A Taste of Old & New

It comes from the same stable as Amadeus, Cafe at NCPA and the erstwhile, Joss, which is enough to earn Umame some credibility even before it is put to the test. With a name inspired by the Japanese 'Umami' — the fifth taste after sweet, salty, sour and bitter — this new pan-Asian restaurant in South Mumbai aims to take the best of Joss, which shut down in May, and present it in a fine-dining setting.

Farrokh Khambata has acquired the premises vacated by Valhalla, in the iconic Eros building at Churchgate. The interiors are rich in browns from the wooden flooring to the surfaces. Stray panels on the ceiling feature different urban skylines. The alfresco section is a balcony outside with a faux grass carpet and a view to Oval Maidan that's so blissful that it's easy to ignore the din from the streets below.

The menu features a fine selection of non-traditional sushi — they're prepared and served with dressings in addition to wasabi, pickled ginger and soy sauce. The Dragon Roll — tempura prawn with cucumber and smoked salmon — comes with fried prawns and makes for a crunchy delight at the start of the meal. The Sunset Boulevard — prawns with asparagus and snow crab — and Spider Rolls — soft shell crabs with avocado and cream cheese — have names as interesting as their textures. The prawn and chicken dim sum with roe are perfectly soft and steamed. The fried Filo Tofu has the propensity to get too filling before reaching the main course, though the batter is crispy and perfect, and the tofu is soft and tender.

For mains, it is recommended to order a round of plates and share. The Banana Wrapped Bass, a signature dish according to the management, is light in flavour but tastes dry and overcooked. The Massaman Red Curry with vegetables is rich, sweet and dominated by coconut milk, while the aubergines in it taste distinctly of oil, perhaps from being fried before the pan is too hot.

... contd.

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