LF Review: ★★★★★
A beacon of luxury for Mumbai’s locals and expats, the Oberoi Mumbai is the city’s indisputable landmark for top-tier hospitality and unfailing sea views. Mumbai, like every other city, has a rich culinary heritage. From delicacies birthed by the pace and flavor of the city to regional cuisines from all over India, this city has it all. And Ziya, at The Oberoi Mumbai, captures this essence in one menu.
Michelin-starred mentor Chef Vineet Bhatia MBE has introduced a newly reimagined menu, with a special focus on Mumbai’s rich culinary heritage. At Ziya, Chef Bhatia offers an innovative reimagining of classic regional dishes with surprising flavour combinations and artful presentations.
His new menu draws upon local flavours, from coastal seafood delicacies to street food favourites; every dish reflects the city’s dynamic cultural and culinary history. And I could feel it in every bite.
Through the Indian subcontinent
My experience started by first visiting the Eau Bar at the Oberoi for a special takeover by Singapore’s renowned cocktail bar Jigger and Pony. The Eau Bar’s opulent, art deco-themed interiors and an outdoor deck with panoramic ocean views were perfect for experiencing its collaboration with #5 of the World’s 50 Best Bars, as ranked in the year 2024.
From the special menu, we tried The Godfather, a simple cocktail with Scotch Whisky and Amaretto. This 1930s prohibition-inspired cocktail was reinvented with Hibiki and house-made progressive amaretto – a blend of akai umeshu and a complex plum kernel spirit, for a sweet and salty alchemy. This limited edition bar takeover, hosted by Saverio Casella and James Iain from Jigger and Pony, set the perfect backdrop before we headed for our meal at Ziya.
As one walks into Ziya, Oberoi’s quiet sophistication and Indian values are starkly noticeable. The interiors are minimalistic, however, there is a subtle grandeur to it. The walls are characterized by delicately carved screens or jalis in gold leaf patterns, reminiscent of the country’s heritage architecture.
While we waited for our table to be ready, we had a chance to glance through Chef Bhatia’s cookbook Rasoi: the New Indian Kitchen. The first Indian chef to receive a glorious Michelin star, his vision towards Indian cuisine has been unparalleled and very innovative. While I didn’t get a chance for a personal interaction, my culinary journey was impeccably absorbed with his imagination.
Ziya’s menu curates the best of Indian delicacies and a rich reimagination of Mumbai’s famous delicacies. The Signature Evolved chapter from the menu reflects Chef Bhatia’s fascination with creating complex flavors from simple ingredients. With Ziya Classics, he celebrates the timeless spirit of Indian home cooking. Each dish in this section is balanced with hearty flavors and beloved classics, with a dash of nostalgia. In its entirety, the menu pays tribute to Indian culture, and particularly, Mumbai’s multifaceted identity through its cuisines.
Highlights from the menu would include the quotidian Kheema pao – a beloved Mumbai street food classic reimagined as a soft bun with a meaty heart. The Chandani palak samosa chaat is Chef Bhatia’s nod to his memories of roadside snacks enjoyed on balmy Mumbai evenings. This is elevated in his chaat trilogy of Aloo Tuk, Papdi Hay, and Dahi Bhalla ice cream. The Tandoori cauliflower with coriander boondi tabbouleh and tahini raita is a playful pairing of Indian flavors, textures, and Middle Eastern spices. It is a tribute to the ancient trade routes connecting these lands via the port city of Mumbai.
Thecha lamb chops with sol kadhi rice cream – a bold reimagination of traditional Maharashtrian flavors, infused with Chef Bhatia’s masterful touch, combines the rustic heat of Maharashtrian thecha chillis and the creamy coolness of sol kadhi, for a perfectly harmonious taste experience.
The new menu also includes dishes inspired by the royal kitchens of Rajasthan, Mughal, and Nawabi feasts, the Punjab and Amritsar, Karnataka, and Hyderabad; regions known for their delectable culinary fare.
Elevating the taste of Mumbai’s cuisine
Being a true blue Mumbaikar, my excitement pretty much peaked when I looked at the menu to see reimagined classics. Food for me, like many others, will always be the biggest and the best way to evoke emotions and nostalgia. Ziya, with all its sophistication, is still reminiscent of the old-school restaurants that you would visit with your family or a large group to celebrate something special, or sometimes, just because.
The music was one thing missing from the ambiance. However, the clinking of the cutlery and hushed laughs from across the tables were good enough for me, at that moment.
