Chef Hemant Oberoi has put his apron back on and is all set to launch his first standalone restaurant in the heart of the city. Expectedly, it’s full of surprises
Every detail at the restaurant has been overseen by chef Oberoi. Pics/Shadab Khan
What do we do when we hear chef Hemant Oberoi is opening a restaurant in Mumbai? We scramble over to see it for ourselves, of course.
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The man is, after all, a legend. In his 41-year-long career with the Taj Group, not only did he spearhead the introduction of new restaurants, but he also shaped the trajectory of Indian cuisine. After retiring in 2015, he launched two restaurants - Yantra in Singapore and Masala Street in San Diego. However, the Mumbai one is special, because it serves Modern European cuisine with Peruvian and Japanese influences, and for the statement it makes through its name, which is simply Hemant Oberoi.
The interiors exude warmth and old-world charm
Welcome to wonderland
As soon as we enter the restaurant's dining area, our eyes travel upward, following the tall columns that inch towards the 24-feet high ceiling, which houses interesting light installations. Everything about the 70-seater space screams luxury, right from the mahogany finish to the gossamer-like curtains that fall from the tops of the tall, open windows that punctuate the walls.
Most of the serveware and cutlery has been designed specifically for the restaurant based on concepts by Oberoi
Oberoi informs us that the tablecloths will come off during lunch service to lend the space a more casual vibe. The chairs, meanwhile, are upholstered in blues, greens and burgundy, which seem to say that although you're in a fine-dine, you're still allowed to have fun.
Peru Peru is an ode to the guava as well as the South American country
As we settle in, chef Oberoi tells us that work on the bar, situated across from the dining room, is still on, and the liquor licence is yet to arrive. This afternoon, mocktails will have to do. But we're not complaining.
"Everyone thought I was going to open an Indian restaurant," he chuckles. The food at Hemant Oberoi is as far from Indian as it can get. The focus is on seasonality and freshness, we're told, in addition to being equally fair to both vegetarians and non-vegetarians. We're sipping on a Peru Peru - a refreshing guava drink - when the first round of dishes arrives.
This brie and truffle souffle is the chef’s relook at his signature Camembert Dariole, which he had created for Zodiac Grill
All about the plates
The Tomato Get-Together is the perfect summer dish, featuring a chilled tomato sorbet served atop three varieties of the fruit, with a surprise element thrown in. We also enjoy the two soups we try, one with warm leeks, Cusco Mountain potatoes, and beetroot cream, and the other a chilled melon gazpacho poured out of a cool sheesha-like contraption that is Oberoi's brainchild.
Textures of Cauliflower is a two-component dish, one featuring a rich cauliflower creme brulee served in an egg-shaped bowl, and the other with crunchy slivers of the florets placed on a plate that looks like a man's face.
Some elements from his Taj days peek through in the food. For instance, the Zodiac Grill signature, Camembert Dariole, is now a brie and truffle dish, which Oberoi believes "tastes even better."
Warm Leeks and Cusco Mountain Potato Soup with Beetroot Paper
While tucking into the dish, we can't help but notice how tireless Oberoi is. He fields calls from vendors ("I need the plates by Friday, please") and deals with the workers in the bar area ("It has to be finished tonight"), all whilst talking to us about the food with a smile on his face. "The other day, I showed the boys how to clean the walls," he tells us matter-of-factly.
The desserts, too, are dramatic, and have the same attention to detail paid to them as the rest of the menu. The Chocolate Shawarma, for example, is prepared just the way you would the original, with the final product having a light toastiness to it.
Does Oberoi believe his name is enough to have diners queueing up outside the doors? He says, "People might come the first time because of the name. But it's only quality that will make them want to return."
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