Rishim Sachdeva wants to visit Copenhagen. He is hopeful of heading there next summer and immersing himself in the city’s sustainable and inventive approach to food.
The head chef at Mumbai’s Olive Bar & Kitchen is on a mission to change the way people consume food and if his new menu is anything to go by, it’s a change we welcome with open arms and loosened belts.
Backyard goodies
In November, the iconic Mediterranean fine-dine in Bandra, Olive, celebrated its 18th anniversary. On offer are a new cocktail, and food menu. Not many may know that the restaurant has its own back garden; it flooded in the monsoon but is now blooming. It is here that bar manager John Leese seeks herbs and inspiration for a cocktail menu that aims to highlight agave spirits. The Garden of Eden (₹630) has gin shaken with a lychee puree, with lemongrass and ginger adding fragrance and heat. The drink starts out bitter and then mellows down to a smooth sweetness; with basil oil adding depth. Tommy’s Margherita (₹750) has agave nectar and El Jimador Blanco tequila and a sharp drink with citrus notes.
The drinks are respectable but it’s Olive’s food that makes the strongest impression. Sachdeva believes in treating ingredients and produce with respect and showcasing them to the fullest. There’s emphasis on organic and locally sourced fare (from across India), and reduced wastage. Everything that cannot be sourced locally is made in-house, including bread, butter, sauces, spreads, ferments, pickles and sausages. “Earlier we did a lot of fruit and vegetables ferments. Now, we are pushing the boundaries using grain and wheat and fish,” says Sachdeva. “It’s easier and simpler this way; we don’t want to rely on cans.” It makes for food that is inventive and indulgent.
In-house creations
Take the Tuna Jerky (₹525), richer and more nuanced than any meat jerky. Sachdeva takes fresh, local tuna and smokes it slowly till it dries up and intensifies in flavour. The jerky’s saltiness is softened by crushed potatoes and smoked ketchup. A Red Velvet Fried Chicken 2.0 (₹525) dunks chicken in a batter of cake crumbs and buttermilk and fries it till golden and moist and dusts it with red velvet crumbs. It’s finger lickin’ good. The no-waste Sweet Corn Gnocchi (₹375) is a Sachdeva favourite. It uses every part of the corn: cob and kernels become a puree, kernels turn into gnocchi, husk is fermented and added to puree, and some of the husk is used to smoke the accompanying cabbage hearts. All the trimmings from the corn and other vegetables go into a vegetarian XO sauce, smoky on the tongue and caramel in colour.
Comfort food
Those with a dairy turn of mind will be delighted with the cheese on offer, sourced from different farms across India and some made in-house. Homemade stringy cheese is stuffed in rice balls, drizzled with truffle oil and served as a Mushroom and Truffle Arancini (₹375). It’s crisp, gooey and earthy. The Baked Brie & Truffle (₹450) is stunning – truffle brie is paired with mascarpone and heaps of parmesan shavings, served on house-made raisin bread. It’s a mouthful of umami, warm and creamy brie playing with the slight sweetness of the crunchy bread. It’s a dish that shows off technique, has locally sourced ingredients and it serves as delicate comfort food. There’s homemade ricotta, crumbly and heavy pairs with smoky roasted sweet potatoes (₹395); stringy burrata with fresh, sweet tomatoes (Burrata and Heirloom Tomatoes, ₹395) and chilled goats cheese with fresh figs and quinoa (Figs and Goat Cheese, ₹395).
To round-off the meal is the Vodka Milk Panna Cotta (₹450). Vodka added to milk helps the resultant ice cream set on its own. This intense combination is offset by a plain vanilla panna cotta, a berry puree for some sourness, and apple granite (with cucumber juice); there’s white chocolate too, but it makes the whole dish too heavy.
The menu will see a few additions over the next few months. Sachdeva’s homemade duck sausage, which sold out in a week is curing; and a new batch is expected in December. A spoiled can of expensive anchovies eventually led him to can his own fish so now mackerel bones and heads are being cured to make an intense oil. “Expect many such experiments in the future,” asserts Sachdeva.
Olive, Union Park, Khar (W); 22 4340 8229, open from 8 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. (Monday to Sunday) and 12:30 – 3:30 p.m. (Saturday and Sunday)
