Zorawar Kalra's Masala Library is a foodie's delight

We walk into Masala Library one curious diehard foodie and another who on this night only is feeling unusually capricious Jiggsrsquo Kalrarsquos latest offering promises to be the last word in molecular gastronomy we hear The foodie secretly hopes that the restaurant plays on the lsquolibraryrsquo theme which we soon find out that it does not Masala Libraryrsquos deacutecor done in brown and beige is pleasant but not revolutionary we hope the food is The Laal Maas at Masala Library could give its Delhi and Chandigarh cousins a run for their money Our server gets us tea mdash at least thatrsquos what it looks like mdash until we notice the shredded mushrooms instead of tea leaves and whipped cream which we soon learn is truffle oil The Wild Mushroom Chai R325 is everything yoursquod want soup to be mdash light effervescent and flavoursome We wouldnrsquot mind waking up to it someday Our spirits are lifted and the Gilawat Kebab R525 keeps them buoyed The soft kebabs are surprisingly nongreasy and the friend goes on to say that they could give the ones in Lucknow some serious competition The Soft Shell Crab 65 R725 is fresh and crisp but not the best wersquove had Interestingly the Tandoori Guchchi R650 is served with truffle oil and mint foam and is worth trying On the delicious Pesto Kebab R395 sits a demure parmesan papad Pinenut Pattice with ragda hummus and feta salad PicsAmit Jhadhav What Masala Library promises with theatrics it delivers in taste and quality The Lal Maas R575 comes with khasta kachori grits and mathani mirch The friend utters the unprecedented mdash neither Delhi nor Chandigarh he says serve red meat this soft and succulent Enough said Masala Libraryrsquos cocktails definitely know how to tease Donrsquot balk at their Curry Leaf and Star Anise Martini R500 mdash these whimsical combinations are quite heady The vodkabased Curry Leaf Martini For the main course we almost give the Tandoori Chaap R450 a miss because it looks just like regular keema It is actually soya bean sprinkled with pea pops and letrsquos just say that Masala Library succeeds in doing what most mothers cannot do during dinner table wars involving soya bean The Dal Makhni R395 is comforting but not too heavy The Tandoori Champ R595 however fails to live up to the menursquos otherwise staggering offerings mdash the maple and kokum glaze are a tad too mild for our taste We try an array of kulchas mdash the Anda Bhurji kulcha R175 is unparalleled in taste and texture and perhaps only the Bakharkhani R125 made from tangerine zest comes second Sev Puri On The Go served at Masala Library Masala Library saves the best for last For dessert we dig our forks into what looks like orange caviar sitting on a dense bed of condensed milk Turns out it is a twist to the traditional jalebi and rabdi R375 Try their Ghevar Cheesecake R375 if you too often dream of that soft raretofind consistency in cheesecake What has us at hello however is what is simply called Chocolate R1000 mdash a bed of brownies liquid chocolate and chocolate rocks which must be hammered to be eaten In a few minutes what you get are chunks of creamy mousse The interiors of Masala Library are warm but not revolutionary Masala Library takes big bold steps at reinventing the Indian cuisine It also has a lofty ambition mdash the restaurant wants a Michelin star mdash which may not be all that implausible if its standards donrsquot drop once the guests rush in Masala Library delivers what it claims and doesnrsquot mind playing with our heads while at it Wersquod go back for the combination of science and sensual flirtation We cannot rate the experience as it was a preview Where Masala Library ground floor First International Financial Centre opposite Sofitel Hotel BKC Call 66424142 Food Innovative Ambiance Warm Service Wellinformedu00a0u00a0