This new Bandra restaurant serves up a sensorial, theatrical food experience

If you stare long enough at the embers you might slip into a trance As the fire crackles and cooks the meat or vegetable cooked on the grill itrsquos magical to watch it develop a charred skin At HOM the fire takes centre stage to serve Indian subcontinental flavours in a theatrical setting The 42seater restaurant in Bandra launched by firsttime restaurateur and wellknown Mumbai nightlife curator Pratik Gaba is named after the Sanskrit word for the fire ritual The interiors are dressed in earthy colours with stucco tiles and red burgundy and the theatre seating as its focal point The outdoor vibes to a modern brick garden with plush seatingBroccoli AlmondFor Saurabh Udinia its culinary director itrsquos a homecoming after 18 years mdash after stints at Indian Accent and Massive Restaurants as well as earning the nod of Worldrsquos 50 Best and Michelin Guide with projects including Revolver Singapore Udinia tells us how he roped in a Thrissurbased friend who specialised in smokers to design the grill Beside it sits a plancha salamander a high temperature overhead grill and a handmade tandoor with a copper outer bodyAshish Tamta makes Not A Picante and A chef plates Bharwan Morel PicsSatej ShindeTaste theatricsThe team moves like clockwork working the tandoor grill and plating food art The Bhalla in our chaat is made from canisterstored batter dispensed in an air fryer to attain an everlight texture on the palate The chutneys are bang on mdash spicy sweet and tangy The Punugulu R315 is an Andhrastyle bonda filled with prawn recheado and injected with balsamic vinegar and sprinkled with a house chilli dustThe interiors highlight the theatrical vibe of the restaurantThe crisp brioche in Pork Tartine R325 has a slather of purple cabbage coleslaw made tangy with yuzu The pulled pork is cured with a mix of three sauces he calls MoSaMa mdash Moily Sonth and Makhani The amalgam conjures umami The Bharwan Morel Rs 395 stuffed with cheese is served in a pool of mushroom nihari with coriander oil and chilli oil The earthiness of produce and slow cooking combines comfort with indulgenceBhalla Ashes To Oolong and SaffronWith the Scallop amp Crab Rs 1245 the scallops are cooked directly on coal to get a gentle burn extracting the flavour of the fire and retaining the plump flesh inside Served with mud crab cooked Keralastyle with coconut garlic curry leaves and black pepper Broccoli Almond R495 is a filling vegetarian main that resembles a broccoli tree peppered with a crispy spice crumb of almond pista and cashew in a chilli oil mix The creamy almond korma is lightened as an espuma foam but in a parallel universe it matches with an oldschool malai gravy Dishes represent strongly rooted Indian flavours where modern techniques are applied only to mark a progressive landingClean cocktailsAs we watch the kitchen prepare our meals Beverage Head Ashish Tamta arrives bearing a fruit basket filled with Valencia oranges plums clementines and grapefruit ldquoThe idea is to sweeten the drinks using fruit ldquoWe ask our guests if they prefer sweet or citrus drinks and choose the fruit accordinglyrdquo Tamta reveals The cocktail programme designed by Pankaj Balachandran of Countertop is lsquosmashablersquo mdash spirit muddled with fruit and served on ice When we peek at his bar counter in a corner there are batched concoctions steeping in the corner while pour overs clarify the drink Mango BellPratik Gaba and Saurabh UdiniaThe Ashes to Oolong R1050 a whiskey highball with Hojicha Japanese tea with passionfruit and pandan has undergone a 12hour carbonation Good news for teetotallers the bar pays equal attention to its zero proofprogramme Not A Picante R400 plum and pickled tomatoes in jalapenos with a rim of kaffir lime Complex in its making both the drinks are balanced and easy to drinkThe desserts are equally dramatic Chocolate R550 is a 55 per cent dark chocolate mousse with nut nougat drenched in a caramelised white chocolate A savoury sprinkle of sea salt balances the chocolate overdose Saffron R 550 is gajar ka halwa topped with rasmalai soaked in saffron milk and a cold dollop of vanilla pod ice cream A ghoonghat of agar agar milk sheet tempers the drama Itrsquos curtains in a good wayHOMAT Shop no 1 Zindagi Pali Road 15th Road Bandra WestTime Dinner Tuesday to Sunday 7 pm1 am Call 9892776672Cost Rs 3750 to 4750 tasting menu a la carte available