Mumbai food: Bandra's new eatery will offer menu based on oceans of the world

Ginger Wine CrabMY home in Kundapur faces a beach So every morning we would head to the sea to catch fish and have it for breakfast lunch and dinner laughs NT Poojari regaling us with nuggets from his growing up years in a coastal town of Karnataka as we sip on a refreshing ginger laced gin cocktail they have called Brick Rs 450 Were sitting at Fish N Bait the restaurateurs latest venture under Shiv Sagar Food amp Resorts banner that opens next week in BKC in the very building that houses Hemant Oberoi and Toast And TonicThat the outlet is in stark contrast with the popular vegetarian chain Shiv Sagar is evident in the choice of cuisine and decor with plush sofas glowing under sunlight streaming from a glass wall ceiling covered with fish nets photographs that pay homage to the men at sea a screen projecting marine life on loop that acts as the bars backdrop and a giant fish tail that protrudes from a wall hypnotising you with its slow pendulumlike movementBut how different is it from the seafood haven Mahesh Lunch Home where Poojari is copartner The menu is definitely an upgrade Except for a few Mangalorean items most of the menu is differentPrawn Massaman Curry PicsDatta KumbharGetting crabbyThe menu offers sections based on oceans of the world from the Pacific and Gulf Of Thailand to Arabian Sea and The Bay Of Bengal Each section is subdivided into two parts above sea level read chicken and lamb and below sea level From Red Snapper and Pink Salmon to Rawas Indian Salmon Bangda Mackerel and Pomfret a variety of fish share space with crab lobster squid and prawns on the menuPomfret Tawa FryMore than the exotic marine life what reflects on plate are the flavours corresponding to the regions surrounding these water bodies Like the Squid Chilli Pepper Rs 375 that is part of East China Sea is a sweet and spicy rendition with friedtillcrisp squid rings coated with Sichuan peppers and honey batter Another dish that we enjoy from this section is Ginger Wine Crab APC where the crustacean sits on a bed of gingergarlic sauce cooked with lemongrass and bamboo shoot with a hint of tartness from the wine Unabashed we use our hands to break the shell and scoop the extremely soft crabmeat and relish it with the sharp flavours from the sauceSquid Chilli PepperMangalore to MassamanThen we navigate our ship into the Pacific Ocean to try Tequila Herb Scented Lobster APC which is doused in a creamy herblaced sauce However we miss the hint of tequilaInstead we comfort ourselves with familiar flavours of Pomfret Tawa Fry Rs 770 where the whole fish so soft that it falls off our fork is coated with a spicy marinade Other favourites are Mangalorean Fish Curry Rs 600 and Sukkha Chicken Rs 600 We mop up the former chunks of tender fish dunked into a thick coconutlaced spicy curry with fluffy appams The Sukkha Chicken comprising tender meat chunks coated in a spicy dry coconutspecked masala is polished off with Neer Dosa Surprisingly it goes well with a variety of Red Wine that were offered from a large section of wines housed in a cellar Each is listed on the menu with the recommended meatNext we park ourselves by the Gulf Of Thailand to indulge in a preplated meal of Prawn Massaman Curry Rs 770 with a portion of rice The creamy curry packs a punch with its herby flavours of galangal kaffir lime and lemongrass soaked in by the tiny succulent prawns floating in it