Juhu gets a reimagined fine-dine serving India's culinary grandeur

After their focused tribute to Awadhi cuisine Saffron at JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu relooks at its approach and reopens this Saturday for service with an allround celebration of Indiarsquos culinary experiences The overhaul is led by Ajay Jain its chef de cuisine who reveals that he stuck to the basics while curating the menu ldquoIndian food is already exact All we did was to include unique techniques and small secret tweaks that wouldnrsquot change its core definitionrdquo he addsHyderabadi murgh biryaniWhen we walk in we notice a tall seethrough panel of floral motifs that acts as a partition for the restaurant Past it on either side a wooden display holds vintage artefacts such as pots jars and sculptures The eyecatching open kitchen with a glass partition allows patrons to watch chefs work the grill and stir the pots The familiar backdrop of golden and purplebluehued tiled kitchen walls is the lone remnant from its previous avatar The ceiling has an intricate design while dark metal curtains are creatively used to drape the restaurant walls for a subtle and elegant cozinessWatermelon guacOur sojourn begins with chaat and Jainrsquos Delhi do full justice here we opt for pani puri shots Rs 475 This dish gives the street favourite its due treatment The puris have three stuffings guacamole aloo pieces fried in hing and jeera and moongaloo The water is served in mini glass jars that contain sweet tamarind water thecha water and pineapple juice spiked with salt sugar chillies and mint The watermelon and guac chaat Rs 475 is inspired by the fruit chaat plates sold at street carts He garnishes the dish on the table with a dehydrated and nitrogenous saunth chutney The bed of guac complements the pairing the flavours are spotonKokum sourThe Kashmiri gucchi Rs 795 is a winner thatrsquos packed with cottage cheese stuffed morels and beetrootwalnut chutney Tastewise the raw papaya salad peppered with kalonji stands out The mains begin with a green Uttaranchal saag Rs 695 which has seasonal amaranth baby spinach called poi and Kashmiri haaq flavoured with jakhiya wild mustard seeds The Sunday mutton curry Rs 995 reminds us of the kinds that are served at family lunches The subtle flavours complement the coarse and rustic spice dance ldquoThe mutton curry isnrsquot from a particular region but is relatable in every Indian household that enjoys slowcooking tough meat on their off daysrdquo Jain shares The curry leaf green chillies and coconut milkforward lobster moilee R1295 is creamy and hits the right notes ldquoWe have stuck to the original recipe Our only tweak is that we cook the lobster in sous vide which alters the texture making it a tad more wholesomerdquo he explainsAjay JainWild mushrooms mascarpone chilliesstuffed truffle kulcha Rs 275 can be eaten as is The topping of methi powder and black pepper keeps the truffle oil in check From the cocktails we try saquila Rs 800 The first sip of the egg white foam has the taste of homemade saffron syrup and reminds us of thandai A bigger sip draws our attention to the sweet tartness of yuzu and a ginvodka infusion The drink is also available with a tequilalaced saffron infusion We love kokum sour Rs 650 a fancier mocktail version of solkadi The rich mouth feel helps cut the spices throughout our meal Next time we plan on trying the alcoholic versionThe Hyderabadi murgh biryani Rs 1550 is fragrant and light Mildly spiced the aroma of saffron and flavour of cardamom and cloves round up for a satiating experience Dessert is a chenna Rs 550 a rasmalai topped with a thick layer of North Indianstyle malai kurchan The rose petals add a cooling finish to an indulgent eveningSaffronAt JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu Juhu Tara Road JuhuCall 66933344Time 7 pm to 1230 am