A couple of months ago, when Riyaaz Amlani, MD and CEO of Impresario Handmade Restaurants visited Goa, it wasn’t the usual Goan fare that made an impression of him. Instead, it was a rustic Naga kitchen called Meiphung Oriental helmed by Chef Livingstone Shaiza, that bowled him over with its punchy spices and earthy umami flavours. Patrons visiting Amlani’s Flea Bazaar Café can get a taste of the same, with Meiphung Oriental becoming the first restaurant to feature as part of The Cameo Kitchen.
“There are great restaurants everywhere and not all of them get the attention they deserve. We thought it will be interesting to bring them into people’s consciousness by bringing them to a new location,” says Amlaani, adding that the next one will probably showcase food from Tamil Nadu. The idea is to collaborate with chefs and restaurants across India and the world to cater curated menus, immersive experiences and introduce them to dishes and drinks, which might have escaped the radar, over a month-long period.
Of herbs and techniques
Shaiza seems to be at home amidst the lively and colourful interiors of Flea Bazaar Café with its multiple kiosks offering a variety of cuisines. “It’s a big opportunity for me to be here,” he says, as he takes a walk amidst the tables, before he reaches ours. Naga cuisine, he admits, is relatively unknown in a place like Mumbai. Shaiza, who hails from Manipur and belongs to the Tangkul Naga tribe, believes people are now more open to trying out new foods and he is eager to show them some of the standout dishes that his restaurant has to offer. “We hardly use any masalas or oils in our food. Instead, we use techniques like smoking and fermentation to bring out the taste of the vegetables and meats. Basil flowers, garlic and chives are some of the commonly used herbs and spices,” he adds. And what’s the one thing their food is incomplete without? “Chilli, lots of it!” he laughs.
Aromatherapy
We ought to have paid more heed to the chef’s words before taking a big spoonful of the Smoked Tenderloin Salad (₹300). The shredded house smoked jerky with pounded long beans, includes ghost chilli making the dish addictive, but really spicy. The Crispy Aubergine (₹290) which is stir-fried with garlic chives, spring onion, and burnt green chillies is really light but bursting with flavours. The Chicken with Wild Mushroom (₹320) has a spicy aromatic broth cooked with king chilli, soy and Langphong mushrooms, which we can’t seem to get enough of.
We try Shaiza’s favourite, Meiphung’s Famous Pork Curry (₹350) which is cooked with banana stems and a lemon flavoured herb called ‘Napa’ by the Ao Naga tribe. “The banana stems soak up the flavour of the sauce, making them juicy and soft,” he tells us. We wash it all down with the Rice Beer (₹180 for 330 ml), a refreshing drink made with a special wild yeast. There’s always room for dessert, and the Black Rice Pudding (₹220) made with banana and jaggery has a generous dollop of vanilla ice cream on top to round off the meal on a sweet note.
The Cameo Kitchen featuring Meiphung Oriental is ongoing at FLEA Bazaar Café, Lower Parel until October 31; 9152017990.
