LF Review: ★★★★★
Mumbai’s culinary landscape has expanded by leaps and bounds, especially over the last four years since the pandemic. A range of authentic cuisines are now available for the locals. Perhaps, authentic Himalayan cuisine was the only one missing. But now, we have Across.
Located in the heart of Kala Ghoda, Across introduces a pioneering approach to dining, bringing the high-altitude flavors of Himalayan cuisine to the multicultural city. Blending traditional flavors with modernist techniques, this restaurant presents an opportunity to explore the depths of mountain flavors.
From mountains to the sea
Chef Viraf Patel and his Nepal-born wife Prakriti Lama lead this culinary journey, thanks to whom, the lesser-known facets of Himalayan cuisine find spotlight. The ingredients are diverse and scarce, but in the hands of the chefs, the untouched culinary heritage of Eastern Himalayas is transformed into a modernist expression of Himalayan cuisine.
Talking about the venture, Chef Viraf Patel says, “We are celebrating the culinary culture of the Himalayas while retaining the region’s rich heritage. We undertake the techniques passed down through generations and aim to highlight the distinctive ingredients while offering a contemporary twist to suit modern tastes and preferences.”
Chef Patel’s glorious journey and expertise heading a range of Mumbai restaurants has blended well with his wife, Ms. Lama’s, Nepalese roots. Her innate understanding of the cuisine and ingredients, combined with a refined palate, makes her a talented cook—though she humbly avoids the title “Chef” in deference to formally trained professionals.
The Across experience
I have thoroughly enjoyed my gastronomy experiences in Darjeeling and Sikkim. The spice levels and flavors perfectly complement the sharpness of the Himalayan air. However, my extent of trying authentic Himalayan cuisine in Mumbai may end with dim-sums, famously known as momos, a popular street food with many variations and wide availability. This was until my visit to Across. I went with absolutely no expectations, and truthfully, with very limited information, which worked well in my favor.
Although located in the buzzing Kala Ghoda neighborhood amidst designer showrooms and naval dockyards, simplicity is of essence at Across. Minimal interiors are accentuated by candle-lit tables and pictures of famous Himalayan motifs like the Himalayan chilies, cheese, and a Darjeeling tram cutting through the fog. It has the versatility of being a romantic date venue and a relaxed group outing. In either situation, the focus is the food.
The menu has a range of small and big plates, and interestingly, it often changes weekly or fortnightly, since most of the ingredients are procured from the region to preserve the authenticity of the taste.
I started with their house cocktail Hog Plum Swirl made with Himalayan gin and hog plum shrub. A fruit widely found in Nepal, this sweet and sour cocktail was refreshing. Other house cocktails that piqued my interest were the Yo-Gin made with Himalayan gin and fermented milk, and the Estate Manager’s Evening Tea – a bourbon cocktail paired with smokey tea and a slice of kanchan cheese (cow’s milk cheese mainly found in Nepal and sourced from Kalimpong for Across).
My cocktail was perfectly paired with Churpi Cheese Dip and Crisps. Churpi is a traditional homemade fermented cheese found in Nepal, Bhutan, and also the Northeastern regions of India. The cheese dip is cooked with ghee, onion, tomato, and ‘insecurity’ bread crisps. You might wonder what insecurity bread is. It is a tongue-in-cheek ode, coined by Chef Lama, to the creative challenges of cooking bread at higher altitudes, given the unpredictable nature of yeast. Witty!
I opted for Kothey Chicken Momos, Mutton Pakku Cutlet, and the Prawns and Mustang Jimbu from the small plates menu. Dim sum fans like myself should try the pan-fried crispy yet soft Kothey Chicken Momos with the spicy tomato chutney. I almost instantly reminisced about the streetside momos I had in Mirik, Darjeeling. The Mutton Pakku Cutlet is a crispy patty with a generous filling of slow-cooked pressed mutton. Served with yogurt, jaggery, and cumin sauce, this hearty cutlet is a must-try for starving mutton lovers.
My favorite among all three has to be the Prawns and Mustang Jimbu. It comprises a small bowl of slightly soupy, coconut curry of sauteed prawns with garlic, chilli, and Himalayan wild chives paired with insecurity bread. The prawns were cooked to perfection. The insecurity bread coupled with the curry has richness and warmth, making it an ideal choice for winter air. For the unassuming, Jimbu is an herb found extensively in Nepal and the Central Himalayan states. Alternatively known as Jamboo or Faran, this herb from the onion family is used for its rich flavor in seasonings, and also as a tempering agent.
For the main course, I had already made up my mind about trying Ema Datshi. A local Bhutanese dish that found its way on social media a few months back, it is a spicy stew made from hot chilli peppers and cheese, served with red rice. I didn’t get the hype around the dish until I tasted it. Simple, nutritious, and moreish, Ema Datshi can be a go-to comfort food for all seasons. I also tried the Chicken Curry – a hot smoked chicken leg simmered in onion and tomato gravy, served with ghee-infused rice and dill potato.
It was now time for the swan song – the dessert. The dessert menu, as opposed to the big and small plates menu, is not very extensive. Across offers four desserts. The Creme Caramel is a caramel custard with Chakku or Chaku, a Nepalese confection made from sugarcane juice, jaggery, and ghee. The Hog Plum Granita is a sweet and sour iced plum reduction with whipped sweet yogurt. The German Bakery Walnut Cake, a favorite among many, is a simple moist walnut flour cake with boiled chocolate icing.
The dessert that caught my eye was the Apple Cremeschnitte and I was exceptionally gratified with my choice. A Cremeschnitte, or a Vanilla Slice, is a puff pastry of Eastern European origins. This dessert can be a sensory experience for the discerning. The presentation was appealing, however, I was impressed as I heard the fresh crackle of the puff pastry. Surprisingly, it was not crumbly and the consistency was on point. The whipped vanilla cream and the stewed Himachal apples lend a delightful softness and balance the crispiness of the puff.
The final words
Atmospherically, one thing that in my very personal opinion could augment the dining experience, would be Himalayan music – either instrumental or maybe exploring some local artists from Nepal or Northeastern India, especially considering the very active and notable music scene around the region.
The limited capacity of my stomach kept from trying some other equally tempting dishes, such as the Corn & Nettle Soup sprinkled with Himalayan wild chives, Buckwheat Fries with salyan timur and chilli, Tibetan-style Fry Bread topped with Kalimpong cheese, and Buff Choila – smoked buff infused with bold spicy seasoning and nutty red rice flakes. From the Big Plates, Festive 9 Bean Stew, Mushroom Thukpa, Himalayan Trout, and the Buff Kheema are also highly recommended.
The star here is, indubitably, the food, and the key to that is the veracity of the Himalayan cuisine that Chef Patel and Chef Lama bring to the table, in every sense of the word. For those who have a prior inclination or experience with Himalayan cuisine, you will not be disappointed. For those who have never tasted it before, you will be pleasantly surprised by the burst of flavors. Every dish reflects the influence of geography on gastronomy and tells stories of remote mountain communities.
LF Review: ★★★★★
Coordinates: Hari Chambers, 5, 58/64, Shahid Bhagat Singh Rd, Kala Ghoda, Fort, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
