Dessert 2.0

Once relegated to being merely functional, end of the main meal sweet closing acts, desserts today have upped their ante. And how! Be it with their unusual ingredients or totally outré presentation styles, they truly are out there. We’ve curated a list of six of Mumbai’s most fantastical desserts that have been elevated from the depth of being “just desserts” to edible pieces of art. 

 

By Raul Dias

Zen Pebbles at Typhoon Shelter
Designed to befuddle the diner—what with it being served together with a few real pebbles—this faux pebble dish is pure, undiluted drama on a platter. Accompanied to the table by a burning sage leaf bouquet, this dessert is conceived by dessert chef Solanki Roy and is available at Mumbai’s brand-new Sichuan-Cantonese cuisine restaurant, Typhoon Shelter. With her training in the weird-n-wacky approach to food at the über-experimental Gaggan Bangkok where she worked earlier, Chef Roy merged traditional flavours with a refreshingly contemporary approach to bring out this brilliant dessert. So, here we find two distinctly flavoured ‘pebbles’: one filled with a creamy caramel-vanilla mousse and the other with a hazelnut crunch. Both are then coated in a melted white chocolate exterior. The marble-like swirls on the pebbles are courtesy of a colour bath that they are dipped into and left to dry. And voila! You have in front of you one of Mumbai’s, nay, India’s most bizarre, yet yummy desserts.
At S-3, Second floor, Skyzone, Phoenix Mill Compound, Lower Parel, Mumbai-400013
Call 022-49193100
Cost Rs 1,195

The Levitating Dacquoise at Izaya
Literally gliding all the way to your table, this totally wacky dessert at Mumbai’s hip-n-happening Thai-Robata restaurant Izaya, makes a dramatic entry alright. Enough to have the whole restaurant stop in its tracks and gawp! The Levitating Dacquoise—sitting pretty in a glass bowl—hovers gently above a black plastic base, all thanks to the quantum mechanical effect called diamagnetism. Here, an applied magnetic field, both, at the base of the specially made glass bowl, and atop the black base stand, creates an induced magnetic field in the opposite direction, causing a repulsive force which makes the bowl levitate. The dacquoise itself is a super light confection that is made up of Belgian Callebaut chocolate, Normandy Chantilly cream and Mahabaleshwar strawberries (when in season). A garnish of small almond meringues, edible nasturtium flowers, micro greens and gold leaf finishes off this almost-theatrical production with a flourish.   
At NCPA, Gate No. 2, Nariman Point, Mumbai-400021
Call 022-22821212
Cost Price on request

The Godfather at The Runway Project
A signature of the menu at the super stylish The Runway Project restaurant, the equally stylish The Godfather dessert is a great trick on the senses. Inspired by the cult classic movie The Godfather that left an inedible mark and made an iconic fashion statement in the man’s world of style with slicked back hair and dark suits, the look continues to create a stir even today and, on your plate, too! So, what you have here is a dark Madagascar chocolate edible cigar-like shell that’s filled with a coffee cremeux and almond brittle tiramisu-center that opens with a waft of hickory smoke. The dessert comes with a real label of a cigar customised for The Runway Project to be carefully removed before indulging into it. The pleasure of smoking a ‘cigar’ while indulging in your dessert, now that’s The Godfather for you.
At 462 High Street Phoenix, Phoenix Mill Compound, Lower Parel, Mumbai-400013
Call 022-49151000
Cost Rs 575

Black Marble Sesame Cheese Cake at Foo
Cottoning onto the black coloured food craze that has gripped the world of fine dining across the globe, this brand-new, Asian-style tapas restaurant—Foo—shows off its experimental side with this dramatic-looking, blackish-grey dessert made using a very traditional Asian and Indian sweet ingredient—sesame. Giving a fillip to the classic cheesecake, the black marble sesame cheese cake is the sum of its cream cheese, black sesame paste, and sour cream parts. Keeping the presentation simple, to let the rather non-conformist colours of this dessert show up, it is served atop a stone platter, with almond crumbs, a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a seasons sauce made out of mascarpone, sugar, cream and sesame paste drizzled all over it.   
At Phoenix Mill Compound, High Street Phoenix, Lower Parel, Mumbai-400013
Call +91-8657407773
Cost Rs 350

