Fort's newest fine-dine is experimental in cuisine and use of ingredients

Plantain

When it comes to food, chef Niyati Rao believes in two maxims: Don't fix it if it ain't broke, or go all out to reimagine ingredients. "I don't want to serve three new versions of pani puri. I would rather be the first person to serve pani puri," asserts the 27-year-old, illustrating her vision for Ekaa, a cosy new fine-dine in Fort that's inviting diners in from today, and where you're encouraged to ditch the cutlery, and use your hands.

Potato

Championing local

Less is more at Ekaa, we discover, as we step into the 131-year-old Kitab Mahal, and climb up the hardwood staircase leading up to the 72-seater restaurant that's divided into a slick bar, a palatial dining area and an intimate private room. Playing on the old-world charm of the neoclassical building, the roomy interiors - in a shift from the eyesore boho-chic aesthetic dominating restaurants - wear earthy hues of concrete-whites and jute-browns. Yes, the high ceilings, a delightful central skylight, unfussy hand-made furniture and rows of curious-looking fermentation jars lining the walls will catch your eye, but they'll not distract you from the star of the show - the food.

Phantasmagoria; (right) Nothing fish

Inspired by her four-month stint at one of the world's leading gastronomical labs, Noma in Copenhagen, Ekaa - meaning unique - is Rao and co-founder Sagar Neve's attempt to shake up the rigid exclusivity of fine-dining, and invite diners to reinterpret humble ingredients. The IHM Mumbai graduate, who decided she wanted to put on the chef coat when she was eight, tells us that at Noma, she witnessed local produce being transformed into something magical. "That's what I want to do here as India has such diversity, so much of it unexplored. We want to play with this diversity of food, people, cultures, seasons and experiences."

Niyati Rao and Sagar Neve

Three of a kind

The three menus at Ekaa pay homage to the advanced palates of Indians. There's the tapas menu, comprising small plates that can be paired with their eclectic cocktails themed on Indian ecosystems. To transition diners into trying out the experimental 10-course chef's tasting menu, the à la carte section offers a blend of the new and the familiar. "The menus are driven by ingredients, seasons, the chefs' memories, and inspiration from everything around us," Rao tells us, as we sip on our cocktail, solace (Rs 575) that's influenced by the Thar desert. A heady infusion of pomegranate, almond liqueur, rose essence and Old Monk, it is a boozy, comforting afternoon trip. We pair it with a pretty portion of a toasty sourdough (Rs 220) topped with a silky cauliflower hummus, almonds and tomme de Bombai cheese. The churro (Rs 180), ordinary when served alone, is elevated by a potato purée infused with a touch of heat from thecha. A slender, tender rib (Rs 250) comes doused in a fiery secret spice mix, while the house sausage (R160), although too tiny, packs in herbed aromas of khau gallis with a welcoming honeyed sweetness. The potato (Rs 180) is a layered pavé, crumb-fried on the edges, and served with a flavour-bomb chilli aioli and a cooling citrus gel. For those who prefer dessert with drinks, there's sweet morning (Rs 200), the equivalent of an indulgent breakfast, complete with a potato cake served with corn flakes and cereal ice cream.

Ekaa is housed inside the 131-year-old Kitab Mahal in Fort. Pics/Bipin Kokate

Texture play

Like the thalis at home, the mains at Ekaa offer a primary dish along with an ensemble of accompaniments. The plantain (Rs 500) features a luscious, hearty coconut-laced curry, paired with hot banana buns, alongside a chatpata mix of water spinach and crème fraiche, flavoured with tamarind and curry leaves. A set of leeks (Rs 600) with spinach-basil dust and ginger dust hold their fort as the star ingredient, served with a creamy goat cheese gelato, acid butter and a crispy sablé. The play of textures continues with needle fish (Rs 800), a sweet and spicy bao sandwich that tickles the taste buds. To wash this down, we try the fermented shrimp paste-based nothing fishy (Rs 825). With a briny essence, the cocktail is not for the faint-hearted, and has a faint whiff of sandy beaches and fish drying in the salty sea breeze.

Before our dessert-dive, we squeeze in phantasmagoria (Rs 825), a cocktail inspired by the blue hills and red rivers of Assam that fuses tea kombucha with scotch, blue pea and dried rosella cordial. It pairs well with cacao (Rs 1,000), a decadent - and steeply priced - hat-tip to the many textures of chocolate, including sponge, sorbet, clay, butter foam, and more, though we wish the portion size was bigger. "Dive into the food with your hands; it's no fun otherwise," Rao insists repeatedly. And there's no other kind of fine-dine that we'd like.

At Kitab Mahal, 1st Floor, D Sukhadwala Road, Fort.
Time 12 pm to 3.30 pm and
7 pm to 12 am
Call 9987657989