verve october dia mirza

TYPHOON SHELTER, NORTH SKYZONE, LEVEL 1
TYPHOON SHELTER
STORM IN A SAKE CUP
There’s a disturbance in the force
along the Arabian Sea. A troop of
cool chefs led by Hong Kong-based
celebrity chef Christian Yang has
stormed Mumbai’s bastion of Indian
Chinese food, transforming plates
visually and conceptually with its
brand of tempest-inspired oriental
cuisine.
So what is it about Typhoon Shelter
that makes it oh-so-mind blowing? Is
it the quirky, old-meets-new vibe of
the interiors reflected in the ceiling
with billowing cloud patterns? The
impressive sake list? Or those booths,
so comfortable and inviting that once
you slide in, you never want to leave?
The restaurant pays homage to the
eponymous typhoon shelters of Hong
Kong, which are used by ships as a
shelter against gale-force winds and
rough seas during a typhoon strike.
These facilities were known to foster a
distinct cuisine born out of a struggle
to survive at sea by local fishermen.
Cooking was done on boats with
limited resources and ingredients
using simple techniques like steaming,
boiling and frying.
Thanks to Yang’s fascination with
this fast-disappearing culinary subculture,
Chinese comfort dishes get a
lot more interesting. For instance, the
signature Typhoon 8 Pomfret is really
a Cantonese classic of whole steamed
fish with garlic and scallions pepped
up Sichuan-style with bird’s eye chilli.
Less is more, and the simplicity of the
ingredients lets the dish shine.
The hits are too good to miss,
especially the juicy lamb crystal ball with
a hint of basil, and the umami-packed
wild mushroom and edamame dumpling
encased in a ragi skin. The 24-hour
Hakka braised pork belly is meltingly
tender with sweet and savoury flavours
that pirouette across the palate.
Seafood dishes get a star turn.
Whether it’s the Tuna tartar, dotted
with flying fish roe and served with
cured eggs and mixed cress, the
delicious Yolanda’s crisp prawns with
horseradish emulsion and fragrant
chilli or a bowl of XO-enhanced
seafood fried rice, the ingredients are
palpably fresh.
Carnivores can sink their teeth into
the Xin Jiang Australian lamb chops, a
hearty crowd pleaser. Or get the sousvide
duck leg.
Desserts by pastry chef Solanki
Roy are probably the boldest. There’s
theatre in the Zen, with edible stones
of caramel vanilla and hazelnut crunch,
as well as in the Luna, a mango sticky
rice-stuffed sphere lit by a moonshaped
lamp.
I leave the restaurant with a happy
smile. It’s one of those meals I’ll be
reminiscing about for the rest of the year.
Chardonnay poached mussles
Sushi taco
RIVERS TO OCEANS, PALLADIUM, LEVEL 1
RIVERS TO OCEANS — R2O
TIME TO BE SEA-DUCED
Local catch features so rarely on Indian restaurant
menus, apart from the usual pomfret and the
occasional rawas or bekti, that one has to applaud any
restaurant that celebrates it. Add to that an impressive
line-up of global seafood blockbusters, a caviar and
champagne bar, and the option to down bubbly by the
glass, and the sea-duction of Rivers to Oceans (R2O) is
complete. R2O is the latest brainchild of restaurateur
Zorawar Kalra and his wife Dildeep.
The unfussy aquatic-themed décor highlighted
using shades of blue, white and sea-green, and
the ripple-effect created across the restaurant —
starting from the initial corridor, moving on to the
glass façade leading to a wooden door — set the
scene for relaxed fine dining.
The understated vibe is just as well, given the
ocean of flavours the palate has to absorb. The
diversity of seafood on offer is impressive and
stands out for superbly sourced ingredients from
India and across the world.
The eclectic 15-course tasting menu (a la
carte is available too) is refined, balanced and
elegantly presented with the occasional winning
surprise. The shellfish lover in me is delighted to
be served rock oysters (from Goa) with green
apple mignonette and Asian soy dressing. The
accompanying black lump fish caviar elevates the
taste of the mollusk and evokes the sea.
Some of the entrees skew fancy — you’ll find
a reworked Nicoise of tuna gritts, sous-vide egg
and purple potato mash — while others aim for
something more relaxed (like the slow-cooked
Belgian pork ribs with maple and balsamic glaze).
The truffled fresh lobster dotted with caviar and
truffle oil is a study in umami flavours, even as
textural contrasts are in play in a plate of assorted
mushrooms. My favourite is a plate of mussels
resting in a pool of buttery sauce.
The dreamy Eton mess, which ends the
gastronomic voyage, is a rainbow of vanilla
cheesecake cream, baked meringue, fruit compote
and berry cream. But it’s the decadent gold leafcased
black truffle ice-cream, that inspires my lust.
The service is informative, efficient and friendly.
The chef and the sommelier present and explain
every course. Vegetarians, don’t lose heart. There
are plenty of meat-free options — wild mushroom
stuffed morels, green garlic risotto with aubergine
fritters and more.
The wine list is long and deep, embracing world
icons as well as select Indian labels and stands out
for offering champagne by the glass.
For me, the oysters alone are worth a return visit.
Sona Bahadur eats for a living. She is a food writer and
curator, and the former editor of BBC Good Food.
30 OCTOBER 2018 | VERVEMAGAZINE.IN PALLADIUMMUMBAI.COM | OCTOBER 2018 31