Are you drawn to restaurants, cafés, or supper tables that go beyond serving a meal to telling the story of a place, a community or a lesser-known cuisine? My travels around the world have made me naturally curious and appreciative about both, humble and intimate dining spaces that hold a cuisine in high esteem, where the menu narrates a wholesome story and where the overall theme is rooted in a genuine love for what they represent.
Thanks to ambitious restaurateurs, passionate chefs and curious food lovers, India is witnessing a boom of global cuisines, and Delhi-NCR in particular, is having its moment. We no longer have to travel across the world to experience the multicultural flavours. You name it and the capital city has it. Delhi’s culinary map has another intriguing destination now. Mexican and Nikkei cuisine no longer require a passport. Selva at WorldMark 4, Aerocity is awaiting you.
What is Selva? Forest or more….
The name ‘Selva’ refers to the rich jungle, thriving tropical forests of the Amazon Basin, stretching across South America. True to its name, Selva embraces the spirit of discovery, venturing into the unknown, taking diners through unexpected flavours, nature-inspired ingredients and the vibrant culinary traditions of Latin America. The restaurant is born out of deep personal exploration and love for unfiltered Mexican- Nikkei cuisine. Through Selva, the founders Sarthak & Samarth Sidana wish to introduce people to these interesting cuisines in a way that is approachable, while staying true to the flavours, techniques and ingredients that make them special, also staying true and honest to their passion towards F&B. They have no intention of making Mexican or Nikkei food “Indianised”.
When I asked what sparked the idea for the restaurant. Sarthak Sidana quotes, “It really started with Samarth’s travels to South America. He would travel to Peru, Mexico and Colombia with his father for work, and through those trips, he was introduced to a completely different world of food. He discovered Mexican and Peruvian cuisine in a very local, unfiltered way. Through neighbourhood cantinas, small restaurants and places recommended by local business associates. The freshness, acidity, spice and punchiness of ingredients felt incredibly exciting, and in many ways, familiar to the Indian palate. When he introduced me to these flavours, I fell in love with them too. Nikkei brought another dimension to that. The precision and techniques of Japanese cuisine, combined with the boldness of Peruvian flavours and ingredients, created something that felt both completely new and yet very intuitive. Over time, it became almost a ritual for us. Every time we travelled, we would seek out the best Mexican or Nikkei restaurant in the city. We weren’t just enjoying the food anymore; we were collecting experiences and flavours. Selva is essentially an expression of that journey, taking the food and experiences that made us so excited about these cuisines and bringing that feeling back home.”
A cultural exchange along with an arresting architectural language
Last week, I walked into Selva with the intention to find out more about this much-talked about Japanese precision and Peruvian boldness as well as satiate my intrigue. My love for Mexican food is limited to tacos, guacamole and salsas, hence I was keen to know more. For Nikkei cuisine, I googled on the way to be able to handle the surprises at Selva (if any). Interestingly, Nikkei cuisine brings along a whole lot of history and techniques. It emerged from the Japanese immigrant experience in Peru, often known as a cuisine shaped by migration, memory and the gradual blending of two distinct culinary cultures.
I settled in soaking in the little cues on the table and the space around. The food was yet to arrive, but there was already plenty to notice about the classy and elegant vibe. The dim light, the use of lamp on the table, the table settings, and even the plates made a statement and mirrored a concept. I loved the washroom wall that had rainforest artwork. Soon, I walked around to find my way to the more elusive Selva Maya. While Selva remains an all-day dining space, the mystical world of Selva Maya comes alive as evening sets in, transforming the mood with an entirely different repertoire of cocktails and mocktails inside a hidden den. Architecturally, the space felt like stepping into another realm, with an impressive design language. The circular design, atmospheric lighting, and intimate settings added a whole lot of mystic to it. Even without a drink in my hand (as I am a teetotaller), I lingered, taking in the details. It was evident that Selva was not just about the food; it was an experience to indulge into.
On my plate
To tickle our tastebuds, we started our meals with the Ava Guac in Nori Tacos and Kakiage Tempura in Sushi. For the sea food lovers, the Tuna and Salmon tartars would be a great pick. The guacamole and micro greens wrapped inside the seaweed tacos had a very crisp and comforting taste. The flavours were precise and the finish was wonderfully clean when it came to the sushi. Next, we ordered Tlayuda (Cold pizza) and it had to be Mexican beans. It arrived cold, crunchy, airy and impossibly fresh with the beans. And it was also a reminder of how rich and savory vegetarian food can be. It was easily one of the strongest dishes of the evening. Avacado and Salmon avocado were other two options, which looked equally enticing. ` ““
Among the Entradas, we ordered Gyoza and Chicken Karaage. Gyoza a delicately tender wrapper had the juicy fillings inside. The hot, juicy chicken bites seasoned with the right ingredients made the flavours evolve and gently rushed me into the second bite. In Robotayaki, we wanted to go for something that is not on usual platters. Purple potato turned out to be a great pic- smoky at the edges and almost buttery and lovely purple within. The heat had enhanced the sweetness within. In the large plates, we were drawn towards Grilled Panela in Mole Negro Sauce. Honestly, this was not what we had expected. This one turned out to be a little grim- a very average combination of cottage cheese and rice. To make up for it, Black garlic Udon and the Churrus came to our rescue.
Needless to say, Selva made for a romantic dinner date taking us through an exciting journey of Mexican cooking, Peruvian ingredients and Japanese techniques. We enjoyed our food with two very interesting and recommended Jasmine Kaffir Lime and Hibiscus lemongrass.
Selva’s menu took nearly two years to develop on paper, but its roots go back much further. The travels of the founders, the dishes that they encountered and the flavours they kept returning to gradually are the real pillars of the restaurant’s culinary identity. Selva gets it finesse as the very popular Vaibhav Bhargava is the consulting chef, with 20 years of experience under his belt.
