Khaana hum ne bachchpan se dekha, lekin paka ne ka humein zyaada knowledge nahi tha. Humarein andar sirf rumali roti bana ne ki karigari thi, bas uss hi ko lekar hum yahan aayein the," says iconic chef Mukhtar Qureshi, running his finger up and down the lapel of his chef's coat, often wandering off as if conversing with his past and not us.

Purdah khubhani tart

We are sitting inside Ummrao, Qureshi's gift to Mumbai and Andheri's latest restaurant, wrapped in bold blue and a soothing gold. The centre space is surrounded by a delicate metal jaali, akin to the stone screens found in medieval palaces, coruscating in the warmth of a regal lotus-shaped chandelier hanging overhead. Faint strains of classical Indian music interweave with the overall calmness within the space, and at first glance, she is impressive in her carefully calculated and mahal-like grandeur. But like Qureshi says, "Yeh sab bas sajawat hai. Khaane ki parakh toh pehle niwale mein hi ho jaati hai." Nonetheless, she is undeniably beautiful. Inside and out.