Bandra's newest ingredient-forward eatery packs a nostalgic punch

We remember what Anton Ego mdash the critic known for his scathing reviews in the animated film Ratatouille 2007 mdash said about the ldquodiscovery and defence of the newrdquo More importantly we fondly bear in mind the bite of ratatouille that transported Ego to his boyhood How tastes cross paths with lasting emotions in our ventral forebrain is a discussion we save for another day But in this moment mdash as we soak in the muted tones of Nava in Bandra after stomaching a diverse meal mdash we canrsquot stop smiling at the thought of baby gondhoraj lemonsAnchovies in a swampAs a child picking up tiny lemons off the backyard felt like courting fresh starts And now separated by many years a cocktail called too much drama Rs 550 took us back to that exercise ldquoThat was precisely the idea behind founding this place It was meant to return to ingredients that each one of us including the chefs and staff has grown up eatingrdquo shares Anushka Pathak its founder Nava meaning novel in Marathi champions dishes where a single component takes centrestage The other elements voluntarily meet in harmony mdash as happens with our gondhorajinfused gin The punch of green chilli seeds to the sublime lemony aroma makes for a playful drinkToo much dramaThe commingling of the classic and contemporary or the weighty and sprightly is reflected on their walls The curated art highlights Banksylike elements alongside European styles of architecture We proceed to three dishes from chef Akash Deshpandersquos seasonal tasting menu Nungu inspired by dried and pressed flower lockets looks the part Made from cured ice apple and accompanied by an elephant fruit skin chutney it gives you a zesty bite We take a second helping of the chutney that is sweet and sour and a little spicy tooVegetarian bone marrowThe vegetarian bone marrow mdash that Deshpande has invented after sucking on a mutton bone for hours just to get the right texture mdash is creamy but doesnrsquot sit heavy on the palate The cheesy marrow thatrsquos served on a bed of white pebbles contains herbed butter but no shred of cheese However anchovies in a swamp leans towards becoming our favourite from the tasting menu What can be more Mumbai than the green chutney these anchovies have been dunked in One bite and wersquore happy about the burst of flavours which thankfully doesnrsquot leave behind an astringent aftertasteThe space hosts a partly open seating area for diners to soak in the sights of Bandra PicsPradeep DhivarThe main dining area overlooks the bar on one end on the other it opens up to a semial fresco section thatrsquos ideal for smokers The nicest addition however is the glass parting that keeps diners hooked to the drama in the kitchen We can see a dish being prepared and assembled over frowns and smiles From their a la carte menu we dig into the chicken liver pate Rs 550 It has raspberry glaze that mimics our marble tabletop and comes with a tray full of housemade baguette The finely ground liver feels more comforting than a fluffy dollop of creamTadgola aka Michelangelorsquos DavidTheir lobster Rs 1150 and duck Rs 1100 put us in a spot Itrsquos hard to pick a preferred main between these two dishes as we equally like the chorizospiced beurre blanc in the first and the gondhoraj lemon gastrique red wine and blackberry au jus in the second We wonder if the duck is served medium rare to everyone Deshpande notes ldquoWe will ask our diners about their specificationsrdquoThe starry night by Vincent Van Gogh We are just about wrapping our head around the seamless confluence of local elements and European cooking techniques when our heart stops at an edible art destination We are served two desserts that are too pretty to destroy One is tadgola mdash fashioned after Michelangelorsquos David just the head R850 and the other is called the starry night by Vincent Van Gogh Rs 850 The latter stands out for its jasmine notes but the former steals the show for layering up a juicy ice apple in a head full of mousse This place wears art on its plateNavaOn Opens today 11 am to 4 pm 7 pm to 130 pmAt Above The Daily Bandra WestCost Chefrsquos tasting menu at Rs 3150 vegetarian Rs 3550 nonvegetarian