From street to soul dining, this new restaurant has the whole country retold in small plates and big flavour
Pesto kebab
Right in the middle of festivities, we decided to take a break and head for a quiet dinner to Kadak at ICONIQA Hotels, near T2.
Ritabrata Biswas
What struck us is that India is everywhere here, but not in a predictable way. The decor leans into the contemporary while keeping its roots visible. Warli art has been reinterpreted with AI in subtle, playful ways. Film posters add to the charm. Mona Lisa makes a surprising cameo on the walls. Antique tiffins and hand-painted wallpaper blend with clean cement lines. It feels layered, not overdone.
The decor blends contemporary design with rooted charm — AI-reimagined Warli art, vintage film posters, a cheeky Mona Lisa, and antique tiffins set against clean cement lines.
The layout feels like a small world in itself. The Café is the kind of place you could sit in with a coffee and a quick bite, watching people drift in and out of the airport rush. The energy changes as you move to The Diner, where the buzz of conversation and the smell of spice fill the air — casual, but with intention. Private Dining nooks tucked away behind textured panels offer quiet for those who want it, while the Terrace Garden opens into a leafy pocket that feels far removed from the city’s chaos.
Lamb Seekh Kebab
The Bar caught our eye — small-batch gins, local whiskies, and cocktails that play with spice, citrus, and nostalgia without trying too hard. The food lives up to the promise. It’s street food reimagined, flavours remixed, and nostalgia given a new rhythm. There’s comfort in the familiar — like the Black Chickpea Rasam (Rs 415) made with black chickpea comes with a clever twist, paired with chana jor garam for crunch. The Chicken Changezi Tart (Rs 515) and the Avocado Chaat with Beet Gel (Rs 425) are perfect bite size indulgence. Interestingly, the Corriander Pesto Kebab (Rs 495) did not reek of strong flavours but were delicatley spiced to let the individual flavours shine. The Lamb Seekh Kebab (Rs 695) and the Prawn Pepper Fry; Coconut Espuma (Rs 765) was our star dishes. The Ratatouille Khurchan Chilli Garlic Naan (Rs 545) is another star dish. Desserts stay in the same spirit: the Jaggery Kadak Cheesecake (Rs 425) and the Deconstructed Serradura (Rs 425) is all things love.
Ratatouille khurchan, Chilli garlic naan
At the helm is Ritabrata Biswas, who is clear that they didn’t want to do fusion. “Fusion is mixing two different cuisines to create something new, but our food stays within the Indian framework — the ingredients, the philosophy, the soul of the dish remain Indian. What changes is how we express it — through presentation, technique, and interpretation. That’s why it is updated Indian cuisine.”
Prawn pepper fry
In the kitchen, Biswas doesn’t believe in strict black-and-white rules. “Cooking shouldn’t feel mechanical. We taste, we discuss, we give each other feedback freely — that’s how a dish evolves. For me, the taste comes first. A story can enhance a dish, but people return for flavour, not for narrative. The story only matters if the food delivers.
Reconstructed Serradura
Before breaking rules, I make sure we’ve understood the grammar of Indian cooking. You can’t modernise something you don’t deeply know.”
A lesson he learnt early in his career, is when he had to master a regional dish that wasn’t from Bengal, his home state. “Initially, I couldn’t connect with it. But as I kept at it, I began to appreciate the nuances and fell in love with it. It reminded me how vast and diverse Indian cuisine really is — and how much there’s always left to learn.”
Hass avocado chaat
For him, a dish menu that truly captures Kadak’s spirit, is the chaat-inspired dishes. It looks fun and lighthearted, but it’s layered with memory, balance, and technique. It makes you smile — and for me, that’s what good food should always do.”
Overall, Kadak doesn’t feel like just another new restaurant launch. There is an ease to the space — a sense that it knew what it wanted to be. It doesn’t shout about being modern Indian; it simply is. It feels like a restaurant made for travellers — and for locals who want to linger over good food without the fuss. There’s warmth, curiosity, and just enough surprise to make you want to come back.
WHERE: Marol Village Road, opp. BOM Terminal 2, Navpada, Marol, Andheri East, Andheri
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
