Where to eat… this April

There’s always a brand-new bar, a hot new chef, a splashy new dining spot, a pop-up to reserve, a sauce to taste, or, even at your usual place, an exciting new menu to try. Check Please, our monthly rundown of food news, is just the kind of edit for those who may not eat out every night but love to be in the know.

Hello summer and its many hot new restaurant openings, cool new bars, fiery and flowery food festivals—and also a pretty book or two for when all you want is an armchair, a quiet corner, and a refreshing beverage. 

In 10 days, Mumbai will get a genre-breaking cocktail bar by the same team that has given the country its most awarded tasting menu. On Amritsar’s Ranjit Avenue, sibling entrepreneurs will bring a new 5,800 sqft ‘dual concept space’ that segues from breakfast to Boulevardier. Zorawar Kalra has plans for a members-only bar in the capital. A beloved old Bengaluru mess is celebrating 100 years with a 292-page coffee-table book. Hyderabad has a farmers’ market that is all about Telangana’s produce. And Italian liqueurs made with gondhoraj lebu and Mahabaleshwar strawberries will soon be available at a store near you, no visa appointment needed. 

Save space for a heaving buffet of food and drink across the country this month.  Scroll below for details.

OPENINGS

Paradox, Mumbai

If you’ve been anywhere near Instagram lately, you’ll know that Aditi and Aditya Dugar’s brand new bar, Paradox, is now open for reservations. With rooms within rooms, the two-level space feels not like one thing but many. Upstairs brings a Mayfair private members’ club vibe with its lush bar, the mischievously embroidered walls featuring chimps, palms and bamboo plants. There’s lots of little fun details too, such as tables with sneaky cutlery drawers. Downstairs, an open kitchen with fantastic ventilation, and a PDR that feels like a luxury tent, lined as it is with custom Peter D’Ascoli prints on the walls and sofas. Paradox is architect Ashiesh Shah showing off his brand of maximalism for the first time. Themes abound, from the giant squid sculpture and head mixologist Ankush Gamre’s sketches in glass vitrines at the entrance, to a plethora of art and textiles from India. Chef Varun Totlani’s plates include a snap pea salad that begs for repeats, juicy crunchy fried chicken with a Kashmiri chilli hot sauce we licked clean, and a Goan choriz gimbap that sounds strange but is wildly successful. The squid is at the entrance for a reason. Gamre’s umami-loaded CThulhu from Paradox’s special zine cocktail menu has a touch of fermented squid liquid in tequila and pandan. On the night we visited, the Winking Lady was moving fast—it’s got Patrón Reposado, house-made peach liqueur, sweet vermouth, agave, and cherry. Feeling impatient for your next tipple? Fret not—there are also four cocktails on tap!

Gaijin, Mumbai

Chef Anand Morwani and restaurateur Rohan Mangalorekar of Pack-a-Pav and Rocketman Pizza have teamed up with Karan Gaba of Bombay Salad Co and Bokka to bring a Japanese restaurant to where else but Mumbai’s Linking Road. In Japanese, ‘gaijin’ means ‘alien’, or more kindly, outsider. We’re promised cheeky cocktails and a bold, rebellious take on Japanese food in a sharp, moody room where Brutalist elegance is matched with a vinyl-led music station. Doors to this Khar eatery open on the 24th.

Bène, Mumbai

No no, that’s not a typo, and this is definitely not about dosa. Bandra has a new Bène (as in the Italian “va bène!”), which is all about crisp rectangular Roman-style pizzas made with 48-hour fermented dough. Fun facts: pastry chef and baker Sana Kabra and chef Simon Piecyk from Lyon first met at his pizzeria and have been running Bène as a delivery-only kitchen for months. 

Cafe Lento, Goa

Sandwiches, pastel de nata, and croissants—Cafe Lento, the bakery by the folks behind The Second House, is bringing all of these and more to Goa soon. They even have a very strtong coffee program we are told. More on this in a week. 

Janot, Goa

After Cavatina and Table in The Hills, chef Avinash Martin is championing Goan and European food at his latest restaurant , Janot, situated in Panjim Gymkhana. On the menu of the six-week-old restaurant are playful plates from around the world reimagined, sometimes with Goan ingredients: baked brie and filo with mangado chili salsa, timur-crusted jumbo prawns on a bed of Aya Maria sauce with mofongo on the side, and kataifi cups with akuri, lump crabmeat and shaved black truffles. The Paloma becomes a Palomandovi with the addition of Goa’s summer staple, urrak. 

Hamilton, Bengaluru

Hamilton, a colonial era-inspired cocktail bar by the folks behind BLR Brewing and Beanlore, is now open in Whitefield. Punters can sip on cocktails like Nocturnal Affair (brandy, plums and apples, lemon marmalade, fresh lemon) and The Pea Coat (Tequila, Triple Sec, pea soup, coriander) in a blues- and jazz-filled room that looks like an opera house, balconies and all. 