Zen Forest at The Fatty Bao
Images of a moss-covered forest floor—gnarly twigs, et al—in autumn come to mind the minute this beautifully presented dish is put in front of you. Reflective of nature in all its pristine beauty, Zen Forest, a hot favourite at the pan-Asian restaurant The Fatty Bao, is a rather complex creation. As beautiful as it is to look at, the dessert takes even better. An amalgamation of multiple elements that come together perfectly on a platter, here, each element offers something special. The green tea moss and chocolate give a bit of sweet and bitterness, the yuzu parfait imparts a refreshing citrus favour, black sesame sponge and white sesame nougatine give the nuttiness and crunch element to the dessert. Whereas the bright pink-coloured beetroot sorbet along with the black pepper sorbet give it an earthy taste. Micro-greens round the dessert off, giving it a fresh herb-y taste.
At 2A, Trade View Building, Kamala Mills Compound, Lower Parel, Mumbai-400013
Call 022-62371500
Cost Rs 265

Tres Leches With Goat Milk Panna Cotta at Luna
This pretty-looking deconstructed version of the traditional Latin American, three-milk dessert of tres leches served at Luna, the European fine dining restaurant at The St. Regis has plenty of dramatic twists to it. To begin with, as mentioned before it is a deconstructed iteration which means that its butter cake-base is soaked in three kinds of milk: evaporated milk, condensed milk, and heavy cream and scattered all over the platter and not grouped together as in the traditional version. But here’s the most interesting twist, the milk that we’re alluding to is not any ordinary milk, but the tangy, much-acquired taste of goat’s milk. This takes the form of a wobbly panna cotta that is accompanied by granules of dehydrated 6% fat milk, a milk espuma and a milk micro sponge. The garnish is that of a shard of crystallised sugar, berries and micro greens.
At The St. Regis Mumbai, 462, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel, Mumbai-400013
Call 022- 61628422
Cost Rs 950

(An edited version of this article first appeared in the September 2018 issue of  Go-Getter, the in-flight magazine of Go Airways) 

Sushi 2.0

Today, on International Sushi Day, we liberate all you sushi fans from the shackles of boring, old, run-of-the-mill iterations and introduce you to six of the most unusual and odd ball interpretations of sushi available in the city.

By Raul Dias

Prawns and Edamame Sushi Pizza
If there’s one aspect of sushi that’s truly remarkable, then that would have to be its ability to experiment with both ingredients and presentation styles. Take this innovative sushi pizza for example. Locally sourced prawns and that quintessential Japanese ingredient, edamame are combined with a honey, chilli and fresh mango sauce and shaped to resemble a slice of pizza. “Sushi and pizza are perhaps two the most loved comfort foods and there couldn’t have been a better occasion than International Sushi Day to celebrate the confluence of the two,” says Chef Paul Kinny, Culinary Director, Shizusan Shophouse & Bar.  
At Shizusan Shophouse & Bar, High Street Phoenix, Lower Parel.
Call 62373536
Cost Rs 375 (per slice)

BLT Sushi Sandwich
Pushing the boundary even further, this sushi variant gets a top score on the innovation charts! Taking the classic all-American bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich and giving it a far eastern fillip as a sushi are the guys at The Fatty Bao. Here, bacon, lettuce and roasted tomato are layered in vinegared-rice and a nori sheet for the ultimate sushi sandwich hybrid. “This sandwich sushi is inspired by the onigirazu sushi, where sushi rice and nori sheets are used to make sandwich shapes with various fillings,” says Chef Prashanth, Executive Chef, The Fatty Bao.
At The Fatty Bao, G1, 108, Morya Classic, Off New Link Road, Andheri West.
Call 62366323/7738008460
Cost Rs 490 (4 pieces)

