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A new Mumbai restaurant honours Louisiana's fascinating Cajun-Creole cuisines

Prachi Joshi Cajun and Creole are distinct food cultures shaped by colonisation, race, class and language. Expect lobster gumbo fried rice, caviar beignets, and Franco-American classics at Marine Drive's brand new spot SoBo 20 Fried beignet with caviar (left) and soft shell crab linguine Gift this article 'I have never been to the US," says Sudeep Kashikar, executive chef of Sobo 20, which recently opened at the InterContinental Marine Drive, Mumbai. The admission takes me by surprise, since the restaurant is positioned as 'Franco-American', combining the bold flavours of Louisiana's Cajun-Creole cuisine with French techniques. Wouldn't some level of first-hand experience be necessary? Particularly since it's a relatively niche cuisine that's not as well known in Mumbai as say Italian or Japanese. 'Sure, I didn't have a reference point, but I read (cook)books and researched via the internet. I have taken the classics and given them a touch of local elements that I eat here. To be honest, I just want to offer some tasty food that justifies the cuisine," says Kashikar. Perhaps coming to a cuisine with few preconceived ideas is a good thing. It certainly translates well on the SoBo 20 menu where almost every dish has an element of surprise. 'I have never been to the US," says Sudeep Kashikar, executive chef of Sobo 20, which recently opened at the InterContinental Marine Drive, Mumbai. The admission takes me by surprise, since the restaurant is positioned as 'Franco-American', combining the bold flavours of Louisiana's Cajun-Creole cuisine with French techniques. Wouldn't some level of first-hand experience be necessary? Particularly since it's a relatively niche cuisine that's not as well known in Mumbai as say Italian or Japanese. 'Sure, I didn't have a reference point, but I read (cook)books and researched via the internet. I have taken the classics and given them a touch of local elements that I eat here. To be honest, I just want to offer some tasty food that justifies the cuisine," says Kashikar. Perhaps coming to a cuisine with few preconceived ideas is a good thing. It certainly translates well on the SoBo 20 menu where almost every dish has an element of surprise. Consider the beignet, a deep-fried pastry brought by French colonists to New Orleans, Louisiana (NOLA) in the 18th century. It was eventually assimilated into homestyle Creole cooking, and is today considered an essential NOLA breakfast item, served dusted with powdered sugar. Unlike the square or rectangular Louisiana beignet, the one at SoBo 20 is a round ball delicately perched on a stemmed dessert dish, and topped with a dollop of caviar. As instructed, I eat it in one bite—the buttery caviar contrasts with the crispy doughnut, while its savoury notes enhance the sweetness of the ginger brûlée filling—it's an apt representation of what you'd imagine as Franco-American. 'For me, SoBo 20 isn't just about introducing a new cuisine; it's about creating a new emotional and sensory experience," says Panchali Mahendra, CEO of Atelier House Hospitality, which runs SoBo 20, and over 30 other restaurants across India, USA, Middle East and Turkey, including Delhi's INJA and the one Michelin-starred 11 Woodfire in Dubai. 'The blend of French finesse and American heartiness, especially from Louisiana traditions, fits beautifully with the vibrancy and openness of Mumbai," she adds. Lobster gumbo fried rice. While often hyphenated, Cajun and Creole are distinct cuisines shaped by colonisation, race, class and language. In simplest terms, Cajun cooking is more rustic, and Creole more refined or 'city cuisine', particularly from NOLA. Both cuisines use an array of spices and herbs, usually a combination of white, black and cayenne peppers, smoked paprika, onion and garlic powders, oregano, cumin etc. in different proportions. Considering the familiar spices and flavours of this cuisine, it's surprising that no restaurant has yet attempted to build a menu around it. 'Mumbai's dining scene has often leaned either towards the familiar or the hyper-modern. I think it (Cajun-Creole) hasn't happened yet simply because it demands a nuanced hand, and a willingness to educate the diner without being didactic," says Mahendra. Case in point is the lobster gumbo fried rice. Gumbo is the mainstay of Cajun-Creole cuisine, a meat or shellfish stew that's traditionally served with rice. Coarse-grained smoked andouille sausage is added to bring piquancy and the stew is often thickened with okra. At SoBo 20, Kashikar turns the dish on its head by making fried rice in gumbo reduction with bits of housemade andouille sausage and batter-fried okra as topping. The Mumbai-bred chef's local instincts also bring coastal flair to a few of the dishes. For example, the bar bites feature gambas, or three types of shrimp on a chicken skin crisp with some chilli-garlic okra thrown in. I'm not too keen on the slimy texture of the okra, but Kashikar tells me that it's a deliberate play to introduce different textures. However, the Creole-marinated shrimp topping is a flavour bomb with the added umami of sukat or dried shrimp that's an integral part of Maharashtrian coastal cuisine. Other standouts on the menu are salmon carpaccio with dehydrated black lime, the cobb salad with assorted greens and chicken floss topping, and soft shell crab linguine where the velvety pasta pairs well with Cajun-spiced crispy crab. Of course, there are plenty of vegetarian options on the menu, including potato mille-feuille, Cajun bean frites, butter squash ravioli, wafer-thin pizzas and more. The signature cocktails also lean into the vibe with mixologist Supradeep Dey referencing both French and American classics to create inventive tipples. But it's the food at SoBo 20 that really shines. Much like its mascot—a pipe-smoking pelican (Louisiana's state bird) sporting a dashing beret—it's unique and classy, a perfect fit for South Bombay. Also Read | Make rasam with a twist—use a French Press SoBo 20 is open for lunch from 12 noon to 3:30 p.m., and dinner from 7 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.; reservations 022-66399963. Prachi Joshi is a Mumbai-based travel and food writer. Topics You May Be Interested In