library that has plenty of food for thought and (happily for us) maintains a thoughtful, mature equilibrium between what's merely edgy and what's truly tasty, ensuring it to be a library of many a bestseller.
Meal for two costs: Rs 3,000
Rating:
Food: 4
Service: 4
Décor: 3.5
Masala Library by Jiggs Kalra
First International Financial Centre,
Opp. Sofitel hotel,
Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC).
Call 022-6642 4142
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