Chef Manuel Olveira's La Loca Maria returns to Bandra at Pali Hill

Seabass Ceviche

The old place was on Turner Road, and we were big fans of its sea bass crudo. La Loca Maria's chef-owner Manuel Olveira, who has worked with Michelin chefs Sergi Arola and Paco Perez, and as Chef de Cuisine at five-stars in Mumbai and UAE, is back after a six-month break. This time, at Pali Hill where Indigo used to stand. The place is larger, grander, and the menu, he says is Spanish and Mediterranean. We are wondering why Olveira chose to "diversify" when the city is already home to competent Mediterranean and Levantine eateries.

We drop by on the first day of operations, and the interiors look every bit Spanish. The murals by Zahabiya of Zaworks present hand-painted iconography on natural stone that clads the arches and the impressive dome. Think raging bull to flamenco dancers and octopus! The Art Deco chandelier, ornate mirrors, tapestry-clad bar façade and a selection of pottery add to the mood.

Me Llama Maracuya

Olveira's wife, Mickee, brainstormed with designer Minal Chopra to bring to the Bandra address a hint of the architecture from Toledo, the ancient city that is the chef's home. There's a private dining room that can seat eight to 10 guests, and sports aged, hand-painted ceiling murals and heavily textured walls.

Almost every table has a view of the buzzing kitchen that occupies half the restaurant. "It's his working space and we didn't want to compromise," says Mickee. The eatery is named after Olveira's mother who used to run the kitchen with an iron fist. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. We get a glimpse of this when we see Olveira work the kitchen, and lose his cool in an instant, during one course.

La Loca Maria translates to the crazy Maria, informs Mickee. "She is the reason he discovered his love for cooking and takes great pride in serving dishes created from scratch - from fresh homemade pasta to sauces, to artisanal bread and icecreams." Olveira says that in Spain, the food focuses on fresh quality produce, and traditional cooking techniques. "A dish should taste, smell and look exceptional," he says, "I turn to my classic culinary heritage, but use local produce to create dishes that are modern and elegantly plated."

The sea bass ceviche (Rs 650) on the new menu, he says is a different take on the crudo. Seabass, mandarin leche de tigre, melon, red onion, avocado, coriander - the freshness of ingredients comes through in every spoon. Tapas represents the essence of how Spaniards eat and socialise, and here, the list has the classic gambas al ajillo or garlic prawns in chilli oil (Rs 610) served with sourdough bread, mushrooms and truffle croquettes (Rs 450) topped with garlic alioli. The pincho de calamares (Rs 450) or skewers serve roasted calamari with a tartar dip.

Chef Manuel Olveira's La Loca Maria is back with a larger, grander space and menu

We tried cocas, Spanish-style light, crunchy flatbread for the first time; it's a light eat with a play of toppings. The coca de queso brie (Rs 590) has caramelised onion, brie cheese, charred grapes, walnuts, and arugula - the mild, buttery and creamy taste of brie goes well with the sweetness of charred grapes.

If you like meat, try the braised lamb (Rs 1,100) with parsnip puree, herb and tomato polenta, and pickled beets. Our favourite, though, was the grilled John Dory (R1,200) beurre blanc, mousse gnocchi, braised fennel, and purple cabbage puree. The coming together of so many flavours - as one - made it a dish to remember.

What's Spanish food without the arroceria or Spanish-style rice dishes? Their black paella (Rs 1,500) has Spanish bomba rice cooked in seafood and squid ink broth, saffron, cuttlefish, scampi scallops, and green peas. Olveira says he extracts the squid ink from fresh catch so that the taste is fresh and no preservatives are needed. "It's a skill I had to learn."

They do a deconstructed tiramisu (Rs 550), with coffee crisps and ice cream that has been put on the menu by popular demand. However, we liked something called sweet and sour (Rs 550) with chocolate sponge, lime ice cream, salted caramel and cream.

The bar employs fermentation, sous vide cooking, in-house carbonated beverages, rapid infusions, dehydration and maceration. The me llama maracuya (R700) with vodka, passion fruit puree, campari, lemon, and house-made velvet falernum has a tangy, fruity profile. The mocktail, Shining Star (R375), made with pineapple juice, star fruit cordial, lime, and star anise has a knock-you-out sort of sour punch, which we love.

So what's Mediterranean about this menu, we finally ask. The food here isn't Spanish in the truest sense, he explains. It's what he cooks and it carries his signature. It's about making the most of easily procured fresh produce and playing with techniques that he has learnt and mastered over the years.

On one of the walls, there's a copy of Dalí: Les Dîners de Gala. It's a limited edition book by Spanish surrealist painter Salvador Dali that features recipes and trippy photo collages from the OTT dinner parties the artist threw with his wife Gala. "It's one of my favourites," smiles Oliveira, who, we felt like Dali is exploring subconscious imagery, albeit, through his food.