Tsu No Maki
Just when you thought you’d seen the last mango of the season, you see it well-represented in this totally wacky maki sushi. Joining the salmon-tuna protein duo are slivers of ripe mango and vinegar-sushi rice to make a quadrant shaped piece of sushi. And this is why it is named Tsu No Maki, because in Japanese “Tsu No” means four. “Classical sushi consists of seasonal ingredients prepared using the most sophisticated methods to bring out the best natural flavour of the dish. Where as in the case of innovative versions of sushi, we use local and seasonal ingredients like mango which are much appreciated by our guests,” says Chef Yogendra Adep, Chef De Cuisine, The St. Regis Mumbai
At Yuuka, Level 37, The St. Regis Mumbai, 462, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel West.
Call 61628422
Cost Rs 2,100 (8 pieces)

Gobo Nigiri
As one of Japanese cuisine’s most popular ingredients, the burdock root or gobo is a herb that not just detoxifies the blood, but it is also great for the lymphatic system and skin. Distilling the goodness of this ingredient that we very rarely see in Indian Japanese restaurants is Pa Pa Ya’s all veg Gobo Nigiri. Here, gobo root is combined with carrot, cucumber and avocado that are rolled in a nori sheet, resulting in a sweet, yet pungent sushi roll. “Gobo has a high percentage of irons and vitamins A and B. While creating the dish I wanted to keep the taste authentic as well as make it a healthier option for sushi with the further addition of carrots, cucumber and avocado,” says Chef Sahil Singh, Sr Executive Chef, Pa Pa Ya.
At Pa Pa Ya, Hotel Diplomat, B. K. Boman Behram Marg, Colaba.
Call 8451011174
Cost Rs 625 (8 pieces)

Battera Sushi with Salmon and Tuna
Very little is known about the Osaka-style pressed sushi called oshizushi. Introducing us, to not just this regional sushi speciality, but going one step further and topping it off with three very unusual ingredients—avocado tartare, capers and onion salsa is the Battera Sushi with salmon and tuna. “Battera sushi, that is moulded in a special wooden box, is both fun to eat and lovely to look at. And not to mention different from the usual monotony of rolled sushi, that one sees everywhere,” says Chef Vikram Khatri, Executive Chef, Hello Guppy.
At Hello Guppy, Ground Floor, Godrej-BKC, G-Block, BKC.
Call 26534720
Cost Rs 720 (8 pieces)

Mafia Roll
Never mind its rather intimidating name, this sushi roll is all about fun. How else can one explain the use of popping corn as one of its main ingredients? This uramaki (inside out) roll of corn tempura with piquillo peppers and gochujang mayonnaise that’s garnished with some popcorn and parsley has an interesting story behind its name. “The pop and bang of the Italian Mafia is carried forward into this sushi roll which has popping corn and fiery roasted piquillo peppers along with the bang of spicy gochujang mayonnaise,” says Chef Farrokh Khambata, Owner-Chef, Joss.
At Joss, Ground Floor, Savoy Chambers, Linking Road, Santacruz West.
Call 26617771
Cost Rs 850 (8 pieces)


Recipe for…
Sriracha Blush Maki Sushi

Ingredients:
15gm Avocado Cubes
15gm Cucumber Batons
10gm Shredded Carrot
15gm Jalapeño Tempura Fried
15gm Cream Cheese
10gm Black Sesame Seeds
120gm Sushi Rice (boiled)
30ml Sushi Vinegar
1 Nori Seaweed Sheet
10ml Sriracha Hot Chilli Sauce
10gm Tobanjan Paste
10gm Togarashi Japanese Spice Powder
10gm Kewpie Japanese Mayonnaise

Method:
* Place the nori sheet on a sushi mat and spread the cooked and vinegar-sprinkled sushi rice on it. Sprinkle togarashi and sesame seeds on top of the rice.
* Turn over the sheet. Put cream cheese, avocado, cucumber, carrot, fried jalapeño tempura in the centre of the sheet.
* Roll it tightly and cut into eight pieces and arrange on a platter.
* Drizzle with Kewpie mayonnaise mixed with tobanjan paste and dot with sriracha sauce.

