The mint new restaurant, Kadak, brings you closest to photogenic, delicious food in the middle of Mumbai’s fast energy. Get ready to feast on plates of robust Indian khana: celebrate honest, jaw dropping flavours in fresh, flavorful formats at the cosy eatery on the first floor at Iconiqa – the latest kid on the five-star block in the city.
It’s a cheerful concert of paintings on the walls. Limy green in Instagrammable corners, with lines of crows perched in artworks to tessellating butterflies to Mona Lisa with cheeky bubblegum pops to handstroked flowers, setting the mood for the natural light that spills in the background into the outdoor area cupped with pegged plant trellis. The skilful placement of mirrors, full length glass windows and happy hues lines the expansive run – lending a visual fluidity to the entire space.
Executive Chef Ritabrata Biswas lets his menu speak for itself. “Fusion is confusion. I believe in making each ingredient sing in the recipes, creating a symphony, without the drama. True to the classics,” he says. There is plenty to pick from the atlas of flavours: Puffed, crisp golden grain caresses the slow-cooked sharbati wheat, with secret mango yogurt spoonfuls tucked deep within. The crunchy peanut sprinkle adds to the crunchy cool quotient of the dish. A must for vegetarians. Just like the Hass avocado chaat layered with crispies, raw mango chutney and beet gel that brings in yet another Aha! Moment.
The quiet heroes run through every dish, winning your little heart and making it burst with joy. Like the burnt garlic mayo lines the tawa chicken in the changezi tartlets. Bite-sized, big on taste. The papdi toastada raises a toast to salmon tartare with yuzu slivers. Chives and chilli garlic chime beautifully with chilli lobster, and the fried curry leaf spins a delectable pirouette with the Indi-prawns pepper fry with coconut epsuma. It is tough to pick one showstopper with each dish scoring high in the freshness, ingenuity and flavours sweepstakes. Full marks.
If you are a seafood devotee, nothing can beat the Konkan seafood and red rice risotto. The perfect mating of Goan short grained red rice with the bivalvia. Hearty, comforting and fulfilling in more ways than one. The marine mollusk cheers on with juicy prawns with coconut masala and that hot, flaky parotta. Indian breads are superb. The khasta roti with slow cooked mutton swirling in chilli-licked gravy is a must.
Wrap up with the winsome strokes in sweet somethings. The re-constructed serradurra – Biswas’ ode to the Portuguese pudding – is light, laced with blueberry compote and simply lilting – you can eat bucketfuls, rather effortlessly. The baked chenna comes first too, with its caramel tones.
Honestly, restaurants pop up every day in Mumbai’s fickle foodscape. But Kadak brings in staying power. Here are soul food favourites jostling for your attention on the expansive menu. Kadak merits several visits, to be able to do full justice.
Take it from an Indian world-traveller. This place is legit.
Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.5/5
Kadak: ICONIQA Hotel Mumbai International Airport
Plot No. B, CTS. No. 1498, A/3, Village Marol, Andheri (E), Mumbai – 400059
Cost for Two: 2,000/- (without alcohol)
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