South Mumbai has a new French-American eatery that puts caviar at the centre

After a long gap, south Mumbai seems to be getting a shake-up with a slow but sustained arrival of new restaurants and concepts to the neighbourhood. So far, this year’s new additions have seen The Dimsum Room at the iconic 30 K Dubash Marg where Irish House used to exist; Otoki, a new izakaya-style eatery that has come up in the OG location of Indigo Deli in Colaba; Toa 66, a new vegetarian Thai eatery on Mumbai’s OG party street, Veer Nariman Road; and now SoBo 20, the newest French-American eatery to open at the InterContinental Marine Drive. (Also true are murmurs about a soon-to-arrive, buzz-generating Wagamama in the Eros precincts, but more on that later).

Perhaps it’s the ease of the coastal road that brings these places within reach of both Bandra’s hip and Colaba’s jaded residents. Over two decades, The InterContinental Marine Drive has been the spot for many a proposal or sunset cocktail on its rooftop restaurant, Dome. It marked a stark contrast from Natraj Hotel, its predecessor, which had families sitting by the sea, sharing ice cream at Yankee Doodle, while twentysomethings made a beeline for RGs. Now, the ground floor of The InterContinental Marine Drive becomes home to another hangout, Sobo 20, which features the city’s aspirational pincode in its name.

SoBo 20, which spotlights Creole-Cajun cuisine on its menu, is the latest offering by Dubai-based group Atelier House Hospitality, which also launched INJA and Camillo’s in New Delhi. By bringing a cuisine so far not explored in Mumbai, the restaurant hopes to offer residents another reason to visit the hotel.

In appearance, SoBo 20 looks like a restaurant tastefully designed and made for grownups, but look closer and you’ll see how it uses Instagram’s favourite food flex— caviar—on its menu. In an age when caviar bumps have taught tech bros to swallow a dollop of the fish roe, SoBo 20 offers a subtle introduction.

Their chicken paillard, traditionally a French dish, brings together a lush beurre blanc with briny caviar eggs. The latter don’t overwhelm but rather serve as little salty bursts of flavour enlivening the bites. That’s because the tiny fish eggs are spread over the pounded chicken cutlet.

The paillard is one among a succession of dishes that we taste at the restaurant that are comforting but executed with finesse. In others, head chef Sudeep Kashikar takes the familiar and gives it a regional spin—for instance, a burger comes seasoned with cajun, his take on a Louisiana fried chicken. Kashikar, who has worked at Olive Mumbai and also currently heads the kitchen at Camillo’s in New Delhi, knows how to do Italian favourites well. So, there is some spillover in dishes like the penne alla vodka, which is neither Franco or American but is definitely great. Its accompaniment—andouille sausage—is what makes it a likely fit on this menu.

While Creole-Cajun cuisine has a lot of grilled, fried, seasoned meat and seafood, vegetarians too have many options at SoBo 20: there are pizzettes topped with sun-dried tomato and basil, and a verte salad that brings classic French ingredients like spinach and citrus gelee to the table.

Designed by Sarah Sham’s Essajee’s Atelier, the space marked by earthy greens, textured brick, and fluted wood leans into the Louisiana storytelling with a few stray elements—there is a trumpet sculpture on the wall and a pelican mascot for the eatery. Altogether, the space makes for a good spot to hang out with colleagues for post-work drinks.

Start the night with their pliant and indulgent focaccia that’s deep fried for crunch, and then opt for the buff-filled boudin balls. The cocktail menu serves most of the classics while also showcasing a list of signature tipples that typically bring together two classics—take the Brass and Bitters, a union of the Boulevardier and Whiskey Sour, or berry-forward Royal Sazerec, which combines elements of the Sazerac with a Kir Royale. Spirit-forward tipplers will also love the martini here; their bold, citrusy concoction is something you’re likely to come back for.

End your meal with a delicate beignet—a New Orleans staple that’s made the journey from TLC food shows of the ’90s to today’s Marine Drive—which too is topped with caviar. It’s an assertive dish that brings the nutty saltiness that caviar is prized for to a pillowy dough spiced with ginger. Caviar or not, end the night with their burrata ice cream or the smokey chocolate pate, which is served with a dollop of crème fraiche, making it a sweet ending—just like those trips to Yankee Doodle.

Meal for two: ₹7,000 with drinks

Timings: 12 noon to 3.30pm and 7-11.30pm.

Address: InterContinental Marine Drive, 135 Marine Drive, Mumbai 400020

Reservations: Call +912266399963 or WhatsApp +917506229762