Blondie, Mumbai

Heritage tiles, sun dappled tables, a wooden roof, rattan chairs—Blondie is the most un-Bastian space to come from Bastian Hospitality. This new 1,000-sqft cafe focuses on caffeine and theine and everything that goes with it. From their sap green La Marzocco Strada come single origin coffees from Costa Rica and Ethiopia, as well as cask-aged whiskey barrel brew, and Fruit Funk Anaerobic Naturals from Chikmagalur. Ceremonial-grade matcha from Kagoshima gets candied in Dreamy S’mores Matcha, and mango matcha latte. There is also coffee as confection in Mango Sticky Rice Latte, The Blondie Sunrise, and Vietnamese Coconut Coffee. And there is a benne dosa, but with bacon & sunny-side-up eggs and prawn thecha. All-day breakfast includes carbonara scramble, eggs Kejriwal, and akuri.

Zaatar W Zeit, Mumbai

Twenty-five-year-old quick casual global Lebanese chain Zaatar W Zeit (Arabic for ‘za'atar and olive oil’) has launched its first outlet in Mumbai via Passion Cuisine, the guys behind Tresind and Avatara. On the menu are ZwZ’s favourites like jibneh cheese manakeesh, and meaty flatbread lahmeh bi ajjine, and Famous Chicken wrap, Spizy Chicken wrap, and Classic Chicken shawarma. Meat-free? We hear the Brown Baked Falafel and Light Halloumi wraps are a hit, as are the skillets and salads. Dessert is Nutella & Banana manakeesh, of course.

Roma, Delhi

Connaught Place’s Georgian architecture has just gotten a touch of the Romanesque. A new European bistro in the centre of the capital has its exteriors inspired by Trastevere and Villa Doria Pamphili, and its interiors by the Fontana di Trevi. Roma, as the name suggests, is an Italian eatery by the team behind Chica and Qavalli. Yes, there is burrata on focaccia, and handmade ravioli stuffed with butternut squash, but also some decidedly un-Roman things, like avocado pâté; coconut fry prawns with white garlic chutney; and fried tamarind chicken with roasted cashews. 

Mamma Killa, Delhi

Word on the street is that Zorawar Kalra’s Massive Restaurants is opening a members-only bar in Delhi called Mamma Killa. Does the name indicate its location (near Purana Qila or Lal Qila), an Incan theme or both? We’ll keep you posted. 

Toa 66, Mumbai

Mumbai’s got a restaurant so specifically spliced, it’s got to be a first. Toa 66 brings a seven-course vegetarian (Jain-friendly) Thai tasting menu to the city’s OG party street, Veer Nariman Road. Toa’s co-founders come with good chops: Ishaa Jogani Shah grew up in Bangkok, and Deval Shah is a hospitality professional turned entrepreneur. So, don’t come looking for green curry and other Thai clichés. The meal starts with miang kham, a paan-like appetiser (its leaves among the many ingredients Toa imports from Thailand), and segues into textural kway teow lod (stuffed handmade rice sheet rolls in Penang sauce) and ends with oakwood-smoked Peruvian chocolate mousse with pandan cream. 

Tepah by The Bagh, Amritsar

Come for the kulchas and stay for a new coffee and cocktail programme. Tepah, in Punjab’s second-largest city, opens this week, serving runny eggs in the morning, potent pours at night, and a menu of familiar comfort classics to bolster its guests through the day. Tepah’s rock-face ceiling seems to be the design hack that takes it through the day—from co-working to brunch to bottle service. 

SPIRITS AND DRINKS

The gondhoraj limoncello has arrived

Who needs a Schengen visa or Sicilian lemons when we have gondhoraj? Unusual Spirits, a new alco-bev startup by former ad filmmaker and F&B professional Lolita Sarkar, has launched two Italian-style liqueurs using the desi fruit. Limoncello 24 is made with fresh gondhoraj lemons from 24 Parganas, and Fragoncello 412 is made from fresh Mahabaleshwar strawberries. These are entirely homegrown, handmade, and free of preservatives and artificial flavourings. Currently only available in Goa, the Limoncello is currently priced at ₹1,200 for 550 ml, while the Fragoncello is at ₹1,500 for 550ml. 

In (affordable) vino we trust

We’ve possibly found the perfect great value wine for picnics, pyjama parties, and pasta nights. Silk & Spice’s Red Blend from Portugal is now available in India via Aspri Spirits. It’s full and lush with cooked dark fruit, and soft with vanilla and mocha. There is enough balance and finish to prompt a second glass, and its price (approx ₹2,500) makes it taste extra delicious. 

BOOK LAUNCH

The MTR Story: A Labour of Love

It’s turning out to be a big year for sibling brand MTR Foods as well. For their centenary anniversary, Mavalli Tiffin Rooms has released a coffee-table book that explores the journey of the restaurant chain serving Kannadiga cuisine, spanning its humble beginnings as a simple mess and its journey to becoming a nation-wide culinary institution. The story is told through conversations with the Maiya family, MTR’s longtime staff, and regular patrons and is documented beautifully in The MTR Story: A Labour of Love, written by Pratima Chabbi. ₹2,000

POP-UPS, EASTER MENUS AND EVENTS

Farmer’s Market, Hyderabad

Anyone who has sampled the fare at Terrai, from the horsegram rasam and jonna sundal, to the mutton dalcha and naati curry, knows that there is big Deccan flavour here from the first bite. And now, we can take some of it to our kitchens.

