There's a new culinary destination in Bandra with a split personality, and here's all you need to know about it

When you walk into The Alter Ego on SV Road in Bandra it feels like you have stepped into a neighbourhood restaurant thatrsquos been around for a while A community table a wall of books a bar sitting comfortably to one side and the easy hum of people settling in Nothing feels too precious You could come for breakfast or an early lunch stay for coffee or if the mood takes you order a Margarita before noon This is Blanco The ground floor of The Alter Ego a new duplex dining concept built around classics comfort and communityThe Truffle Edamame Upma is a good place to start It has the familiar softness of upma coconut chutney and podi then adds truffle giving the Indian staple an unexpected detour The Borough Breakfast puts a crisp potato waffle beneath a fried egg with Bravas sauce and aioli The Alter Ego Grilled Cheese brings sourdough and a fromage blend together with Bloody Mary ketchup that we think they should bottle and sell Even the drink keeps the mood light a Meloncello Spritz made without alcohol is bright citrusy and easy to linger overDownstairs Blanco gives a neighbourhood cafe feel upstairs Noir offers an elevated dining vibe PICSATUL KAMBLEThen we take the staircase Upstairs the mood shifts Noir is darker more intimate and a little more adventurous A central island bar becomes the heart of the room with seating gathered around it and floortoceiling windows overlooking SV Road The room invites you to settle in but the food makes you look twice The Sol Kadhi Ceviche arrives with red snapper sol kadhi and a kokumginger granita Familiar but way too cooler and sharperThe French Tuk Tuk is another playful collision potato paveacute Sindhi kadhi sushi rice and lacto Bhavnagari It sounds like several different kitchens have wandered into the same dish but it comes together like a hearty meal Dessert continues the game The Sticky Toffee Pudding pairs date cake with miso toffee sauce oat streusel and mascarpone ice cream The Mud Pie goes deeper into chocolate with 70 per cent Callebaut cake Nutella namelaka Bournvita crumble and malt ice creamSol kadhi CevicheItrsquos interesting how between the two floors there is an idea that holds the restaurant together from artworks to design to food They travel borrow change and come home as something slightly different A private room on the first floor takes the idea even further Called Eclipse the 10seater sits between Blanco and Noir and allows guests to order from both menus One table two personalitiesThe idea comes from founder Krish Shah whose own journey has never been particularly linear He was expected to join his familyrsquos agrochemical business eventually but instead trained at Le Cordon Bleu worked at PwC and spent time in the kitchen at The Bombay Canteen Perhaps that is why The Alter Ego feels less like a restaurant built around a single idea and more like a place comfortable with having severalGreen Apple FennelldquoIrsquove always believed people donrsquot have just one way of dining Sometimes yoursquore looking for something familiar and comforting and other times yoursquore in the mood to discover something unexpected The Alter Ego was born from that idea I never saw comfort and creativity as opposites theyrsquore simply different ways of creating memorable experiences So instead of asking guests to choose between them we built a place where both can coexist side by side each with its own identity but united by the same intention to make every meal feel worth coming back forrdquoThatrsquos what makes the experience work You can come to Blanco when you want something easy You can head upstairs when you want to try something different Or you can do both Because while it is technically one restaurant the concept gives you rather more than one reason to stayWHERE The Alter Ego The Presidential next to the Toyota Showroom SV Road Bandra West