Innovative ideas, marquee names and masterchef strokes will ensure that Mumbai's foodies will be eating out of their hands through the year
Float and dine
January
Starting next week, if you drive past the Bandra Worli Sea Link, you'll spot Ark Deck and Bar, floating 1.6km off the coast in the Arabian Sea. Owned by Kookie Singh, Samyukkta Singh and Viraj Chandwadkar, the floating restaurant is spread over three levels and offers contemporary fusion dishes with hints of European, Indian and modern Asian flavours, including spinach ricotta cigars and steamed lotus snapper.
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The guests will be ferried to the restaurant via sea boats from the jetty. The sit-down restaurant also features a deck bar, private dining spaces and a few suites.
World on your plate
January
Relish desserts and savouries from across the globe at Treats Of The World that launches its outlets in Kemps Corner and Thane. While the decor will transport you to the Romanian era, the menu offers a food tour of 35 countries, from Egypt to Scotland and Japan. The offerings — eggless, gelatin-free — include the Russian favourite medovik comprising layers of homemade sour cream and sponge cake, the traditional Middle Eastern basbousa and Scottish Mars break featuring deep-fried chocolate bars. A brainchild of Nishek Jain, founder of 29 restaurants, the all-day veg cafe will also offer insights into the origin of different varieties of tea and coffees.
Seaweeds and sweet treats
Undecided
Last year, Zorawar Kalra introduced Mumbai to Kode, a cuisine-agnostic freestyle bar and kitchen in Kamala Mills, offering cocktails as three-course meals and pizza topped with caviar. As if this wasn't edgy enough, the famed restaurateur's next opening is a one-of-a-kind concept that reinvents seafood to offer a whole new gastronomic journey. Located in Lower Parel, the yet-untitled restaurant will also offer an innovative range of seaweeds. We're told it will have the best ingredients flown in weekly and the bar menu is designed by an international company. "The food menu is completely original, developed over several months of research, with painstaking attention to detail, creating unique flavour profiles for each dish served," he tells us.
And this isn't the only new offering under his banner, Massive Restaurants, this year. In the fourth quarter, he will also launch Mithai, both in Mumbai and Delhi. We're told it is an Indian confectionery and artisanal concept offering traditional sweets with a modern twist. The idea is to celebrate Indian sweets but in a high-end avatar, and they will be made using organic ingredients. Expect a wide range, including rare-to-find traditional Indian bread and even packed khameeri roti and taftans.
An Asian sojourn
Second half of 2018
After launching in Pune last year, Avik Chatterjee of Speciality Restaurants is currently scouting for venues in BKC and Colaba to bring Gong to the city. The restaurant, which derives its name from the Asian percussion instrument, offers a modern take on the cuisine, marrying oriental flavours with western cooking techniques. So, you can expect Vietnamese pho pie, Asian crab ravioli, asparagus crisp rolls with parmesan as well as truffle mushroom Japanese risotto. Don't miss their signature cocktail, the Thai vacay, which is infused with lemongrass and coconut rum.
Solomon strikes again
Summer
In 2016, legendary chef Ananda Solomon hung his apron at the Taj, marking an end to his 25-year-old journey as a chef. Now, he is ready to kick-start his second innings with his first flagship outlet. With Salman Khan, Sachin Tendulkar and Asha Bhosle, among a volley of other celebrities counting as his fans, the famed chef is known for introducing Mumbai to authentic Thai and Italian flavours, as well as creating the iconic The Konkan Cafe. Expect him to tantalise your taste buds once again with his secret recipes.
A SoBo hangout
January
This month, Breach Candy welcomes Plate & Pint, an all-day bistro and cafe-bar offering breakfast and eats including pizza, cakes, bread as well as wine and beer. It's the brainchild of Monaz Irani, who comes armed with a diploma from Le Cordon Bleu, London, besides a degree at IHM Mumbai and training at the Taj. She also happens to be the daughter of Danesh and Persis Irani, founders of Tulips Restaurant and Delifresh.
A central oasis
January
Here's something to cheer about for Vidyavihar residents. This week, the central suburb welcomes Hrezzo. The 5,000 sq ft all-veg restaurant, with a charming al fresco cafe section as well as a set menu party hall, offers pocket-friendly modern and Indian fusion fare with vegan and Jain options too.
Eat like the Thai
January
Back in 2014, JK Rowling, as her crime writer alter ego Robert Galbraith, immortalised Mango Tree in her thriller, The Silkworm, where a character mentions the restaurant to impress someone else. Now, the authentic slice of southeast Asia from London's Belgravia, with outlets in Dubai and Hong Kong, makes its way to Horizon Hotel at Juhu Beach. Spread over 3,600 sq ft, the restaurant promises to offer the real taste of Thai lifestyle cooking with dishes like corn-fed chicken in traditional Thai green curry and fresh Pad Thai with grilled giant king prawns.
Mad about mezze
First quarter
Savour authentic Levantine flavours — the meeting of Middle-Eastern essence and European sensibilities — at Rue du Liban. An offering by India Napoli, creators of the Neapolitan restaurant Gustoso, it will open in Kala Ghoda. The menu celebrates the best ingredients of the region, including spices sourced from Armenia.
Escape to London
January/February
Tippling Street, a popular gastropub from Delhi (in pic), makes its way to Juhu. Launched by Privilage Restaurants, the space promises to take you back to the London of the '90s with its brick walls. Going by the Delhi outlet's menu that features everything from sushi rolls to joojeh kebabs, Malabari chicken stew, pasta and pizza, there sure is lots to look forward to.
An ode to Goa
January
Get ready to welcome Porto & Poie, a 100-seater Goan and Portuguese restaurant located on Juhu Tara Road. It's the first solo project by well-known chef Gracian de Souza, who comes armed with 17 years of experience, including international stints and consulting for restaurant kitchens in Mumbai.
Going back to his Goan roots, he has crafted a food and drink menu that features his family's versions of traditional Goan and Portuguese dishes, including pork ard mas (spare rib curry) and feijoada (pork and bean stew). These are made using ingredients like vinegar, jaggery, chorizo and poie sourced directly from Goa.
A food court redux
January
The food court at Nariman Point's CR2 mall gets a new lease of life as deGustibus Hospitality has revamped it entirely. They've also introduced two new QSR outlets there — Indigo Burger Project and Dakshin Rasoi. The former offers gourmet burgers and sandwiches. "These will be fresh [and not frozen] with infusion of local Indian flavours," says executive director and CEO Anurag Katriar. Meanwhile, Dakshin Rasoi features south Indian classics along with innovations like porcini dosa and green garlic dosa with tofu, bok choy and peanuts. This year, also expect the first standalone of their Indian fine-dine Neel at the same mall along with an Indigo Deli slated to open in Juhu and D:OH at Viviana Mall in Thane.
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