Duck tales

Goas famed chef Bawmra Jap was in town last week to spruce up the menu at Colabas Miss T If he had been perturbed by allegations made in November that his Goa outpost Bomras was serving dog meat mdash Mariketty Granas Thalassa also shut down mdash he showed no signs of it I dont know the impact of the allegations he says when we ask But theres an inside joke around this because this season we did better than last yearJap then seems the epitome of what we understand as a nononsense guy I should have dressed better he quips garbed in a comfy Tshirt and shorts He is here to ascertain the menus future finetune dishes and conjure new ones to keep SoBos finedining crowd engagedI am trying to absorb what the last three months have been like in terms of feedback and response from our customers says Jap a consulting chef at the eatery We might want to add or take away some dishes from the menu to ensure that it remains seasonal he adds elaborating on the mission he and inhouse executive chef Nikhil Abhyankar have embarked on which includes serving patrons unique fare from the Golden Triangle mdash northern Burma Hunan and LaosBawmra Japs Bomras has quite the Hollywood clientele with even a visit from Jude Law PicBipin KokateAnd though his signature dishes such as the pickled tea leaf salad have made its way into the finedinings offerings keeping the vegetarian crowd predominant in this part of Mumbai remains a challenge Is his approach towards food then different in the two cities In Goa there is more demand for seafood and meat whereas with South Mumbai we have to try and accommodate customers from the Jain community as well Jap explains adding that since a large portion of his customers at Bomras are on vacation they are likely to experiment as opposed to Mumbai regulars looking for familiar foodKnown for his chops in Burmese cuisine Jap remains focused on putting it together in a modern and eclectic way such that people get to experience the ethnicity of the food but at the same time try newer ingredients and cooking techniques Whats different at Miss T he adds is that its a combination of this food along with delicacies from Vietnam and northern Thailand Eating habits in that region and in India are quite different but we are trying to accommodate the palate here without compromising on quintessential flavours he saysJaps visit to the city this time will involve finetuning the menu in a way such that at least 45 per cent of it can cater to nonmeat lovers And though satisfying the needs of a diverse range of patrons is important to the chef he is reluctant to do so at the cost of authenticity For example bahn mi a Vietnamese sandwich that typically consists of duck or other meat and which became wildly popular after Anthony Bourdain familiarised foodies across the world during his travels in Hoi An features on the menu here Often guests have requested a vegetarian version of the delicacy but doing so would mean compromising its integrityAt the same time a reassessment of the meat and seafood dishes will also be on the cards The team at Miss T along with Jap will attempt at introducing patrons to Chilean sea bass and lamb chops Back in Goa his 15yearold Candolim restaurant that sees rolling crowds and stays operational for six months only is looking for a new home but the exactlocation hasnt been decided yetCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates