Meeting of flavours

A wall of colourful plates which adorns the bar at Sette Mara the newest addition to Lower Parelrsquos thriving FampB scene bodes well for the eatery that opens today amid the easing of lockdown restrictions Itrsquos a hattip to the Greek custom of platesmashing believed to ward off evil spirits hailing new beginnings But fear not there wonrsquot be any flying crockery Instead what the Middle Eastthemed restaurant promises is a culinary trail across Greece Turkey Egypt Morocco Lebanon Persia and GeorgiaThe space is divided into a lounge bar and dining areaHoused at Level 9M of St Regis Mumbai Sette Mara is helmed by chef Reuben Bhate inspired by his experience while working at a Greek restaurant Counting on the promise of a fully vaccinated staff when we step out to check out the place we find that it unravels as a lounge bar and a dining space Intricate Lebanese lanterns lend the bar an intimate Instagramfriendly vibe its sunset saffron hues reflected in the dozen different varieties of negroni that are on offer If the vermouthcamparigin cocktail is your poison we recommend going for the woody vanilla notes of the 60day oak barrelaged negroni and the trufflescented crystal truffle negroni both Rs 800 with campari caviarSette Mara boasts of a range of negronis PicsBipin KokateAs opposed to the dimly lit loungebar area 50 shades of blue and white bring the dining space alive under an eyecatching constellationinspired compass on the ceiling While we sip on the colourcoordinated refreshing vodka ginger ale and cucumberbased sea green Sette Mara aromatic spritz Rs 800 the cold mezze arrives The extensive menu boasts of options from cold and hot mezzes which pair well with the fluffy pitas and toasty lavash options on offer While the garlic labneh and tomatoinfused hummus Beiruti were par for the course what stood out was the creamy root hummus with crispy beet and taro chips and muhammarah Rs 650 each Everybody loves a good falafel but we urge you to try the falafel arayes Rs 825 a stuffed Lebanese bread instead or the lahm rakakat Rs 800 mdash delightfully crispy rolls of pulled lamb with a lipsmacking pul biber labneh And if yoursquore keen to start on a sweet note try the honeyed cheesy pistachio crusted fried feta Rs 800Falafel crusted seabassMangal the ritual of barbecuing with friends and family also finds a spot on the menu While the Beirut style jawaneh chicken wings Rs 800 fails to make a mark the charred aubergine Rs 1025 is sure to lure baingan haters too Wash these down with the bittersweet passionfruit negroni Rs 800 that comes with a Boomerangfriendly bubble Among the large plates we recommend the innovative falafelcrusted seabass Rs 2250 The lightness of the harissa lemon caper butter sauce brings out the best of the fish that has a crispy falafel crust The Israeli cous cous Rs 1250 with wild mushrooms labneh and sumac is a comforting option as is the aromatic braised chicken maqluba Rs 1950Turkish chocolate and cheese brownieSince baklava options are many in Mumbai we suggest you wrap up your meal with the sweetandsavoury Turkish chocolate and cheese brownie that has a spicy aftertaste Rs 550 For a city that still swears by shawarma when it comes to MiddleEastern food wersquore happy to say marhaba hello to Sette Mararsquos extensive offeringsOn Opens today 12 pm to 4pmAt St Regis 462 Senapati Bapat Marg Lower Parel