There's a new ice cream shop in Bandra this summer, and here's all you need to know about it

Double Dark Chocolate Scoop with jaggery

Summer is upon us, and food content creator and chef Saloni Kukreja has chosen the perfect time to open her first standalone, Indu Ice Cream shop in Bandra. In 2023, she first put out her churning skills with an offline ice cream delivery service. From Filter Coffee Hazelnut Tiramisu to Raw Mango Sorbet, her matka-served iterations became a sought-after dessert fix. In recent years, she released collaborations with Mami Tiramisu and Benne, for their filter coffee soft serve, and even created pairings with warm cookies and cheesecake.

"It was time," she reveals after we enter the new space on Pali Road. Done up in pista-green colour walls and frilly, soft-pink lamp shades, the ice cream freezer displays a pop of tempting flavours. Dressed in a matching bottle green shirt and white pants, Kukreja was in the middle of last-minute staff briefing and testing equipment.

A spread of unique flavours at the Pali Hill store. PICS/SaTEJ SHINDE

We indulge in a few tasters from the display freezer, as Kukreja promised to scoop out our favourite Dark Chocolate and Jaggery with Sesame Sprinkle for us later. The icy Kala Khatta Sorbet (Rs 150) takes off from the desi gola; the sprinkle of jeera spice mix adds a salty touch. The creamy cashew-laden Kaju Katli (R150) pieces pacify the minty freshness of paan.

Paan Kaju Katli ice cream

Kukreja's strength is a unique flavour delivery as she relies on deconstructed elements that are assembled into desserts and scoops. Flavours, including seasonal fruits, are rendered as toppings, making it easy for round the year production of ice cream base flavours. "When a particular fruit season sets in, we use it more as compote textures, and natural forms and pair it with our base," Kukreja explains.

Filter Coffee Brownie

Good ice cream is all about maintaining precise temperatures. "Ice cream comes out at -8 degree Celsius; it needs to be flash-frozen at -30 degree Celsius; stored at -20 to -18 degree Celsius, and scooped and served at -12 degrees Celsius. There needs to be an extremely fast freezing period but to bring it to the serving temperature, that process needs to be gradual," she explains.

Saloni Kukreja holds up Kala Khatta Sorbet and Filter Coffee Brownie

Kukreja, who started with an Instagram page, Food of Mumbai in 2013, backed her passion for food with courses in food chemistry and flavour science, along with a diploma course in both cuisine and pastry at Northwest Culinary Academy in Vancouver, Canada. She returned to India and joined Le15 Patisserie as a consultant. "During my course, I was inspired by the book, The Secret of Ice Cream, Ice Cream without Secrets. With Indu, the idea was to pay homage to Indian roots and flavours," says Kukreja. Her sister, Akansha, is the mastermind behind the design. The name is inspired by Indus, and the packaging celebrates India's textiles, especially block prints.

"My dad is my biggest critic; he also understands old-school ice cream flavours. The Masala Doodh (R150) ice cream is inspired by the one served at once-popular spot Gokul in Santacruz," Kukreja recalls, while drizzling a thick caramel jaggery with a sprinkle of sea salt on our Double Dark Chocolate Scoop (R180 single scoop; R360 double scoop). We're officially cool now.

At Indu Ice Cream, New Silver Sands CHS, near Gold's Gym, Bandra West.
TIME 2 pm to 11 pm
CALL 8108933501