Iconic SoBo restaurant that introduced city to fine dining outside a five-star downs its shutters
The fine-dining restaurant will open for the last time on April 30
Yellow-it interiors with hints of warm wood and a quaint Colaba bungalow as the address - all combined worked as the perfect meeting spot for Mumbai's gourmands in the form of Indigo, one of the city's first standalone fine-dine restaurants. Founded by chef Rahul Akerkar in 1999, Indigo ran packed on the day of its opening on April 30; and in an unfathomable way of coincidence, this April 30 will be the last serving day of the restaurant.
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"The lease had come to end around February. We had been trying to renegotiate, but it wasn't going anywhere. A mix of two things led to this decision. First, there were expectations from the landlord in terms of rent, which did not make business sense. The landlord was keen to renew the lease, but things didn't work out. Secondly, our focus in the last 10 years has been on casual dining and QSRs (quick service restaurants). Indigo is very dear to us and, of course, we won't shut it down completely - we will find a new address. But, as of now, it is moving from Colaba. At this moment, we don't know where will we move," says Anurag Katriar, executive director and CEO at deGustibus Hospitality, which runs the fine-dining establishment.
The fine-dining restaurant will open for the last time on April 30
Katriar told us that the market for fine-dining restaurants has shrunk in the past few years. Although Indigo made profits every year, the shift in the market affected several big fine-dining places. He cited the example of Zodiac Grill shutting down a few years ago.
"You relate to a brand with something. We kept delivering that and the DNA remained the same. That's what kept us going. We were lucky that our people stayed with us; we still have employees who joined us in 1999. Fine-dining places have now become more of a place to celebrate; it's not a place you go every weekend. Indigo Deli went off very well for us - we will soon be opening the 12th outlet. It's not that we want to abandon fine dining, but the market has shifted," elaborates Katriar.
Anurag Katriar
'Saw this coming'
While it is a sad moment for chef Rahul Akerkar, who founded the restaurant in 1999, he said he had seen this coming. "Everything has a life. When I built Indigo in 1999, we really changed the restaurant business and the way people ate in this country. We had an amazing run. But everything has to come to an end."
"It's mixed feelings for me, as a parent who has raised a child and the child moves on - it's similar in this case. I did see this coming. Running a restaurant is a perception and emotion management business. You are dealing with sensory perceptions. It's not easy for other people to understand and carry on a vision of one person, things change."
The good ol' days
"I still remember the first day. There was chaos. We had just finished laying the floor. We had an indigo floor underneath the existing floor. It was so rich and dark that Bijoy our architect looked at it two or three days before we opened, and said he was going to change it. So, it was chaotic, but great," Akerkar recalled.
"We were packed from day one. We have had many big names come to Indigo. The Rolling Stones came after they played in Mumbai. Cooking for former UK prime minister David Cameron was great; he was staying at the Taj and came over with his entourage. Bill Clinton couldn't come, as the street had been dug up. Chelsea Clinton visited instead. It's time to move on and start over to see what happens," he added.
Fond memories
Jaideep Mehrotra, artist
'Rahul set the precedent with one of the best restaurants in the country, outside of 5-star hotels. The service was impeccable, the restaurant was beautiful, the food was good, it was great all round. The waiter would remember who you were, your preferences - it really made a difference. They used to make a mud cake with a gooey chocolate centre and jalapeno mixed in it, it was delicious.'
Farhan Azmi, restaurateur
'Indigo really set the bar high for the next delicatessens. You cannot replace Indigo; everyone who ate at Indigo remembers the way they plated the food. I learnt a lot from them. I went for the risotto and pasta; the pizzas were awesome.'
Nikhil Chib, chef and owner, Busago
'Indigo is a pioneer. I respect Rahul for what he did. While Rahul was there, people would come and say the food is great. People want to see a chef. Landlords need to understand that brands will not survive at such rates. For Indigo, I don't look at this as a sad thing, as from Indigo came Indigo Deli, which is great.'
View Photos: These iconic places in Mumbai have shut down
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