Review: KMC Bar & Bistro In Vikhroli Offers A Delicious Escape From City Bustle

NDTV

2 days ago

KMC Bar & Bistro, helmed by celebrated Chef Niyati Rao, is a well-known establishment in Fort, Mumbai. It is housed in a historic building in the heart of South Mumbai, just a few hundred metres away from the iconic CSMT. KMC opened a second outlet recently, and the nature of its location is almost the opposite of the first. KMC Bar & Bistro, Pirojshanagar, is located within The Trees complex in Vikhroli. It is markedly far away from the hustle and bustle of not just the city centre, but also the extended suburbs. This is one of the first things that struck us when we visited it on a cloudy Sunday afternoon. We felt we had entered a zone unlike any other found in Mumbai. This was appealing because there was serenity and silence, which allowed us to slow down and simply appreciate our surroundings (and the food that would arrive soon).
KMC Bar & Bistro, Pirojshanagar, is the newest venture of Chef Niyati Rao and the NISA Experience team (who are also behind Ekaa and Bombay Daak in Mumbai). Being situated within The Trees project by Godrej, it offers a unique kind of sanctuary to city foodies. When you enter the gates, you're also entering what's partly a hand-planted forest. A few turns inside, and you will reach the building that houses KMC. Inside, the bistro is polished and vibrant. Natural light flooded the space, since there were no tall buildings immediately nearby to obstruct the view. The ambience exudes refined relaxation - we felt like pausing, soaking in the beauty around us and also taking the time to savour our meal. As it was a rainy day, we chose indoor seating instead of the covered patio. There are plans to set up an open-air Art Terrace and sunken Amphitheatre al-fresco after the monsoon, we were told.
We dived straight into the tapas section, starting with the Garlic Churros. Topped with aged Grana Padano, its cheesy garlic flavour was quite satisfying. But we would have loved a heavier consistency to soak up our cocktails. We liked the dip it was served with, which was a combo of smooth potato puree and smoked green chilli thecha. This side is a small example of the kind of experimentation Chef Niyati's creations are known for, and it lends the menu a distinctive edge. Next, we tried the Elote Corn. It arrived as a single long piece of deep-fried corn rib, topped with a sour cream rub and crushed spicy potato chips. The rib was slightly messy to handle, but we couldn't complain about the taste. The mixed crunch of both the corn and the chips was interesting.
Among the non-veg tapas, we loved the Dakgangjeong Fried Chicken and would readily order it again. These were bite-sized treats of Korean-style fried chicken tossed with a sticky sauce. They retained their crispiness along with their sweet-and-spicy glaze, which was perfectly done.
We enjoyed various drinks with these small plates. Our favourite was the Jasmine Ginger Mule, an icy vodka-based cocktail that managed to nail the balance between the delicate notes of jasmine with the strong flavours of ginger beer. It was served in a beautifully engraved metallic tumbler. We also tried the rum-based Pistachio Tai, which caught our attention with its name. While it was light and refreshing to sip on, it turned out too sweet for our taste. From the classics category, the French Martini was made well and suited the leisurely mood of a Sunday afternoon meal.
Later on, we also had the chance to sample Mehfil-E-Sips, a selection of in-house liqueurs which are KMC's take on classics. They include the Orange Baileys, Irish Cream, Limoncello, Coffee Liqueur and Creme De Cacao. Sold in the form of 300 ml bottles, they can be savoured at the restaurant or purchased for later consumption.
Among the pizzas, we decided to skip the tomato-based ones and taste the Zucchini Pesto Pizza. My dining companion and I are far from 'health-conscious' foodies, but we thoroughly enjoyed this "green" delight. If every green pizza were like this one, we would be ordering them more often. It was layered with pesto, parmesan garlic cream, zucchini strips and pine nuts. Dots of feta and drizzles of olive honey elevated it further. The bread base was marvellously soft yet chewy and had a hint of smokiness.
From the large plates section, we went with one experimental and one classic dish. We tried Lentil Risotto made with creamy Indrayani rice, which was wholesome in the best way. Yes, there's no denying that it was quite close to khichdi - but that doesn't need to be a bad thing. The addition of butter garlic mushrooms gave it a yummy twist. We also relished the Kerala Fried Chicken Roll, which provided comfort of the other kind - thanks to its spicy, indulgent flavours. It was served with a delicious curry leaf aioli. Apart from such savouries, note that the food menu also features options for sandwiches, salads, pasta and all-day breakfast.
We ended our meal with two desserts. The Pina Colada was a light, easygoing treat featuring vanilla sponge, coconut cream, and passionfruit & mango puree, topped with a few pieces of charred pineapple. The KMC tiramisu was a showstopper - decadent layers of chiffon sponge, mascarpone with beautifully bitter coffee liqueur and lots of single-origin cocoa powder. It ended up being somewhat of a choco-coffee cake rather than a typical tiramisu, but it was an amazing dessert nonetheless.
Everything at KMC's Vikhroli branch charmed us: the flavourful food, the smart drinks, the warm service and the welcoming ambience. It made us want to return sooner rather than later.