When the national lockdown was announced in March, Worli village was one of the first to fall into the containment zone list. Resto bar Slink & Bardot, nestled in an old villa at one of Worli's oldest gaothans, like all other restaurants in Mumbai, shuttered, believing it would be back in business in a month or two. It was a task for the team, to take stock and salvage what best they could. Vegetables were pureed and frozen, perishable food was distributed among staff, and meat was cured, sanitised and left to hang.

Chef and owner of Qualia, Rahul Akerkar interacts with guests in the new al fresco section. He has ditched elevated dining to include comfort food into the menu in order to reach out to a wider customer demographic. Pics/Ashish Raje