In & Out: 12pm - 3pm and 6pm - 1.15am
Damages: Rs.2000/- per person inclusive of an open bar (domestic)
Damages: Rs.2000/- per person inclusive of an open bar (domestic)
Must-Order: Everything!
Umami Quotient: Umami
December was a month of multiple gastronomic sins all related to matters of the heart viz. my wedding! There were a slew of great meals spread across Thai Pavilion, Table, Souk, Yauatcha, and Ankur in Bombay and equal gorging in the gourmand hotels, streets and clubs of Kolkata. But it all climaxed in a lamplit terrace night laced with kiwi margaritas, friends past and present and a feast fit for gods. And of course this perfection could only happen at the place, which is the umami girls’ not-so-secret soft spot - the original and only Indigo! And since D-Day was no time to sit and pontificate on matters of the palate we did a tasting menu at a trial dinner a month earlier and lived to tell the tale!
Palate
Since there was going to be an indecent amount of eating we abstained from pleasures of the spirit in favour of Bombay’s best fresh lime soda. Mariam is a connoisseur and obsessively tries this basic cooler across city restaurants to be disappointed at most times so when she endorses the Indigo version we all sit up and drink! We were accompanied by 3 other friends which included a graphic designer, a TV executive and an Indian Navy man all of who had a fine taste in all things fine and loved a good chat to accompany a good meal.
The vegetarian starters kicked off with the Peppery Mushroom & Parmesan Fondue. The mushrooms were large, juicy and filled with just the right amount of cheese (aka not overdone Cream Center proportions!) and segued smoothly into the next starter, the Goat Cheese Gnocchi in Pink Peppercorn and Truffle Oil. We have to say we love goat cheese and truffle oil is fast becoming our favourite sin and gnocchi was so airy and the flavor so delicate that we forgot all about our oath to not do pastas at dinner (good for us, the main course had some more orgasm-inducing versions!). Next came the parade of bite-sized carnivorous pleasures. The Tamarind Beef Roulade with Cornichons & Sweet Soya Dip was a little waltz between all things sweet and sour with the tender beef playing an admirable conductor. The Charmoula Grilled Prawns, which appear on many menus across the city, were distinguished by their briny freshness and the piquant flavours of the charmoula. Ditto for the Cajun fish tikka, which was distinguished by the stunningly fresh and fleshy rawas.
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| Peppery Mushroom & Parmesan Fondue Photo - Mariam Mamaji |
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| Goat Cheese Gnocchi in Pink Peppercorn and Truffle Oil Photo - Mariam Mamaji |
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| Charmoula Grilled Prawns Photo - Mariam Mamaji |
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| Tamarind Beef Roulade with Cornichons & Sweet Soya Dip Photo - Mariam Mamaji |
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| Cajun fish tikka Photo - Mariam Mamaji |
Since we love artichokes the next salad of Artichokes & Roasted Peppers with Palm Hearts in Orange Tarragon Dressing was a burst of freshness, almost an amuse bouche to clear our palate with the citrus tang and get us ready for the mains to follow. The Prawn Squid & Mussel Salad with Marinated Tomatoes, Mint & Capers is a slice of the Mediterranean seaside for all pescetarians and is best enjoyed with a crusty slice of bread dipped in olive oil.
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| Artichokes & Peppers with Palm Hearts in Orange Tarragon Dressing Photo - Mariam Mamaji |
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| Prawn Squid & Mussel Salad Photo - Mariam Mamaji |
The mains started with Navy guy’s favourite staple, chicken! Most times we don’t understand the big deal about a bland poultry-raised piece of almost-meat but the Teriyaki Chicken With Three Mushrooms & Crispy Leeks were a revelation in what chicken can be if raised right and cooked right. It was pink, juicy and dripping with smoky miso reminiscences. We were already well full but we were just halfway through the meal (which was being faithfully documented and uploaded in real time on Facebook thanks to the BB addict TV girl!). Next stop was the Cajun Prawns with Smoked Peppers, Sundried Tomatoes and Fennel Cream. Once again the unreliably juicy prawns were a delightful bite though the charmoula blitzed the gentle fennel cream into obscurity. We suggested a feistier accompanying artiste for the wedding party. Last came the unusual suspect of buffet menus – lamb – with the Baby Lamb Confit with Root Vegetables & Shallots in Rosemary Sauce. Not only was the lamb tender and flaking at the fork the sauce was a light brown concoction with the rosemary weaving fantasies through the slightly charred veggies. An absolute dark horse this one!
Heaving and grunting under the gastronomic onslaught we ploughed on nonetheless because the next stop was the pastas, which were going to be served at the live pasta station. While the Tomato & Cream ravioli in Sage Cream was full-bodied and flavoursome in its own right the piece the resistance was the Mushroom Ravioli in Porcini Cream with succulent porcini dunked in a lightly creamy & herby sauce. This is the stuff dream pasta is made of!
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| Teriyaki Chicken Photo - Mariam Mamaji |
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| Baby Lamb Confit Photo - Mariam Mamaji |
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| Tomato & Cream ravioli in Sage Cream Photo - Mariam Mamaji |
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| Mushroom Ravioli in Porcini Cream Photo - Mariam Mamaji |
Yes it does sound physically impossible to eat anymore but our band of six weren’t ready to lay down the gauntlet especially since all of us are dessert fiends on our own way. The Baileys Cheesecake was lashed with generous swills of liqueur and densely creamy to bite but the Carrot & Walnut Cake with Peach frosting hit the G Spot (greed of course!) given our love for carrot cakes (check our post on Top Ten Desserts in Bombay). The cake was moist and nutty just like a good homemade variant with the frothy peach frosting providing the perfect tangy contrast. D Day also served my alltime favourite handmade ice cream the sinful Dulce de Leche we have featured earlier.
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| Baileys Cheesecake Photo - Mariam Mamaji |
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| Carrot & Walnut Cake Photo - Mariam Mamaji |
Crowd V/s Company
Even as a la carte dining destinations go Indigo manages to be classy yet cozy, private yet warm, and effortlessly romantic whether one is having a casual post-dinner drink at the bar, a shopper’s lunch on the ground level or a date on the terrace. But as a wedding venue the terrace and adjoining bar exceeded all expectations. Sparkling with lamps, interspersed with white flowers (which especially stand out in the stark black bar) and just the right size for 120 odd guests, Indigo played perfect host to the wedding. No guest was ever without a drink or a bite, there was music for all tastes, be it the gentle ambient score on the verandah or the throbbing Bollywood beats in the black bar. With guests spanning ages of 5 to 70 it’s not easy to please everyone but photographs seem to say that we succeeded!
Comeback Quotient
If it’s a classy yet intimate get-together you want to put together – be it birthdays, anniversaries, engagements or a general celebration of la dolce vita we have three words for you – Do The Indigo!