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Mint
19-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
Sake sips and elevated Japanese at this new restaurant in Mumbai
Until recently, if you were in Colaba and had a hankering for Japanese food, you'd have to head over to The Taj Mahal Palace and max out your credit card at Wasabi by Morimoto. Or make do with pan-Asian spots that also serve sushi. Unlike Bandra, where you will trip over a Japanese restaurant every few metres, Colaba seemed inexplicably bereft of options—until the arrival of Otoki earlier this month. 'We realised there was an opportunity for an authentic Japanese restaurant in Colaba. Otoki is born out of our deep admiration for Japanese culinary culture, its simplicity, precision and soulfulness," says co-founder Anurag Katriar. Both Katriar and co-founder Pranav Rungta are veterans in the food and beverage space, running Indigo Deli and Nksha restaurants respectively. In fact, Otoki is housed in the same space where the now-shuttered Indigo Deli Colaba used to be. The dual-level restaurant designed by Sarah Sham of the Mumbai-based design firm Essajees Atelier, reflects the quintessentially Japanese minimalist ethos. True to its name, which means elegant or classy, Otoki is all about intentional restraint. The earthy palette is muted and natural materials like warm wood and stone abound. A striking light fixture of white metallic ginkgo leaves suspended over the main dining area, is the only ornamentation. Despite its sculptural form, the centrepiece brings softness and movement into the high-ceilinged space. Also read: Japanese dining in India finds its ikigai Take your pick between the brightly-lit and buzzy downstairs (which includes a small bar with seating) or the more subdued upstairs with muted lighting. Speaking of the bar, you will find a handful of signature cocktails featuring Japanese spirits and ingredients like umeboshi (pickled plum), yuzu, gari et al. However, you'd be remiss to ignore Otoki's fantastic sake programme. It's curated by Maia Laifungbam, a certified Master of Sake and India's first Japanese sake brewer (her own brand of sake will launch later this year). With more than 30 labels on offer, it is certainly one of the most extensive sake menus in the city. 'You don't have to commit to a whole bottle; most of our sakes are available by the glass," says Laifungbam as she pours out a glass of Born Gold, a smooth, fruit-forward Junmai Daiginjo (highest grade of sake with no additives). Laifungbam even varies the ochoko (sake glass) as we progress through the evening. We sip the Born Gold from a gold-coloured ochoko that accentuates the sake's yellowish colour, while the Hakutsuru Toji-Kan (which means Brewer's Pride) sake is served in a 'janome' or a white ceramic cup with concentric blue rings that's generally used by brewers to examine the colour and clarity of sake. The kitchen is spearheaded by chef Mohit Singh, whose tenures include the three-Michelin-starred Kikunoi Honten in Kyoto, one-starred Inddee in Bangkok and the three-starred Boury in Belgium. Driven by an early fascination with Japanese culture, Singh immersed himself fully by learning the language, earning certifications in traditional kaiseki and fugu (blowfish) processing, and studying advanced Japanese cuisine at the prestigious Tsuji Culinary Institute in Osaka. Singh's over technique is evident on the plate, whether it's the meticulously crafted maki rolls or the wholesome ramen. Like other premium Japanese restaurants, Otoki imports most of its produce from Japan or Thailand, although condiments like soy sauce, wasabi and gari are made in-house. As is the tofu, perhaps the softest and best we have eaten (at least in India). It features in the delicate miso wan (soup) with miso broth and vegetables. 'While we wanted to create an authentic Japanese restaurant, we obviously had to have vegetarian options. So, nearly 40 to 50% of our menu is vegetarian-friendly," explains Katriar. Case in point is the next dish that arrives at our table, a nigiri with 24-hour pickled tomato. It's umami-rich and flavoursome that we order a second round without hesitation. From the sashimi menu, we pick the bluefin tuna otoro (fattiest cut of the fish). It's a pretty plate with the delicately pink tuna slices contrasted with a bright green shiso leaf and some radish tsuma (thinly shredded garnish). More nigiri arrive at the table, including the extremely fresh hamachi (yellowtail) nigiri that's amped up with