Olive at Mahalaxmi Race Course brings Thalassa Pop Up to Mumbai

The Greeks were famed for owning the fastest horses during the ancient times So it is perhaps natural watching fast horses and eating Greek food should go hand in hand Olive Bar and Grill the iconic restaurant at Mahalaxmi may have had this historical connection in mind when they decided to bring Thalassa to Mumbai Baked Fish at Thalassa which dons a popup avatar in the city starting September 11 Oliversquos owner and managing director AD Singh smiles when we bring up the racecourse and Greek food connection ldquoI didnrsquot plan it that way I do a lot of travelling visit restaurants looking for fresh ideas On one such occasion when I was in London I visited Jamiersquos Diner a popup restaurant setup by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver at Shaftesbury Avenue I was intrigued and thought of introducing something similar in Indiardquo he says as we dig into the dips a part of the popup menu which we are also previewing First up is Tirokafteri a spicy feta cheese dip and a Tuna dip served with hot pita bread and fresh olives We then go for the Tzatziki mdash a plain Greekstyle yogurt dip garnished with a dash of green and red pepper flakes that is pleasing for the eye It is lightly flavoured with feta and has a fresh tasteu00a0The country has never before seen a popup restaurant that promises to remain lsquouprsquo for six whole months How did AD get Thalassa on board ldquoI am a big fan of Thalassa and visit the place whenever I am in Goa Also they were keen on building the brand in big cities So we decided to play host and introduce a new foodcumlifestyle experience for our customers in Mumbairdquo he explains Moussaka is made with potatoes eggplant spinach and mushrooms The Horiatiki arrives at this juncture mdash a traditional Greek salad with tomato cucumber onions green pepper kalamata olive oil feta cheese and sprinkled with fresh oregano Next up is the Moussaka mdash a vegetarian dish made with potatoes eggplant spinach and mushrooms and topped with beacutechamel red sauce and cheese The aroma is tempting Both the salad and the moussaka are yum But we are intrigued by a popup that will last half a year How will the concept work ldquoThalassarsquos owner Mariketty and the Olive team have put together an extensive menu We realised that 10 to 15 days will not be enough for such a unique initiative considering the effort and expertise involved so we planned for an entire season This has meant changes in decor changing the style of service and the beverage composition We will have a mix of Mediterranean Greek and lounge music too to ensure patrons get into the mood when they arrive for a mealrdquo he signs off even as we gorge on the mouthwatering baked red snapper wrapped in banana leaf The fish is steamed to perfection and melts in the mouth by far the standout dish of the day We wish this popup a long life 3 questions u00a0 AD Singh Owner director at Olive Will chef Mariketty make special dishes for the pop up Mariketty and the Olive team recreated an entirely new menu with an abundance of fresh seasonal ingredients cooked in traditional Greek style There will be fresh seafood authentic grills traditional stuff like Souvlaki wraps and more The menu will please both vegetarian and nonvegetarian customersu00a0 What is the price of the meal for two here Well offhand I would say around R3000 excluding alcohol The pricing at Thalassa Pop Up in Mumbai will be 15 per cent higher that the price of dishes at Goarsquos Thalassa But on the other hand it will be around 15 per cent lesser than the Olive menu Any plans to open up a new restaurant in Mumbai A few months back our plans to open a restaurant in Colaba did not work out which was heartbreaking Our new restaurant will be in the suburbs