first in mid-day: A new eatery is celebrating local flavours while making a case for the neighbourhood as an emerging F&B space
Bhajleli jhinga
It's true what they say about food. It can take you places. On the 11.06 am fast from Bandra, we set out for Vasai. Across verdant expanse of green and a flurry of catenaries, distant hillocks call out to us through the gaps of a window grill. We squeeze our way through a crowd of passengers ready to alight the train, while Cat Stevens sings into our ears a song about fathers and sons.
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An autorickshaw becomes our ride to Kokum, a new eatery in Vasai West, dotted with international QSRs, stores and commercial spaces in progress, and a sprightly yellow signboard that reads, "Opening Shortly, What The Fun Lounge."
Paneer tonne mirsang
But a footwear store we notice on the way still calls itself Bassein Shoes, its name from yesteryear, when the region was under Portuguese and British occupation. It languished under the latter, while Bombay flourished as the commercial capital under the rule of the East India Company, and later the Crown — a phenomenon that presumably continues to affect the sea-lining locality.
But things are slowly changing, and Nicholas Tyson — who is at the helm of this restaurant along with partner-chef Anirudha Patil, and Meldan D'Cunha of Bandra's Soul Fry fame — tells us why. "The industry in Mumbai has become crowded and competitive, rentals have shot up and sustainability is a challenge. Which is why you'll see a lot of restaurants open and shutter within five to six months. Out here, there's still a lot of open space and the market is growing. This gives us the opportunity to bring our knowledge from Mumbai or outside India and offer something that isn't being done," Tyson, who has a background in investments and acquisition in the F&B space and who moved to the city in 2015 from New York, explains.
Rajali banana halwa
"When we opened Soul Fry 20 years back, there used to be a queue outside; that doesn't happen in the city anymore," D'Cunha chimes in, adding that in Vasai, on weekends, locals throng newly opened eateries and clubs.
Though not a stakeholder, D'Cunha's role at Kokum is significant, in that he is spearheading the menu. Over six months, he worked with Tyson, Patil and a team of cooks to curate the menu which is a coastal saga of Goan, Konkani, Koli, East Indian and Malvani flavours. Some of the dishes are on the menu of his Bandra joint, and a few others have featured in festivals and pop-ups hosted over the years. Trials were done to narrow down the final menu, while the staff was trained, first at Soul Fry and later at Kokum.
Sungta Maria
We are served a refreshing kokum shot followed by a serving of the paneer tonne mirsang ('240), a D'Cunha special made with luscious chunks of cottage cheese tossed around in tangy and spicy masalas, garlic and green chillies. The Goan version of prawns on toast aka sungta Maria ('320) tantalises the taste buds, too, as does the spicy serving of bhajleli jhinga ('340), a Koli dish comprising melt-in-the-mouth prawns.
The classic Maharashtrian masala pav ('140) and tambe kombdi ('240), and kombdi vade ('270), a Malvani chicken curry, are perhaps not the best we've tried, with undercooked meat and lacklustre flavours. But the dessert — a creamy helping of Rajali banana halwa ('140) served with a dollop of basundi redolent with shudh ghee — makes up for any love lost.
Kokum shot
For the awakened Vasaikar, this 100-seater space (possibly one of the largest in the area) with a specialised menu amid multi-cuisine restaurants is a welcome move.
Shirley D'Souza, a 34-year-old local and manager, echoes this when she says; "The scene here has changed drastically in the past few years. Today, we have a wide range of restaurants, with a younger and vibrant ambience offering a variety of cuisines. Quality has become a priority among locals and of course, everyone wants to experiment." Which brings us to the first question — what's cooking in Vasai? Lots, apparently.
Meldan D'cunha, Anirudha Patil and Nicholas Tyson
Time 12 pm to 3.30 pm;
7 pm to 11.30 pm
At 301 Tania Planet, Bhabola Naka, Vasai West.
Call 8626077453
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