Bandra Born

The second I walked in, I knew this would be one of my favourite spots in the city. Not because of the ambience, which is the perfect amount of dim and quirk. Not because of the suave yet genial staff, who are very involved in the curation of the menu. Not even because of the extremely charismatic and approachable Chef Gresham Fernandes himself, someone you wouldn’t hesitate to swear around when describing how ‘bloody fucking good!’ the food was. 

What immediately sold me, in fact, was the sound system… bumping 90’s old school rap that even had my Gen X counterparts head bopping to explicit Biggie, Mobb Deep and Nas. 

Bandra Born makes itself blatantly obvious, impossible to ignore as a bright blue establishment with audacious block letters saying BANDRA BORN in all its neon glory. A big banner upon entering says ‘Authentic to whom…’ It’s more of a proclamation than a question. A middle finger to technicalities and labels of what authentic food ‘should’ taste and look like. 

The restaurant is an Indian fusion place, but not in that kitschy, colonialist way that most fusion places are. It’s familiar flavours that don’t try and get your panties in a twist by being unnecessarily experimental. 

We started off with the malai podi toast: creamy straciatella that is hard to come by in Mumbai, and ‘podi’ butter on homemade cumin focaccia. All the in-house breads in this joint are to die for by the way, with a perfect crunchy to flaky-to-pillowy ratio. The burnt basque cauliflower cheesecake is a sure success for those who love to mix their sweet and savoury. It’s nutty, decadent and that watermelon jam cuts right through the richness with a very palatable, coy acidity. 

For main courses, do NOT skip the seafood – specifically ‘Grandma Fanny’s Prawn Dish’.  They come with a bit of a bite in a silky emulsion of bottle masala (a blend of 18-20 deep, roasted spices), dried mango and garlicky goodness. Think of it as a delightful marriage between a Spanish gambas al ajillo and a classic Goan prawn curry. Naturally, we ended up mopping it up with our third order of that heavenly bread. 

The ‘East-Indian Crab Curry’ is a bestseller – toasty, tangy, succulent crab with a freshly baked croissant pav (need I elaborate?) that was devoured in seconds. The Anglo-Indian Coorg Pork is robust and punchy, its freshness elevated by delightful bursts of grapefruit, pomegranate and coriander. I shared it reluctantly and sparingly with the rest of the table. 

We ended our meal with the ‘Return of the Kerala Vanilla Cake’, harkening back to childhoods filled with Mawa cakes and old Irani bakeries that surround the area. Despite heavily leaning savoury, the berry compote situation sent me over the edge.

When I said the staff is involved, I meant it. The drinks are thoughtfully developed. Even the mocktails are great, each one on the menu being crafted by each staff member. We painstakingly settled on the Sol Train (big kokum fans here) and an Ume Highball with plum, apple cider vinegar, kaffir lime and ginger beer – a sour fizz that will have you puckering your lips in the best way possible. 

Bandra Born is also one of the only joints in the city specialising in mahua cocktails derived from indigenous practices of distilling the vital Mahu flower locally. It’s a floral yet crisp aromatic spirit with earthy, fruity undertones. The Kadak Nimbu Sharbat is refreshing and goes down with dangerous ease. 

The bill is paid with a flourish without so much as a glance at the receipt (any amount will be worth this meal). We’re borderline harassing any waiters, bartenders and chefs (Gresham included) with a barrage of compliments and picture requests, desperate to gain their approval as the cool new regulars. I don’t think it worked. Nevertheless, Bandra Born has some new faces to get used to. 

The vibe: Too cool for school, with a big heart. 10/10 wall murals and lighting. 

The food: Big, bold and beautiful. Brazenly Bandra. Bangin’ bread.

The drinks: Evokes the right kind of patriotism, perfect for getting comfortably drunk