For starters, we were served a kebab platter along with cocktails. A forever gin fan, I went for the Coconut Shore Breeze, made with Indian bitters and garnished with some coconut pieces, while my guest chose Kothmir Punch, a refreshing alcoholic take on jaljeera, a famous Indian household drink. The Coconut Shore Breeze had the bitterness of a Negroni balanced well with the sweetness and freshness of the coconut. The Kothmir Punch would work well as a post-meal drink to wash down the flavors of the menu.
The kebab platter comprised Chicken Nawabi Tikka paired with lentil cream called ‘Dal Noor-e-Badder’, Lamb Galouti with kulcha, and Lamb Seekh Kebab. The tenderly cooked Chicken Nawabi Tikka, supplemented with the tanginess of the curd and the flavors of the quintessential cashew nut based marinade, will perhaps transport you to one of the age-old stalls or unassuming restaurants in Old Delhi, flocked by crowds for their phenomenal dishes. The lentil cream added a neutrality to the Tikka. The Lamb Seekh had everything an excellent Seekh kebab would have – not overtly soft, especially from the outside. There has to be the right amount of springiness to it before you cut into the softer inner filling and this Seekh Kebab did not disappoint. However, the highlight of the platter would be the Lamb Galouti Kebab. Placed on a mini kulcha, this was singularly one of the best Galouti kebabs, something that Delhi gastronomes can note if they are looking for a kebab that will melt in the mouth.
For the main course, we went for the Dhaba Chicken Aloo from the Ziya Classics, Coastal Lemongrass Coconut Prawns, and an assortment of Indian breads. The Dhaba Chicken Aloo had not only the simplicity of its name, but also the authenticity. For the unversed, a Dhaba is a typical and usually affordable roadside establishment on highways that serves as a truck stop, and is one of the best places to try the local cuisine. While I thoroughly enjoyed the assortment of rotis with the Dhaba Chicken Aloo, the prawn curry had my heart. Growing up in a Maharashtrian household, I would look forward to my mother’s Sunday special prawn curry. The Coconut Lemongrass Prawns Curry paired with steamed rice is the ultimate comfort food. The creaminess of coconut milk and the tender prawns cooked to perfection was an absolute delight. Highly recommended for seafood lovers.
High in a food coma, we were still reeling from the main course when the chef requested to keep some space for the desserts. Out came A Date Night, Paan Party, and Rasmili from their dessert menu. A Date Night is a dish made of warm date and walnut halwa paired with two bite-size pieces of caramelized banana kulfi (a traditional Indian ice cream). The taste of pure ghee is unmissable in the date and walnut halwa. The temperatures in this dish are perfectly balanced, however, the combination of banana and date makes this slightly denser and sweeter for my liking. Paan Party was a delight and also a trip down memory lane. Made with paan kulfi, paan rabdi, and mukhwas granola, the nostalgia of the household ritual of relishing a post-dinner paan with the whole family comes to life in this dish.
Last but not the least was the Rasmili, a coconut tres leches cake topped with ras malai garnish, Bailey’s sabudana kheer (a sweet pudding made of tapioca pearls and Bailey’s Irish cream liqueur), and khaja (a flaky and layered Indian pastry made from wheat dough, widely popular in the Indian state of Odisha). Indulgent to the core, from the texture to the flavors, the Rasmili comes together as the perfect dessert. This Mexican dessert has been gaining a lot of popularity around the city and Ziya’s Indian take on this milk dessert is commendable.
The verdict
Knowing the reputation that Oberoi Mumbai has had for years, I was not surprised by my wholesome experience at Ziya.
Amit Kaul, General Manager at The Oberoi, Mumbai, said, “We have long enjoyed a warm collaborative partnership with Chef Vineet Bhatia at Ziya and continue to be enthralled with his innovative culinary imaginings, that so perfectly suit our esteemed guests at The Oberoi, Mumbai. We look forward to presenting our guests with this new menu and welcoming them back for more of our heartfelt hospitality at Ziya.”
Chef Bhatia’s vision and reimagination of the menu is sophisticated, and intricate yet has so much warmth. For expats and tourists, it is a great way to familiarize their palates with Indian flavors. For local connoisseurs, one might even have a little Ratatouille moment (if you know what I am talking about).
LF Review: ★★★★★
Coordinates: Nariman Point, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Ziya at The Oberoi, Mumbai is open for lunch and dinner, seven days a week.
