Chef Manuel Olveira's La Loca Maria returns to Bandra at Pali Hill

The old place was on Turner Road and we were big fans of its sea bass crudo La Loca Mariarsquos chefowner Manuel Olveira who has worked with Michelin chefs Sergi Arola and Paco Perez and as Chef de Cuisine at fivestars in Mumbai and UAE is back after a sixmonth break This time at Pali Hill where Indigo used to stand The place is larger grander and the menu he says is Spanish and Mediterranean We are wondering why Olveira chose to ldquodiversifyrdquo when the city is already home to competent Mediterranean and Levantine eateriesWe drop by on the first day of operations and the interiors look every bit Spanish The murals by Zahabiya of Zaworks present handpainted iconography on natural stone that clads the arches and the impressive dome Think raging bull to flamenco dancers and octopus The Art Deco chandelier ornate mirrors tapestryclad bar faccedilade and a selection of pottery add to the moodMe Llama MaracuyaOlveirarsquos wife Mickee brainstormed with designer Minal Chopra to bring to the Bandra address a hint of the architecture from Toledo the ancient city that is the chefrsquos home Therersquos a private dining room that can seat eight to 10 guests and sports aged handpainted ceiling murals and heavily textured wallsAlmost every table has a view of the buzzing kitchen that occupies half the restaurant ldquoItrsquos his working space and we didnrsquot want to compromiserdquo says Mickee The eatery is named after Olveirarsquos mother who used to run the kitchen with an iron fist The apple doesnrsquot fall far from the tree We get a glimpse of this when we see Olveira work the kitchen and lose his cool in an instant during one courseLa Loca Maria translates to the crazy Maria informs Mickee ldquoShe is the reason he discovered his love for cooking and takes great pride in serving dishes created from scratchmdashfrom fresh homemade pasta to sauces to artisanal bread and icecreamsrdquo Olveira says that in Spain the food focuses on fresh quality produce and traditional cooking techniques ldquoA dish should taste smell and look exceptionalrdquo he says ldquoI turn to my classic culinary heritage but use local produce to create dishes that are modern and elegantly platedrdquoThe sea bass ceviche Rs 650 on the new menu he says is a different take on the crudo Seabass mandarin leche de tigre melon red onion avocado coriandermdash the freshness of ingredients comes through in every spoon Tapas represents the essence of how Spaniards eat and socialise and here the list has the classic gambas al ajillo or garlic prawns in chilli oil Rs 610 served with sourdough bread mushrooms and truffle croquettes Rs 450 topped with garlic alioli The pincho de calamares Rs 450 or skewers serve roasted calamari with a tartar dipChef Manuel Olveirarsquos La Loca Maria is back with a larger grander space and menuWe tried cocas Spanishstyle light crunchy flatbread for the first time itrsquos a light eat with a play of toppings The coca de queso brie Rs 590 has caramelised onion brie cheese charred grapes walnuts and arugulamdashthe mild buttery and creamy taste of brie goes well with the sweetness of charred grapesIf you like meat try the braised lamb Rs 1100 with parsnip puree herb and tomato polenta and pickled beets Our favourite though was the grilled John Dory R1200 beurre blanc mousse gnocchi braised fennel and purple cabbage puree The coming together of so many flavoursmdashas onemdashmade it a dish to rememberWhatrsquos Spanish food without the arroceria or Spanishstyle rice dishes Their black paella Rs 1500 has Spanish bomba rice cooked in seafood and squid ink broth saffron cuttlefish scampi scallops and green peas Olveira says he extracts the squid ink from fresh catch so that the taste is fresh and no preservatives are needed ldquoItrsquos a skill I had to learnrdquoThey do a deconstructed tiramisu Rs 550 with coffee crisps and ice cream that has been put on the menu by popular demand However we liked something called sweet and sour Rs 550 with chocolate sponge lime ice cream salted caramel and cream The bar employs fermentation sous vide cooking inhouse carbonated beverages rapid infusions dehydration and maceration The me llama maracuya R700 with vodka passion fruit puree campari lemon and housemade velvet falernum has a tangy fruity profile The mocktail Shining Star R375 made with pineapple juice star fruit cordial lime and star anise has a knockyouout sort of sour punch which we loveSo whatrsquos Mediterranean about this menu we finally ask The food here isnrsquot Spanish in the truest sense he explains Itrsquos what he cooks and it carries his signature Itrsquos about making the most of easily procured fresh produce and playing with techniques that he has learnt and mastered over the yearsOn one of the walls therersquos a copy of Daliacute Les Dicircners de Gala Itrsquos a limited edition book by Spanish surrealist painter Salvador Dali that features recipes and trippy photo collages from the OTT dinner parties the artist threw with his wife Gala ldquoItrsquos one of my favouritesrdquo smiles Oliveira who we felt like Dali is exploring subconscious imagery albeit through his food