shoga-negi (condiment of ginger and green onion) and the sweet and savoury unagi (eel) nigiri torched with kabayaki sauce. Katriar recommends we try some of the kozara (small plates), particularly the chicken nanban. The batter-fried chicken doused in nanban vinegar is tender on the inside, and goes perfectly with tartar sauce while the accompanying cabbage and pickled tomato add further crunch and umami. Our other kozara, which is the ebi okonomiyaki, proves to be the only underwhelming dish in an otherwise stellar dinner. The profuse vegetable toppings completely overpower the crispy prawn pancake and the stingy helping of bonito flakes doesn't help matters either. The maki rolls are well done and vegetarians should definitely order the unusual yuzu miso roll stuffed with kanpyo (dried gourd strips), avocado, asparagus and cream cheese. We barely have any appetite left but it would be a travesty not to sample the ramen so we get the miso chicken one, which feels like a warm hug in a bowl; the six-minute egg in it is the best we've had in the city. Of the six listed desserts, we pick three. The Japanese cheesecake is more sponge-like than cheesecake, which is disappointing. However, the yuzu ice cream and the picture-perfect warabi mochi in mango and strawberry flavours cheer us up considerably. We leave with over-full bellies and the sense that Otoki hasn't just filled a gap in Colaba's dining scene—it has raised the (sake) bar. Also read: Bengaluru brews India's first homegrown sake Otoki is currently open for dinner, although lunch service will begin by the end of Joshi is a Mumbai-based travel and food writer.
Hindustan Times
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
China serious about winning gold at LA Olympics: Former Australia captain Steve Waugh
London [UK], : Cricket legend Steve Waugh believes China could become a major force in world cricket as the sport moves towards the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Speaking at an exclusive event at The Taj, St. James Court, hosted by Here and Now 365 Chairperson Manish Tiwari, Waugh said: "As soon as cricket's inclusion in the Olympics was announced, China started building a team. They are serious about winning gold." In this hearty conversation with Manish, Waugh also predicted how the T20 format is going to change the game and said, "T20 is massive now. It's billions of dollars, and it's growing every day." "Test cricket will survive, but T20 will dominate. Players will soon be contracted mainly to franchises. Test matches might even need special permissions," said the World Cup-winning former Aussie captain. He also shared his thoughts on how countries like Saudi Arabia and the USA are investing heavily in cricket and remarked, "It's exciting. The game is reaching new parts of the world, and the Olympics will take it even further." While the future of cricket was the highlight of the evening, the conversation soon turned to Waugh's deep connection with India. Manish Tiwari introduced him warmly as "Steve Da," a name given to him by the children at Kolkata's Udayan, a charitable home for children of people suffering from Leprosy, that Steve helps run. "When Manish called me Steve Da, it felt special. India is like a second home. The people, the culture, the passion it stays with you forever," Waugh said, smiling. Waugh spoke fondly about his many trips to India, not only as a cricketer but also as a photographer and humanitarian. He described India as "the best place in the world for photography," and recalled how one of his photos from Rajasthan won a World Photography Award. "In India, you really can't take a bad photo," he said, laughing. The evening then moved to Waugh's charity work, both in India and Australia. Speaking about the Steve Waugh Foundation, he shared a powerful story of a young boy who could not walk or talk but, after receiving therapy supported by the foundation, went on to win two Paralympic gold medals. "It's great when you see lives being changed. You realise how much impact you can have by simply getting involved and giving people a chance," Waugh said. Waugh also reflected on how he helped inspire other cricketers to take up charity work in India and added, "Back then, not many sportspeople were doing it. But I think seeing someone take the first step made others realise they could too." Manish Tiwari closed the session by saying, "Steve Waugh's story is not just about cricket. It's about leadership, humility, and using your fame to make a real difference."