One of the many ways in which Terrai is celebrating the cuisine of Telangana, its home state, is by having a monthly Farmer’s Market. This brings the best of the region’s produce and products, such as organic veggies, preservative-free dairy, pickles, sustainable products, and kombucha, to Sattva Knowledge Park. Terrai also hosts a brunch featuring these seasonal ingredients.  

Indian Accent bring Benares to Mumbai

Benares, the 22-year-old Michelin-starred Mayfair institution is popping up in Mumbai this weekend, for two nights and four meals only, at Indian Accent in NMACC. Each course is in fact a pair, one by each restaurant. For example, course two has chef Sameer Taneja’s oysters two state (vindaloo and aam panna) matched with chef Shantanu MehrotraTelicherry pepper crab and Kerala istew. The meal is priced at ₹7,700 per head for vegetarians and non-vegetarians. (The tasting menu at Benares is for £135.) Benares’ sparkling tea will be served mid meal.

The Fiery Edit at Foo, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Pune

Every year we wait for Foo’s Annual Fiery Edit. The Asian restaurant’s scalp-tingling, tonsil-tickling menu designed for endorphin-chasing heat-seekers ups the bar on fire and flavour year on year. From this summer’s edit, we’re jonesing for Dumplings Don’t Lie (bell peppers, water chestnuts, habanero, chipotle), Quit Noodling Around (noodles, poblano and chipotle in a smoky sauce), and the pork lap cheong rice. One dessert features chilli guava jelly, and a cocktail combines tequila with kimchi brine, mezcal, and asparagus honey. It’s on until April 15, so go with fellow hotheads for maximum efficiency. 

The Sakura Festival at Donmai, Mumbai

Japanese restaurant Donmai is celebrating cherry blossoms until April 15 with a one-page menu that evokes hanami picnics and parties. Get the shishito robata; a heap of charred chillies are glazed with a tingly tare that had us licking the plate. Let the chilled Sakura cheese tart come to room temperature to really savour its kombu cream cheese topped with parmesan, yuzu furikake, and fermented honey. Finish with the charred Napa cabbage with miso butter and pickled shallots alongside a drift of beet-parmesan foam. There is also a whiskey sour with sakura cordial and a plump, pickled cherry. 

The Claridges Delhi

Handcrafted chocolate eggs, bunnies filled with candy, carrot cakes, pastries with names like The Bug Bunny and Carrot Pot, and of course, hot cross buns—it’s beginning to look a lot like Easter at The Claridges in the capital. Get them from Ye Old Bakery and Tiffin until the 20th of this month. 

Kappa Chakka Kandhari, Bengaluru and Chennai

Prefer quail egg roast to chocolate eggs? KCK’s Easter Sunday brunch is calling your name. Also on offer are KCK chicken fry, kudampuliyitta fish curry, beef fry, kachiya moru, and a seasonal thoran. Chef Regi Mathew has drawn on childhood nostalgia to deliver a feast that features homestyle Kerala classics. 

JW Marriott, Kolkata 

‘The Largest Delectable Easter Gathering’ is what the JW is calling its festivities in Kolkata this Sunday. To celebrate both Easter and Earth Day (on April 22), the hotel has created an Easter garden, with colourful florals and handcrafted Easter eggs, all matched with sustainable seafood, local Bengali classics like machher kaliya and paturi, organic options, and a vegan ‘steak’ counter with ‘hearty and wholesome plant-based cuts’.

Geist Brewing Co, Bengaluru 

Carbonara devilled eggs with parmesan crisps, warm tomato and spinach quiche, goat cheese and pumpkin tortellini in sage butter, spiced honey-glazed ham with roasted baby potatoes, grilled pineapple, and a pickled egg—Friday through Sunday, Geist is serving an Easter menu with hearty food that’s made for beer.  

Slink & Bardot x Maska Bakery, Mumbai 

Two good eggs—Ali Akbar Baldiwala of Slink & Bardot, and Heena Punwani of Maska—have brought together their powerhouse chef skills to create a wildly imaginative all-day Easter menu. Here’s a peek: devilled eggs with buff floss, goat cheese choux with carrot jerky, and savoury rose cookies with mushroom (or chicken liver) anticucho. Alongside, a bake sale gives celebrants a chance to carry home some cheer. We’re looking keenly at the Lady Marmalade croissant tart with orange curd, orange jelly, and the Easter marzipan cake. 

Sixteen33, Mumbai

Shakshuka, eggs Benedict, Caesar salad, avocado summer salad, chorizo-scorched olives, bacon-wrapped prawns with caper butter, miso buff stir fry, crispy ham, a selection of pastas and pizzas, red Thai curry, corn ribs, cheesecake and espresso martinis—phew, that’s only some of items on the menu at Bandra’s neighbourhood bar Sixteen33’s all-stops-pulled three-hour-long Easter brunch. Wear stretchy pants and write off the rest of the day.