Pastel green plates, turquoise and lemon-coloured chairs resembling the paisley print on an old, forgotten and faded kurta that could have only belonged to a fashionable grandmother, adorn the interiors of Loco Loca, a new bistro in Andheri. It makes us think of popular singer Lenka's song from 2011, Everything At Once.
<img title="Whiskey and smoke" src="https://images.mid-day.com/images/2018/jul/La-Bambai-a.jpg" alt="Whiskey and smoke" /> Whiskey and smoke
It's as colourful as the melody, but chef Ajay Chopra who is at the helm of this eatery, urges us to reconsider. "When I saw this space, the first song that came to my mind was La Bamba by Ritchie Valens," he says and then trails off. "Ba da da la bamba...tu tu ru..," he fumbles to remember the lyrics as he does a shimmy. We are instantly at ease.
<img title="Verdure Pizza. Pics/Pradeep Dhivar" src="https://images.mid-day.com/images/2018/jul/La-Bambai-b.jpg" alt="Verdure Pizza. Pics/Pradeep Dhivar" /> Verdure Pizza. Pics/Pradeep Dhivar
We ask for the confit chicken and broon pao salad (Rs 377). "Good choice," Chopra assures us. The salad arrives soon. It's a mix of lettuce, asparagus stick, roasted potatoes, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, sliced water chestnut and slow-cooked chicken, tossed with vinaigrette, olive oil, seasoning, salt and pepper - a light dish that helps build an appetite and awakens our taste buds.
<img title="Chicken Randang" src="https://images.mid-day.com/images/2018/jul/La-Bambai-c.jpg" alt="Chicken Randang" /> Chicken Randang
"Tapas," Chopra exclaims. "Do you know where it comes from? Look at this," he says, pointing at a saucer. "The Spanish would place these on their beer glasses to prevent their drinks from spilling and use it to nibble on finger food, too," he says excitedly as he demonstrates. "That's how the world got tapas," he adds.
<img title="Michelada" src="https://images.mid-day.com/images/2018/jul/La-Bambai-d.jpg" alt="Michelada" /> Michelada
The harissa prawn skewers (Rs 567) - a dish influenced by Mediterranean flavours and accompanied with a lemon couscous and beetroot hummus - arrive next. The prawns are supple and their charred crust along with the tangy couscous and pleasantly grainy hummus packs the dish with a punch. The chicken randang (Rs 599), a Malaysian relic of chicken in coconut-flavoured spicy red gravy served with sticky jasmine rice, too, is exquisite. The verdure (Rs 533) is a delectable pesto-based pizza topped with mushrooms, eggplants, oven-dried and sun-dried tomatoes and cheddar, mozarella and parmesan cheeses.
<img title="Paisley-like interiors" src="https://images.mid-day.com/images/2018/jul/La-Bambai-e.jpg" alt="Paisley-like interiors" /> Paisley-like interiors
For dessert, we try the whisky and smoke (Rs 234) that features gooey chocolate mousse rolled into a chocolate coating and flavoured with smoked whisky. We also try the michelada (Rs 349), a bloody Mary made with beer instead of vodka. We are not a fan of thick tomato juice so, this fizzy twist is enjoyable.
<img title="Ajay Chopra" src="https://images.mid-day.com/images/2018/jul/La-Bambai-f.jpg" alt="Ajay Chopra" /> Ajay Chopra
"Today, people prefer restaurants themed around concepts rather than cuisines. They want to know what their evening is going to look like. And that's what we're trying to achieve," Chopra shares. For us, however, the beauty of this restaurant lies not in its quirky dishes, or its pleasant ambience but primarily in the conscientious food. As Chopra rightly says, "People don't just want food on their plates any more. They want an experience." And we had a memorable one.
TIME: 11 am to 11 pm AT: The Empresa Hotel, Sab TV Lane, Andheri West. CALL: 7977191726
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Chomp and sip

A new bistro in Andheri, in chef Ajay Chopra's words, "celebrates the love affair between Mumbai and Spain"

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