A new restaurant brings the flavours of Hispanic cooking to Mumbai's shores
The interiors are minimalist, with the only pop of colour coming from the upholstered chairs and a single wall. Pics/Suresh Karkera
When you can't go to South America, you let it come to you. In the form of a new restaurant and bar called Luca, which sits pretty in the ever-growing food hub that is Lower Parel. A project by entrepreneurs Abhishek Soparkar, Sidharth Matta and Davindar Arora, Luca is situated where O:h Cha once stood. However, the previously gloomy interiors have been stripped down, giving the space a refreshing look.
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The restrained interiors showcase South America's vibrancy without screaming it, all through the fabrics used on mismatched chairs. They've been sourced from South America, the designer tells us, before excitedly showing us a table that doubles up as a mini bar.
Lobster Thermidor
The food is the star here, and brings flavours right from the canyons of Mexico to the balmy islands of the Caribbean. The kitchen is helmed by Italian chef Davide Cananzi, who has spent ample time in Latin America. Unfortunately, when we visit, the cocktails aren't available for us to try. All the more reason to focus on the grub.
Pigging out
We're slightly underwhelmed by the Accras (R375). Although these cod fish cakes are delightfully crunchy and make for perfect bar nibbles, we wish they could have had a little more seasoning.
Pork Belly Bites
The Pork Belly Bites (R375) are inspired by a Jamaican recipe for jerk pork. Here, slices of pork belly sit atop rounds of candied boniato (Caribbean sweet potato) that have been smoked and then caramelised for 12 hours. The flavours are intense, making this unassuming dish one of our favourites of the night. Coming a close second is the Lobster Thermidor (R450), a classic French dish that, the chef tells us, is made a tad differently on the other side of the world. This version feels less like a cheese-loving child went overboard, and more like it has been handled by someone who understands the value of every ingredient that makes a dish.
Accras
We find we don't care much for the mains we try. The Curried Lamb (R575) and Brazilian Fajolata (R520), although flavourful, carry none of the brilliance of the first half.
Sweet dreams
The meal, however, picks up once again. Our spoon sinks into the moist sponge of the Tres Leches (three milk cake; R420), which sits on a base of chilled, sweet milk and is topped with whipped cream and mango. We love it so much that we pretty much abandon the sugar-dusted, crunchy-yet-soft Churros (R390).âÂu00c2u0080Âu00c2u0088Word of advice:âÂu00c2u0080Âu00c2u0088get both, sink into your couch and settle into a lull, helped along by the tropical tunes that waft through the space.
Tres Leches
Opens on June 3
TimeâÂu00c2u0080Âu00c2u008811 am to 1.30 am
At Unit 1, New Mahalakshmi Silk Mills, Lower Parel.
Call 49714450
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