Appetite

Metro watch Mumbai
All change
Tetsuma in Colaba has a brand new menu until the end of March. Don't miss it. Anamika Butalia

Nestled in Colaba, Tetsuma, the only dedicated, standalone Japanese restaurant in Mumbai, has introduced an all-new menu till the end of March. And the restaurant’s loyal clientele, accrued over two successful years, is delighted. It’s the first time the restaurant has introduced a fresh menu, and Chef James Biaka has laid on a treat. There’s imported Chilean fish, scallops from the Atlantic and Norwegian salmon. The soft shell crab comes from California and the beef is from Brazil. Try as an appetiser the Sashimi Moriawase—a serving of red snapper, salmon and tuna. The Rock Corn/Shrimp in Creamy Spicy Sauce is a mouth-watering preparation with chilly mayonnaise sauce. Another great main course dish is the Sea Bass in Lotus Leaf. The fish is steamed in laksa sauce and served wrapped in lotus leaf. As an alternative try the Chilean Sea Bass. Red wine is the established accompaniment but the Chef recommends experimenting with juicy, white wines with Japanese fare.

Tetsuma also has a tiffin-style lunch service. A bento meal is an assorted pack of vegetarian Japanese fare and meats or sushis (costs between Rs 500-Rs 800), and is served with soup and rice. The sushi bento is by far the most popular service (take away/delivered in select areas). It is open for both lunch and dinner, and has a capacity of 70 covers at a time. For weekends, reservations are taken for 8.30 p.m. and 10.30 p.m.

Address: 41/44, Mon Repos, Ground Floor, Minoo Desai Road, Colaba, Mumbai—400005 Tel: 022 22876578
Timings: 12 noon-3 p.m. and 7-11.30 p.m.
Meal for two: Rs 2,600 (exclusive of alcohol)
Must try: Rock Corn/ Shrimp in Creamy Spicy Sauce, Sea Bass in Lotus Leaf, Sashimi Moriawase

Kick-starter

Delhi
Getting Jiggy with it
At Jiggs Kalra’s Punjab Grill, the happy hours last all day, and even include single malts.Dhiman Chattopadhyay

He has launched and has been on the advisory board of several of the finest Indian restaurants at home and abroad. But now, as he enters the eve of his career, the evergreen Jiggs Kalra—the first ever Indian to become a member of the International Food and Beverage Hall of Fame—brings us Punjab Grill, the first signature restaurant where he is a partner himself.

All roads seemed to be leading to Punjab Grill in Gurgaon’s Ambience Mall when I decided to visit one chilly Saturday evening. The place was packed even at 8 p.m. but thankfully Jiggs’ son Zorawar (who is the Managing Partner along with Dabur’s Vice President Amit Burman) had booked a table for us in advance.

For a man who doesn’t fancy himself much as a chef, Jiggs Kalra certainly has the Midas touch when it comes to food. “The food of undivided Punjab has a rich heritage,” Zorawar tells me. “Our menu includes a concoction of cuisines from Lahore, Rawalpindi, Kabul, Amritsar, Multan and Patiala. Though this restaurant is located inside a mall, we are open to the idea of stand-alone restaurants in different parts of the country.”

As I sip their fabulously rich lassi and await my Nalli Gosht and Guchchi Pulav, Zorawar gives me further good news. “The happy hours here last through the day. You can even order a single malt and get the next one on the house,” he laughs. I don’t need a second invitation! It seems Jiggs created the menu to include an almost equal number of vegetarian and non-vegetarian items. I tuck into the awesome Tandoori Duck, and the Salmon Tikka and Dahi Kebab makes me wish I hadn’t had breakfast. And oddly enough, the hottest selling dish here is a vegetarian one—the Guchchi Pulav is made from a kind of mushroom which costs up to Rs 22,000 a kg and which the Kalras obtain from Kashmir.

As I leave the place, stuffed, I make sure to take the stairs to the parking lot and not the elevator. I’ll be back, but only once I’ve started walking 5 km every morning.

Address: 3rd Floor Ambience Mall, National Highway 8, Gurgaon Tel: 0124-4665477
Timings: 12 noon-11 p.m.
Meal for two: Rs 1,500 (without alcohol)
Must try: Nalli Gosht, Guchchi Pulav, Tandoori Duck

Quiet, please:

Bangalore
Haute Cuisine
New in town, F Bar & Kitchen is a break from the traditional bistro or luxury dining experience. A franchise of the Parisbased Fashion TV, this resto-bar translates haute couture to the dining space and palate.

There are other F-Bars, as you know, in Delhi and Mumbai, but this is the only one to have a separate dining area. It’s an elegant set-up—dark leather upholstery and wood furnishings, with plenty of candles and warm colours. You’re separated from the throbbing bar but only by a pane of bronzed glass, so you still get a complete view of the action, fashion shows and all.

F Bar and Kitchen also gives its crème guests the option of a VIP lounge, complete with a separate bar. Other than a wide range of Mediterranean cuisine, the F Bar & Kitchen also serves finger food from the tandoor. The menu here changes faster than fashion, so drop by again in a few weeks.

Address: F Bar & Kitchen, St. Marks Road, Bangalore
Contact: +91-9886069660
Open: 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
Meal for two: Rs 3,000 (inclusive of alcohol)
Must try: Rubiyan Meshwi, Roul Bi Hum, Tiramisu