Inspired by Japan's kaiten-sushi experience, an Indian restaurant in Ghatkopar is serving food on conveyor belts
Diners seen reaching out for their order, delivered on a roaming cart. Pics/Sneha Kharabe
Until now, our knowledge of kaiten-sushi, a fast-food style from Japan, where plates of sushi revolve around the restaurant on a conveyer belt, was restricted to YouTube videos and TV shows. Although the dining phenomenon can be traced to the 1950s, India got a taste of the technology only last year when Tanushree Roy, director, Chiffonade Ventures Pvt Ltd, introduced it at her Pune restaurant, Autobahn. But instead of the raw fish roll, the space offered a variety of Indian food.
A year later, Autobahn has travelled to Mumbai. The modern Indian restaurant, located on the third floor of R-City Mall, Ghatkopar, is a 120-seater that is "more about food than automation". "If you see our website and social media page, you'll notice that we don't really harp on the technology," says Roy. "Automation is simply for efficiency, which helps in quick service and delivery."
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In terms of food, the menu offers delicacies from most states, such as kosha mangsho from Kolkata, kozhi Chettinadu from Kerala and chelo nakood from Kashmir. The discord between the name and the food is apparent, but according to Roy, that is the intention. "When we think of Indian food, we tend to think of all the traditional motifs in terms of name and decor. We wanted to disassociate ourselves from stereotypes. Why not have a futuristic Indian restaurant?" says Roy. The space, therefore, is bathed in muted colours with minimalistic decor.
Tanushree Roy
Although Roy doesn't like tom-toming on the technology, there's no denying that it's the cool contraption that is drawing crowds. And why not. The slow rumble as the dish makes its way to you, or past you is undeniably thrilling. Like a highway, the belt runs across the breadth of the restaurant with its source at the kitchen counter. Here, most things are automated, including the ordering systems via the tablet placed on each table. The tab is calculated by counting the number of plates, which are colour-coded to indicate prices—red for non-vegetarian, green for salads and blue for desserts. "The cart has been mechanised in a way that the dish stops at your table and makes an announcement," she says. But new technology comes with its teething troubles. In a stray instance, we see our order go past us only to be brought back by the staff.
Therefore, the place is not devoid of human intervention. The waitstaff has been trained to do more than just clear dirty dishes, which, by the way, is not yet automated. "We want them to play a profound role in understanding diner preferences. You need people to create a warm dining experience," says Roy.
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