Food Review: Bawri at BKC serves delectable array of dishes from across India

Cooking they say is an experience savoured best when you serve others Dining on the other hand requires a touch of selfishness So this writerrsquos visit to chef Amninder Sandhursquos kitchen in Bawri at BKC on a crisp December night felt like a selfindulgent experience The restaurant which opens next week will mark a return to the city she calls her lsquokarmabhoomirsquoSteamed noolputtu right Gucchi stuffed with mushroom butterWhile the Mumbai space is comparatively smaller than the Goan outlet it is older ldquoWe purchased it before Goa but had to wait for the opportune momentrdquo cofounder Sahil Sambhi reveals The 4500 sq foot space centres around a large circular bar mdash designed to imitate the stepwells in Gujarat mdash with tabled and cabana seating across Large glass windows extend to the ceiling behind the cabanas and would allow ample daylight But since we were in time for dinner we chose a table close to the bar and wait for our first courseSmoked mutton chops right Kohlrabi saladThe menu is diverse From familiar signature dishes of gutti aloo kakori kebab raan biryani there are also newer variants that touch upon Sandhursquos travels Ingredients like the Manipuri black rice dosa litti smoked baingan to the kovalam lobster from down south are proof The touch of Mumbai the chef adds comes through in the bombil fry pickled fish and onions bhajias on the side and of course malai kulfi sandwich ldquoFor me the malai kulfi is a nostalgic reminder of the cityrdquo she tells usThe circular bar at the heart of the restaurantrsquos interiors is inspired by the designs of stepwellsThis emphasis on Indian diversity also reflects in the deacutecor In addition to the stepwell Sambhi reveals that a portion of the ceiling was handstitched by jute weavers from Rajasthan There are also Jaipur carpets adorning sections of the barAmninder SandhuWe start with a delicious kohlrabi salad Rs 485 of thinly sliced beet carpaccio with pomelo cucumber and Kashmiri pistachio and a very Lakhnawi kakori kebab with silbatta chutney Rs 755 The only thing that outdoes it is the gucchi stuffed with mushroom butter with nachni and walnut soil Rs 1250 mdash inspired from the valleys of Kashmir Served on a wooden stump it looks like a mushroom found in the wild and has a touch of delicious theatricalityFluffy stuff Bawri jamun wild mango curryThe menu is designed with a focus on slow woodandcharcoal cooking She chuckles ldquoIt is difficult for me to imagine running a restaurant any other way The complexities that open fire cooking lends to a dish cannot be replicated by other meansrdquoSahil SambhiWe cannot disagree when a main course of mutton chops smoked in rose Rs 1160 chicken Chintamani Rs 575 and wild mango curry with a South Indian noolputtu Rs 665 arrive The wild mango curry is a delight and is slow cooked over three to four hours It goes perfectly with the noolputtu while the chicken Chintamani is a take on the hangover delights from South Indiarsquos famed chicken 65 The highlight is the soft lightly tempered mutton nihari Rs 899 a slow cooked shank of lamb that breaks down easily on your palateWe pair these with a cocktail menu curated by TimEtherington Judge The pahadi picante Rs 899 is stimulating with its chilli and Khasi coriander balancing out the reposado tequila We follow this up with a fluffy stuff R755 with its gininfused fruit tisane Campari and mosambi juice for the main course The cocktails we notice are also designed around four rare Indian flavours mdash Naga passion fruit Khasi coriander mosambi and tenga from Assam If the tasting sounds meatbased that fault lies in the writer The cofounder points out that there is an equal emphasis on the vegetarian courses on the menu ldquoWe hope to change the perception of Indian food being equated to only North Indian cuisinerdquo he notesAs we wrap up our hefty dinner with a delicious Bawri jamun garnished with a light frothy rabdi Rs 440 the chef tells us ldquoWe might add more dishes to the menu It is a constant evolutionrdquo Sadly it might be too much for us to take in one night Perhaps another visit awaits in the futureBawriOpening December 20At Ground floor Shop number 5 INS Tower G Block BKCTime 12 pm to 330 pm 7 pm to 130 amCall 9205100992