There's a new menu at this restaurant in Mumbai, and here's all you need to know about it

The interiors have a dark setting with soft lighting focused on the bar. Pics/Special Arrangement

Earlier this week, we caught up with chef Nooresha Kably, who in 2016, gave Bandra a taste of Japanese cuisine within a 16-seater. Under her samurai-like leadership, Nooresha, along with co-owner Anil Kably, moved to its current location within a year; attracting taste hunters for a bowl of ramen and sushi among other delicacies.

Early this year, the couple duo set up Idoru, a 30-seater bar, one level above Izumi with two other partners Neale Murray and Owen Roncon. Intimate vinyl nights, a dark setting with mood lighting that focuses on the bar, and dapper service staff. Here, it seems, Nooresha lets her hair down with the menu. "I had a different kind of fun here. The menu is a summing of all the overseas bars I have liked, dishes we can't do at Izumi, travel inspirations and tastes done in our own way," she tells us. There's one dish inspired by a Bohri Muslim household dish, Gila Lasan.

Nooresha Kably

"At home, we take some chicken keema, break an egg on it, and pour hot ghee that will cook the seasonal fresh garlic and the egg. For our rice chicken bowl, we've done something similar, using a salt cured egg," Nooresha says.

Along with executive chef Nirav Gadra, patisserie chef and consultant Dean Rodriguez and consultant Shivargha Chakravarti, Nooresha toured Singapore one meal at a time. We have created dishes like Overload Maki Sushi, since we can't offer too many sushi variations, and a bonito flavoured dip with bread dashi mascarpone with non-sushi-like flavours. So unlike me!" she quips.

For the cocktails, she got the team to work with a bar consultant from Japan. "This bar is special to me. Just like the small 16-seater Izumi we opened with. It's a cosy, neighbourhood bar," she signs off. We tucked into the new menu, and here's what we liked.

AT 1st Floor, Sunrise Cooperative Society, Road Number 24, Khar West.
Call 8454834348
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Futomaki

From the Overload Maki that piles up all the small seafood cuts on one maki, the new menu has a vegetarian Futomaki as a handful bite, packed with baby corn, tempura fried spring onions, spiced with ginger and seaweed.
Cost Rs 750

Gooseberry & Pomelo Salad with Salmon

Salmon for meat eaters, and aubergine for vegetarians, this salad with chilli orange dressing, crispy onion and crunchy peanuts was our favourite.
Cost Rs 850, Rs 700

Green Room

We tried this on a pouring evening, and the gin, basil, mint, cucumber and cardamom, made it a refreshing drink, as if pairing with the petrichor.
COST Rs 750

Mil'Maid

Our favourite for the evening; who knew bourbon and white chocolate would get along. Notes of tropical fruit lift the finish.
COST Rs 750

Squid Tempura

Chewy calamari come dunked in a charcoal black squid ink tempura. Drizzled with lemon and dunked in a side of creamy garlic yuzu mayo, they pair well with the cocktails.
COST Rs 750

Chef picks

>> Old-school favourite: Kasper's
>> All-time favourite: Americano's
>> One trend that should end: Yuzu on everything