BKC's newest all-day restaurant is serving delightful Mediterranean and Asian fare

Prawn tempura roll. Pic/Satej Shinde

In a post-pandemic world where we've literally made ourselves at home, fine-dining in our pajamas, casual is the new chic. The promise of a formal sit-down dinner or a glitzy after-party can draw some diners, not all. But easygoing, all-day restaurants, bars and cafés are for all moods - the flavour of the season for both owners and customers. Now, take an accessible setting like that and flavour it with two in-demand cuisines: Asian and Mediterranean. That's what Kyma, BKC's newest all-day, casual restaurant and bar, does.

Grilled chicken and cheese pide

The eatery that opens doors tomorrow is the brainchild of Nikita Poojari and Narayan Poojari, the folks behind the iconic Shiv Sagar Food and Resort Pvt Ltd, and Nikhil Rochlani, Dhaval Udeshi and Pawan Shahri, who are behind brands such as Butterfly High, Silly and Blah! Walking past the concrete corporate corridors of the business centre, when we reach Kyma on a Saturday afternoon, we're greeted first by a burst of pinks and greens in the slightly cluttered al fresco section, dotted with cabanas. The interior is luxuriously spaced out though, with an impressive long bar and a private dining area. Hues of grey, punctuated by warm yellow lanterns, dominate the minimalist setting, while a concentric arrangement of lights and lace-y curtains draw one hypnotically.

Fish in plum sauce

"Kyma means wave in Greek," Nikita informs us, referring to the fluid mingling of the two distinct palates, while Udeshi confesses that this is the first time they're stepping into the worlds of Mediterranean and Asian cuisines. "These two cuisines are very premium and massively in demand. We wanted to create a relaxed environment where you can enjoy both in an affordable manner. We also want to start a bakery section soon."

We kick off our journey with a stop on the East - wild mushroom, truffle oil dumpling (Rs 430). The filling of wild shrooms and shiitake is luscious, elevated by an aromatic truffle oil and a fiery King Chilli-inspired dip. We nurse the heat with a matcha-laced gin-midori-lemon grass concoction, From Japan with love (Rs 550), that's a postcard for the country's cherry blossoms.

From Japan with love. Pics/Satej Shinde

Serving up the first bite from the Mediterranean is a bowl of signature Kyma cherry wood-smoked cream cheese hummus (Rs 350) that's silky, dense and hard to resist, served with flower-shaped pitas. Next up is a plate of prawn tempura rolls (Rs 585) that are sweetish with a delightful crisp; we make a mental note to return for the live sushi counter that we're told will open soon. The falafel with classic toum (Rs 365) is too dry and skippable. We recommend trying the creamy edamame truffle avocado-scented hummus (Rs 420) instead.

Nikita Poojari and Dhaval Udeshi

We wash these down with a refreshing glass of Being botanical (Rs 400), a heady blend of G&T with cucumber, rosemary, thyme and rose petals. It sees us through the rather rubbery jumbo grilled rubiyan prawn (Rs 450) that lets down its flavourful marinade of Arabic spices, as well as the banger harissa, toum and shatta dips on the side. The grilled chicken and cheese pide (Rs 390) is a cheesy treat, but what really hits the sweet spot is a crispy-yet-soft fish in plum sauce (Rs 675). As we try to pick a side between Asian or Mediterranean, we realise the answer is simple: come for one, and stay for the other.

At: Plot C-66, One BKC, G Block, BKC.
Time am to 12 am
Call: 9372952680