Fort's newest fine-dine is experimental in cuisine and use of ingredients

When it comes to food chef Niyati Rao believes in two maxims Donrsquot fix it if it ainrsquot broke or go all out to reimagine ingredients ldquoI donrsquot want to serve three new versions of pani puri I would rather be the first person to serve pani purirdquo asserts the 27yearold illustrating her vision for Ekaa a cosy new finedine in Fort thatrsquos inviting diners in from today and where yoursquore encouraged to ditch the cutlery and use your handsPotatoChampioning localLess is more at Ekaa we discover as we step into the 131yearold Kitab Mahal and climb up the hardwood staircase leading up to the 72seater restaurant thatrsquos divided into a slick bar a palatial dining area and an intimate private room Playing on the oldworld charm of the neoclassical building the roomy interiors mdash in a shift from the eyesore bohochic aesthetic dominating restaurants mdash wear earthy hues of concretewhites and jutebrowns Yes the high ceilings a delightful central skylight unfussy handmade furniture and rows of curiouslooking fermentation jars lining the walls will catch your eye but theyrsquoll not distract you from the star of the show mdash the foodPhantasmagoria right Nothing fishInspired by her fourmonth stint at one of the worldrsquos leading gastronomical labs Noma in Copenhagen Ekaa mdash meaning unique mdash is Rao and cofounder Sagar Neversquos attempt to shake up the rigid exclusivity of finedining and invite diners to reinterpret humble ingredients The IHM Mumbai graduate who decided she wanted to put on the chef coat when she was eight tells us that at Noma she witnessed local produce being transformed into something magical ldquoThatrsquos what I want to do here as India has such diversity so much of it unexplored We want to play with this diversity of food people cultures seasons and experiencesrdquoNiyati Rao and Sagar NeveThree of a kindThe three menus at Ekaa pay homage to the advanced palates of Indians Therersquos the tapas menu comprising small plates that can be paired with their eclectic cocktails themed on Indian ecosystems To transition diners into trying out the experimental 10course chefrsquos tasting menu the agrave la carte section offers a blend of the new and the familiar ldquoThe menus are driven by ingredients seasons the chefsrsquo memories and inspiration from everything around usrdquo Rao tells us as we sip on our cocktail solace Rs 575 thatrsquos influenced by the Thar desert A heady infusion of pomegranate almond liqueur rose essence and Old Monk it is a boozy comforting afternoon trip We pair it with a pretty portion of a toasty sourdough Rs 220 topped with a silky cauliflower hummus almonds and tomme de Bombai cheese The churro Rs 180 ordinary when served alone is elevated by a potato pureacutee infused with a touch of heat from thecha A slender tender rib Rs 250 comes doused in a fiery secret spice mix while the house sausage R160 although too tiny packs in herbed aromas of khau gallis with a welcoming honeyed sweetness The potato Rs 180 is a layered paveacute crumbfried on the edges and served with a flavourbomb chilli aioli and a cooling citrus gel For those who prefer dessert with drinks therersquos sweet morning Rs 200 the equivalent of an indulgent breakfast complete with a potato cake served with corn flakes and cereal ice creamEkaa is housed inside the 131yearold Kitab Mahal in Fort PicsBipin KokateTexture playLike the thalis at home the mains at Ekaa offer a primary dish along with an ensemble of accompaniments The plantain Rs 500 features a luscious hearty coconutlaced curry paired with hot banana buns alongside a chatpata mix of water spinach and cregraveme fraiche flavoured with tamarind and curry leaves A set of leeks Rs 600 with spinachbasil dust and ginger dust hold their fort as the star ingredient served with a creamy goat cheese gelato acid butter and a crispy sableacute The play of textures continues with needle fish Rs 800 a sweet and spicy bao sandwich that tickles the taste buds To wash this down we try the fermented shrimp pastebased nothing fishy Rs 825 With a briny essence the cocktail is not for the fainthearted and has a faint whiff of sandy beaches and fish drying in the salty sea breezeBefore our dessertdive we squeeze in phantasmagoria Rs 825 a cocktail inspired by the blue hills and red rivers of Assam that fuses tea kombucha with scotch blue pea and dried rosella cordial It pairs well with cacao Rs 1000 a decadent mdash and steeply priced mdash hattip to the many textures of chocolate including sponge sorbet clay butter foam and more though we wish the portion size was bigger ldquoDive into the food with your hands itrsquos no fun otherwiserdquo Rao insists repeatedly And therersquos no other kind of finedine that wersquod likeAt Kitab Mahal 1st Floor D Sukhadwala Road FortTime 12 pm to 330 pm and7 pm to 12 amCall 9987657989