A Juhu five-star has used a lockdown to reinvent a Indian cuisine outpost with an inspired, 360-degree spin
Pani puri shots. Pics/Sameer Markande
After their focused reverence to Awadhi cuisine, Saffron during JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu relooks during a approach, and reopens this Saturday for use with an all-round jubilee of India’s culinary experiences. The renovate is led by Ajay Jain, a prepare de cuisine, who reveals that he stranded to a basis while curating a menu. “Indian food is already exact. All we did was to embody singular techniques and tiny tip tweaks that wouldn’t change a core definition,” he adds.
Hyderabadi murgh biryani
When we travel in, we notice a high see-through row of floral motifs that acts as a assign for a restaurant. Past it, on possibly side, a wooden arrangement binds selected artefacts such as pots, jars and sculptures. The eye-catching open kitchen with a potion assign allows congregation to watch chefs work a griddle and stir a pots. The informed backdrop of golden and purple-blue-hued tiled kitchen walls is a sole vestige from a prior avatar. The roof has an perplexing design, while dim steel fate are creatively used to furnish a griddle walls for a pointed and superb coziness.
Watermelon guac
Our tarry starts with chaat, and Jain’s Delhi do full probity here; we opt for pani puri shots (Rs 475). This plate gives a travel favourite a due treatment. The puris have 3 stuffings: guacamole, aloo pieces boiled in hing, and jeera and moong-aloo. The H2O is served in mini potion jars that enclose honeyed tamarind water, thecha H2O and pineapple extract peaked with salt, sugar, chillies and mint. The watermelon and guac chaat (Rs 475) is desirous by a fruit chaat plates sole during travel carts. He garnishes a plate on a list with a droughty and nitrogenous saunth chutney. The bed of guac complements a pairing; a flavours are spot-on.
Kokum sour
The Kashmiri gucchi (Rs 795) is a leader that’s packaged with lodge cheese, pressed morels and beetroot-walnut chutney. Taste-wise, a tender papaya salad peppered with kalonji stands out. The mains start with a immature Uttaranchal saag (Rs 695), that has anniversary amaranth, baby spinach called poi and Kashmiri haaq flavoured with jakhiya (wild mustard seeds). The Sunday mutton curry (Rs 995) reminds us of a kinds that are served during family lunches. The pointed flavours element a counterfeit and country piquancy dance. “The mutton curry isn’t from a sold segment though is relatable in each Indian domicile that enjoys slow-cooking tough beef on their off days,” Jain shares. The curry leaf, immature chillies and coconut milk-forward lobster moilee (R1,295) is creamy, and hits a right notes. “We have stranded to a strange recipe. Our usually tweak is that we prepare a lobster in sous vide, that alters a texture, creation it a tad some-more wholesome,” he explains.
Ajay Jain
Wild mushrooms, mascarpone, chillies-stuffed truffle kulcha (Rs 275) can be eaten as is. The commanding of methi powder and black peppers keeps a truffle oil in check. From a cocktails, we try saquila (Rs 800). The initial sip of a egg white froth has a ambience of homemade saffron syrup and reminds us of thandai. A bigger sip draws a courtesy to a honeyed acidity of yuzu and a gin-vodka infusion. The splash is also accessible with a tequila-laced saffron infusion. We adore kokum green (Rs 650), a fancier mocktail chronicle of solkadi. The abounding mouth feel helps cut a spices via a meal. Next time, we devise on perplexing a alcoholic version.
The Hyderabadi murgh biryani (Rs 1,550) is perfumed and light. Mildly spiced, a aroma of saffron and essence of cardamom and cloves turn adult for a satiating experience. Dessert is a chenna (Rs 550), a rasmalai surfaced with a thick covering of North Indian-style malai kurchan. The rose petals supplement a cooling finish to an indulgent evening.
Saffron
At: JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu, Juhu Tara Road, Juhu.
Call: 66933344
Time: 7 pm to 12.30 am
