Who knows if God has a design for us. But sometimes it feels like there is no point planning, considering that half the stuff that has happened to you so far was never even on your to-do-list. It's a similar story in the case of Prashant Issar and Anuj Shah, former owners of Powai diner Mirchi and Mime and later, Madeira and Mime. Now, the duo are co-owners of Ishaara, a new restaurant in Lower Parel, launched jointly with Riyaaz Amlani.

In 2009, Issar was working as the general manager at Amaya, a Michelin-starred Indian restaurant in London. Community tables — that caught on in Mumbai later — had become commonplace in the country's diners then. But, as we know, most people prefer private tables over dining with strangers.