--Recipe courtesy Chef Paul Kinny, Culinary Director, Shizusan Shophouse & Bar

(An edited version of this article appeared in the 18th June 2018 issue of the Mid-Day newspaper, India on page 22 https://www.mid-day.com/articles/international-sushi-day-heres-six-unusual-picks-from-across-mumbais-eateries/19530158)

Bowled Over!

Perfect for tucking into on a rainy day, we bring you a serving of a few all-inclusive meals-in-bowls offering exotic treats with everything from black noodles to Chinese fungus to suit your many monsoon moods  

By Raul Dias

Stay indoors and make take-away Tuesdays fun with…
Fatty Pho Ramen
A hearty and substantial meal, this ramen is the sum of its aromatic chicken broth, smoked chicken, ginger, fried onions, scallions and soft-boiled egg parts. Giving it a bizarre countenance and exotic appeal is the coil of black noodles that gets its hue from charred eggplant powder!
At The Fatty Bao, Oasis Complex, Kamala Mills, Lower Parel
Call 62371500
Cost Rs 425

The ultimate romantic meal for two…
Asian Poké Bowl
This cooked take on poké—the raw fish meal-in-a-bowl from Hawaii—is made up of a starchy base in the form of steamed jasmine rice. Onto this, fresh organic vegetables like avocados, green onions, coloured peppers and cucumbers are layered along with nuts. All this is topped off with either lamb meat or vegetable balls.
At Jeon, Hotel Sea Princess, Juhu Tara Road, Juhu
Call 26469500
Cost Rs 599

Craving some Asian comfort food? Then chow down on…
Taiwanese Aromatic Miso Milk Bowl
Claiming to be the Asian restaurant’s signature dish, this milky-looking broth is made up of udon noodles, tofu and the very wacky, if a tad slimy wakame seaweed. Though Taiwanese in origin, as the cuisine is strongly influenced by the food from China and Japan, this miso broth references by neighbouring countries’ flavours, hence the wakame and udon.
At Shizusan, Skyzone, Highstreet Phoenix, Lower Parel
Call 7045004138
Cost Rs 295

Curl up in bed with your favourite book and a bowl of...
Monsoon Bone Broth
Comfort food at its best and great for that lazy, rainy day, this bowl too uses udon noodles as its base. This along with smoked chicken stock, shredded chicken, sweet corn, mushroom, coriander and Malaysian sambal give it a great depth of flavour, while the rather outré Chinese black fungus lends to it an amazing bite.
At Toast & Tonic, Ground Floor, Jet Airways-Godrej Building, ​​BKC, Bandra East
Call 26534722/7777049774
Cost Rs 295

Perfect for those ‘no carbs’ Fridays…
Mediterranean Veg Bowl
Not only is this one vegetarian friendly, but it is also a zero-carb meal-in-a-bowl. Here, a blushing pink beet hummus meets a chickpea tabbouleh along with pickled vegetables and falafel. This then gets doused with lashings of sour cream and it’s ready to chow down. All guilt-free, of course!
At Theory, Kamala Mills, Lower Parel
Call 66666506
Cost Rs 415

For that yummy rainy-day fusion twist, try the…
Maggi Et Al
Can’t get your fill of fusion? Then this bowl is the one for you. Combining the flavours of India’s favourite noodle snack—Maggi and Mumbai’s street food staple pav bhaji is this one. Served up yin-yang style with the noodles on one side of the bow and the bright red bhaji on the other, this colourful meal is sure to cast all those grey monsoon blues away…
At Door No. 1, Ankleshwar, ONGC Colony, Bandra West
Call 65355355
Cost Rs 191

(An edited version of this article appeared in the 11th July 2017 issue of Mid-Day newspaper, India http://www.mid-day.com/articles/mumbai-food-six-meals-in-bowls-to-suit-your-monsoon-moods-guide/18411164)