The newly opened Mokai on Chapel Road in Bandra serves a refreshing Pandan Coconut Cooler and even a Pandan Cream Croissant and even a kaya butter, which has a subtle flavour of the leaf, on its menu. Their fascination for the leaf is understandable when Karreena Bulchandani, founder of the South Asian-inspired all-day café says she was introduced to it when she lived in China, where it is also popular apart from South Asia. “I used to have this dessert called Khanom Tako when I used to live in Guangzhou. We used to get it in a restaurant called Bangkok City back in the day. At first, you may feel that this isn’t your taste, but when you end up trying it two or three times, there is no going back, it is one of the most addictive flavours out there.” It was only natural for her to hold on to these influences. So, what is making Mumbai’s chefs, bartenders and restauranteurs like Bulchandhani include on their menu?

For Bulchandani, it was simple. While the pandan leaf was being used in cocktails in Mumbai, she saw a dearth of cafes, restaurants and bars using it in their food and that is where she decided to step in and include it not only in her drinks but also in her bakes. Interestingly, the Bandra café is only one among many city restaurants that have been making use of the leaf. If you are one to experiment with your food, then you may have realised that the pandan leaf is appearing a lot more on the menu than it did a few years ago. The leaf has travelled a long way from Southeast Asia to not only be used in serving South Asian food in Mumbai but also to be included in Indian dishes and drinks.