Love seafood? This chic resto-bar in Worli Koliwada has a new inspired menu

Moments before we walk into Slink amp Bardotrsquos moody interiors we enter Worli Koliwada and experience a shift in pace mdash from the cityrsquos bustling weekend crowd to the busyness of an urban fishing village This is when we realise that the restaurantrsquos newest tasting menu that launches tomorrow attempts to bridge the disconnect between its immediate surroundings of the Koliwada and the offerings of its craft cocktail bar and kitchenAliAkbar Baldiwala and Santosh KukretiTales from the Shoreline A Koliwada Cocktail Journey offers a sevencourse pescatarian or vegetarian meal presented by chef AliAkbar Baldiwala which is led by elements of the Koli fish thali however the cocktails steal the show where mixologist Santosh Kukreti draws inspiration from his interaction with the cultural diversity of the Koliwada Kukreti shares ldquoThe menu is special because it stems from over a yearrsquos experience with the surrounding cultures We hang out with the locals some of whom work at the restaurant try the food they prepare at home and go fishing with them Itrsquos an ode to the KoliwadardquoCoast Guardrsquos brewWe begin with the last cocktail on the menu Saint Nicholas Rs 800 a bottled cocktail of sparkling watermelon wine adopts a local fermentation process for making wine during Christmas Itrsquos a refreshing drink with notes of green apple and cucumber Sunset at Slink R1200 is Kukretirsquos cocktail representation of the namesake experience the orange skies and salty breeze are replicated in a mezcal and Aperolbased drink topped with salty and orangey frothThe idea for the Koli echoes cocktail Rs 1200 stems from the local alcohol or bhatti ki daaru Itrsquos a sharing drink that has a base of vodka and sake to iterate the strong taste of desi alcohol combined with cucumber and lemon to lighten the flavour and served with frozen lychee in the glass version of a clay pot used to distil alcoholSunset at SlinkRearranging dishes from the Koli fish thali into seven courses chef Baldiwala combines these local elements with global flavours and techniques The first course mimics the papadkandamirchi combination on a thali The perfect bar snack it comes with a shrimp and tapioca cracker with tomato and chilli dust mdash an idea wersquore going to steal for how we eat our crackers henceforth Dips for the cracker is a tangy tendli and amboshi escabeche that can be addictive especially if yoursquore a picklelover brown onion labneh and charred shishito peppers that provide a perfect bitterness to the dish The kokum granita with oyster or cured watermelon is a prominent highlight from the second course as it balances tangy sweet salty and spicy notesIn the fourth course the traditional taste of solkadhi is elevated with coriander oil and pickled radish while the barramundi ceviche misses the mark Interestingly the vegetarian version uses a wasabi buttermilk instead of kokumbased solkadhi We love the ajwain flavour in the ghol fish curry which is usually prepared for Koli weddings with Koli masala butter and a gelatinous spiced coconut sauceChar siu pomfret donburi PicsAshish RajeMoving on to rice chef Baldiwala incorporates this wholesome aspect of the Koli thali into a pomfret donburi a Japanese rice bowl with a char siu glaze Itrsquos served with a warm smoked ponzu dashi and topped with crispy lotus root it leaves us impressed by the seamless balance of sour sweet and salty flavoursTo our disappointment the rawa coating on the bombil overpowered in flavour and texture The jalva salsa on the tomato jam that comes with the bombil was smoky and offered a flavourful twist to a classic We suspect the eggplant variation would be a hit The dessert of tres leches with puran polispiced milk and chana dal crumble did not excite us as much as it soundedAn apt end to this meal is the Coast Guardrsquos brew R900 a dessert cocktail that includes fatwashed vodka topped with dalgona coffee The notes of coffee vanilla and vodka come together cohesively Sharing the backstory Kukreti reveals ldquoAfter packing up the kitchen at four in the morning around the time the Coast Guard folks head for their morning jog we stop together for coffee at a nearby stall This drink is inspired by that momentrdquoSlink amp BardotOn October 26 6 pm to 130 am Tuesday to SaturdayAt Thadani House opposite Indian Coast Guard Worli villageCall 7045904728 24hour prior reservationCost Rs 3500 onwards minus beverages