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The Hindu
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Franco-American cuisine comes to Mumbai with SoBo 20's bold debut
Introducing Mumbai's seasoned, cosmopolitan palate to a new cuisine is no easy feat, but that is precisely what SoBo 20 sets out to do — offering the city its first taste of Franco-American fare. Marrying refined French technique with the heartiness of Southern American soul food, the Dubai-based Atelier House Hospitality (also behind INJA in Delhi) describes the venture as 'a thoughtful dialogue between two distinct culinary languages.' This is not a gimmicky fusion. As executive chef Sudeep Kashikar explains, 'There are plenty of Italian and European restaurants in the city, but nobody has really explored Franco-American cuisine. That's why we thought it was time.' Chic interiors Named after South Mumbai's pin code, SoBo 20 greets diners with a playful mascot — a pelican (Louisiana's state bird) in a beret — hinting at the restaurant's whimsical blend of French Art Deco and Southern American charm. Designed by Essajees Atelier, the space is stylish yet inviting: a marble-topped table adorned with fresh florals subtly divides the restaurant into a sleek bar and a warm, rust-toned dining room. White brick walls, leather chairs, and a deep green ceiling create a cosy, layered aesthetic, while brass saxophones and trumpets mounted on wood panelling evoke the spirit of New Orleans jazz clubs. On one side, large French windows flood the space with natural light; lush planters lend a soft green contrast. A discreet six-seater private dining room is nestled near the bar for more intimate gatherings. Fusion with a difference 'You wouldn't have tasted some of these dishes before,' says Panchali Mahendra, CEO of Atelier House Hospitality, and she is right. At SoBo 20, executive chef Sudeep introduces Mumbai to a bold new repertoire, drawing from Creole-Cajun traditions born in Louisiana — a melting pot of French, Native American, West African and Caribbean influences. In his hands, each dish is a thoughtful reinterpretation. The menu is cleverly structured, beginning with bar bites cheekily listed under 'Before the Ice Melts', followed by small plates, large plates, pizzas, and of course, desserts. All the breads are baked in-house, whether it is the crisp, wafer-thin pizzas, the warm, comforting cornbread, or the signature SoBo Bread. Though I rarely rave about salads, the Verte Salad was a standout, featuring classic French components like spinach, citrus jelly, candied walnuts, pine nuts, and a halo of fresh pea shoots. Given the number of vegetarians in South Mumbai, the menu offers plenty of thoughtful plant-forward options. Seafood lovers are in for a treat, with dishes spotlighting clams, prawns, tuna, salmon, sea bass, lobster, crab, even caviar. The chicken pillar, topped with glistening pearls of caviar over a velvety beurre blanc, is a surprising combination, but it works. Inventive touches abound. The Oyster Rockefeller swaps oysters for clams, baked with parmesan, panko, brown butter and chives — a deeply satisfying bite. The B&P Skewers are another standout: pork belly slow-cooked for eight hours, layered with spiced buff, grilled over a robata, and plated with avocado cream and chives. Other highlights include the indulgent lobster gumbo fried rice, the fried chicken burger, and a vibrant ratatouille that holds its own amid the meatier fare. Cocktail sips Curated by mixologist Supradeep Dey, the cocktail menu offers a clever fusion of classics drawn from both cultures. Each of the six signature cocktails is a thoughtful hybrid. Take the Sidecar Smoke, a bold whisky-forward concoction blending the Old Fashioned and Sidecar, theatrically poured tableside over a cloud of corn air. Brass & Bitters marries the Whiskey Sour and Boulevardier, served in a playful retro red glass, with bourbon at its heart. There is also a section dedicated to 'forgotten classics' such as the English Rose, Mamie Taylor, and Limoncello Sparkle —drinks you are unlikely to encounter elsewhere in Mumbai. The Vesper Martini, meanwhile, packs a proper punch — just as it should. One cocktail that missed the mark was the Royal Sazerac, a hybrid of the classic Sazerac and Kir Royale. Made with rye whiskey, sparkling wine, and bitters, it is topped with a thick blackcurrant foam that overpowers the drink. The texture made it difficult to sip, and the balance felt slightly off. Dessert With desserts as inventive as the rest of the menu, some making their city debut, the evening at SoBo 20 ends on a high note. Take the burrata ice cream, for instance, which chef Sudeep describes as 'a salad in the form of an ice cream.' Made with eggless burrata cheese, it is finished with a vinaigrette of orange blossom water, honey, extra virgin olive oil, and toasted almonds. Then there is the crème brûlée-filled ginger beignet, topped with Ossetra caviar — a one-bite marvel designed to be popped like pani puri, complex and indulgent. It is rare to step into a restaurant and taste something genuinely original. But SoBo 20 takes that leap, and in a city hungry for fresh, aspirational experiences, it is poised to strike a chord. A meal for two costs ₹7000 with alcohol; timings noon to 3.30pm and 7pm to 11.30pm
Mint
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Mint
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
