Modern meets local

The first dinein meal at a restaurant in 2021 is special We approach it with a nostringsattached mindset and hope that our table manners and social conversation skills are not rusty After a long muchmissed drive on a rainy day from Andheri to Kala Ghoda we arrive at Plural a Southeast Asian restaurant that opens for dinein on June 22 Nestled in a busy arterial lane the warm green faccedilade stands out amid the vibrant cityscape Inside the main space has a compact bar for threefour patrons and is dressed in cafeacutestyle deacutecor of wood and cane Clay vases placed blend in seamlessly while in a corner a dried floral installation amid oversized cane light fittings that remind us of rice paddy hats in Bali stands out A grey staircase leads to a small mezzanine nook with a bookshelf and casual seating for intimate groupsVietnamese pizzaEach table has a bottle filled with rice grains and a sprig of chaff The menu is inspired by Trifecta cuisine from Vietnam Cambodia and Laos This comes to life in the Vietnamese pizza Rs 550 crafted on a base of crispy rice paper and treated to a paint job of beaten egg Topped with tofu avocado egg birdrsquos eye chilli sauce chives this one makes us exclaim ldquoMamma miardquo As we sip on the vegetal and refreshing notes spiked with gin in Garden of peaden Rs 625 made from refreshing snow pea juice owner Vedant Shah 25 recalls his time as an undergrad in MichiganHe returned to follow his love for food and hospitality and landed an internship at a finedining restaurant in Mumbai that was cut short in the pandemic This sped up his dream to open his own restaurant ldquoI am interested in exploring the cuisineagnostic approach of new modern American cooking Menus are influenced by various techniques executed with local produce Traditional Asian joints in the US are more holeinthewall rustic setups The younger generation has spruced that up and turned it around for the global palate where they forage for ingredients which may not necessarily be native to the cuisinerdquoSummer rollThe first sight of the summer roll Rs 350 is memorable Crunchy greens julienned veggies are wrapped tightly in rice paper rolls Through the translucent sheet therersquos a pop of pink and yellow edible flowers The side Vietnamese vinaigrette of nuoc cham resurrects the buried umami of flavours reminding us how much we missed dining at restaurants The freestyle menu is reflective in most dishes We applaud the traditional banh mi Rs 525 baguette baked inhouse you wonrsquot crave for meat that it is usually packed with Grilled lemongrass tofu cherry tomato and pickled veggies are slathered in a Thai basil chimichurri and a tamarind jus that fills in for a fishy umami hitRoasted cauliflowerWhile you wonrsquot spot the typical sauces at every table each dish has a paired accompaniment The seared Brussels sprouts Rs 485 have a controlled gusto of a Thai chilli paste and kohlrabi Rs 450 is a milder salad with ripe fig mix nut chikki and candied shallot The pho Rs 675 broth deserves a mention for it reminds us of glogg red mulled wine sipped in Nordic countries The stock has flavours of apple pear and cinnamon Overall the fare spells freshness and wholesomeness The first main is a full head of roasted cauliflower Rs 595 The server carves each of us a piece that is rubbed with a cashew and sambal glaze to form a wellcooked outer layer under which a moist expression of sumac mint yoghurt lies This comes with a generous side of roasted kale and almonds We want to cuddle this dish from the comfort of our home as the rain gods break into an opera outside A coconut basil and garlic dip is another example of the menu masteryVedant ShahThe beetroot curry Rs 650 is a rich base of coconut cream bursting with textures of water chestnut roasted chickpeas and juicy pomegranate pearls By now we have graduated to the figmarole Rs 690 a cocktail with dried figinfused vodka and spiced with ginger When we declare that we are ready to call it quits the miso caramel tart in its decadent dark avatar makes us reconsider Thick ribbons of caramel are treated to a slight hint of salty miso While we craved for a fuller punch the dessert takes a safe route to suit all palates The peanut fudge cake Rs 550 is another indulgence that commands pindrop silence only allowed to be interrupted by unrehearsed ldquommmmsrdquoAt Jai Hind Building Nanik Motwani Marg Kala Ghoda FortCall 9892382740