Old favourites, new energy: All you need to know about this newly reopened popular SoBo restaurant

Chocolate Canoli; (right) Thecha Chicken with Mini Brioche

A long time ago, the late veteran journalist Anil Dharkar wrote about the butter chicken at Gulmurg. The next day, queues snaked outside the restaurant at The Shalimar Hotel, Kemps Corner. Long before that, Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu used to slip in for leisurely lunches, while Amitabh Bachchan and Shammi Kapoor were among its regular patrons. For generations of South Mumbai families, Gulmurg has hosted their many milestone. It was where memories were made.

In its new avatar, about 50 per cent of the menu remains unchanged. "Favourites like the tikka masala and other long-standing classics, have a cult following among our regular guests. People have actually called me and said, ‘Please don't take this off the menu.' So those dishes stay, although we've refreshed the presentation a little," says Mr DS Advani, chairman and managing director of The Shalimar Hotel.

Podi Paneer Tikka; (right) Vine Tomato, Basil Oil

His son, Yash Advani, who now leads the restaurant into its future, adds, "The other 50 per cent is more contemporary. We worked with consultant chef Vikram Arora on the new menu and introduced dishes that feel more playful and experiential, with smaller plates and lighter options. That said, we didn't want to go down the route of highly experimental or fusion food. Staying true to our roots was important. We've had some fun reimagining familiar flavours, especially in the chaat section. Nothing feels forced or gimmicky; just elevated what people already love."

For the revamp, since it's an older building, several structural repairs were required while the hotel remained fully operational. That slowed things down.

We started with the Tomato Basil Soup, a comforting flavour, with fresh, peppery notes of basil and parmesan cheese. The Palak Patta Chaat, layered with sweet, tangy and spicy flavours, delivered crunch in every bite. The Lotus Stem Chaat was crunchy and addictive, with tang from raw mangoes. The Podi Paneer, coated in nutty, aromatic podi spice had a savoury depth of flavour. We loved the Thecha Chicken with Brioche that had a fiery kick. Another one we loved was the Meen Moilee, delicate fish gently cooked in a silky fragrant coconut gravy, paired with rice. The classic Chicken Makhanwala was rich, velvety and smoky with tandoori notes. The Mushroom Ghee Roast, coated in a bold, spice-forward masala, that was balanced by the nutty richness of ghee, went perfectly with Malabar Paratha. We are definitely going back for the Mushroom Naan and the Amritsari Kulcha: well-spiced fillings that made every bite satisfying. We ended with Chocolate Cannoli, that had crisp pastry shells filled with luscious chocolate cream, striking the perfect balance between crunch and indulgence and the Mango Kulfi that was dense, creamy and intensely fruity.

WHERE: Gulmurg, The Shalimar Hotel, Kemps Corner