06 September,2010 06:29 AM IST | | Janaki Viswanathan
One of the world's most celebrated Thai chefs, Ian Kittichai's first act in Mumbai scores big with intricate dishes and a well-informed staff. This is the place to go for an instant mood-lift on a cloudy day
The evening didn't begin on a good note. Well it hardly could have, given there was an end-of-monsoon downpour, unrelenting cabbies and a 30-minute delay getting to the restaurant.
But the scowl didn't stay too long on our faces. The staff at Koh didn't let it.
High ceiling, muted tones and soft lighting give Koh the ideal mood for a dinner and date place. Except for the seating.
We'd have appreciated a little more distance between the tables, considering one half of the seating area is simply a stretched out sofa broken up using cushions.
We settled for one of their signature cocktails, Berry Good (Rs 650) and picked three starters after much discussion with the staff, who'd have loved for us to have tried more.
u00a0
We picked the Chicken Kanom Jeep, Yellowfin Tuna Ceviche and Koh Vegetable Ribbon Salad. The cocktail was just about all right though the flavour of sake it was splashed with, didn't quite come through.
The starters were winners, all of them. The Chicken Kanom Jeep (Rs 595), a momo-style preparation but served in a special Thai oil were delicately spiced with ginger and cilantro, delicious.
The Koh Vegetable Ribbon Salad (Rs 525) was a pleasure. Flat, ribbon-slim strips of veggies liberally doused with a sesame ginger dressing, the salad is crisp, cold and refreshingly tangy.
The Yellowfin Tuna Ceviche (Rs 895) was top notch. Slender slices of tuna dressed with mint, lemongrass and the mainstay of Thai cuisine, kaffir lime. It's succulent, mouthwateringly fresh and the lemon spike is a delight.
For the mains we moved straight to the Hot Stone Curry Spiced Rice, which sounded like comfort in a hot stone pot with chicken for company.
That and a Heart of Palm. Our choice was commended by the server. After all we needed to reserve space for dessert, he tinkled. Exactly.
The Hot Stone Curry Spiced Rice (Rs 575), we were informed, gets cooked even as it is resting to be served in the stone pot. Whatever its cooking time, the dish is the perfect antidote to a bad day.
u00a0
Warm, smooth grains of rice blend perfectly with veggies and the little chunks of chicken juiced up with kaffir lime and red chilli.
The Heart of Palm (Rs 655) is a sweet-and-sour veggie dish with bell peppers, pak choy and cashews and reminiscent of the good old Chinese sweet-and-sour.
Mains done we picked the Toasted Coconut Cheesecake (Rs 395) for dessert.
A drizzle of an infusion of jasmine, assorted fruit and a cheesecake served with gelato and topped with beer foam, you can very well eat this dessert with your eyes.
u00a0
Except for the foam, which seemed a wee bit unappetising. Unfazed, we tackled it first and dug in with gusto once the foam was out of sight.
u00a0
The cheesecake was a heavy mouthful, mild and perfectly sweetened, with no heady flavours, so that we could take in the side flavours of jasmine and the fruit. Very satisfying.
Koh serves up a great meal and special mention must be made of the staff.
Be it recommending dishes (and cajoling too!), explaining ingredients or even wondering about a guest's grumpy face, they make sure you have a good evening, never mind the weather.
At Koh by Ian Kittichai, InterContinental, 135, Marine Drive.
Call 39879999 Timings 12.30 pm to 3 pm; 7.30 pm to midnight Koh by Ian Kittichai didn't know we were there. THE GUIDE reviews anonymously and pays for meals.
