A year ago, restaurateur Rushad Ginwala was contemplating a fresh radical menu for a new restaurant he was launching in Ahmedabad. He already owned the American diner-themed restaurant chain, Tomato’s which serves international cuisine. Mirch Masala, his North Indian speciality restaurant brand had expanded across Ahmedabad, Vadodara and other cities.
“I wanted to innovate, but also didn't want to drive business away from my existing brands,’’ explains Rushad, “I love Parsi food at home, and food served at the homes of my many friends of whom, some are Sindhi, Gujarati, Maharashtrian, Rajasthani, Mangalorean and Tamil. You don’t get to order most of these regional dishes in any restaurant in Ahmedabad.’’
Experience had taught Rushad that restaurants serving regional Indian food with a modern take on traditional recipes, dishes plated in the western style and fusion food were wildly popular in the big cities. “I love Mumbai’s vada pao, Irani café-style kheema pao and Goan sausage pao with twists and tweaks,’’ he says.
Hence, the enterprising culinary maestro settled on the innovative oeuvre as the bill of fare for his new restaurant. After many discussions with his team, Rushad named it ''Dhoom Dhaam.'' Interior designer, Ariane Ginwala was told to envisage a décor that reflected the theme—regional cuisine presented in a modern style. Dhoom Dhaam has contemporary interiors, monochromatic walls and modern streamlined furniture decorated with traditional motifs with brass accents. Even the utensils are modern-ish with a subtle Indian touch.
The highlight of the place is an installation of lights made with traditional brass and copper thalis that show off the mood of eponymous celebration, and is accompanied by hanging lamps. Displays of wooden ladles and a collection of mortar-and-pestle sets extend the food metaphor.
“The restaurant was soft-launched in mid-2017, and we keep experimenting with novel culinary versions from different regions—Ratalu Nariyal Pattice and Titora-Khakra from South Gujarat, Jodhpuri Mirchi Vada from Marwar, Paniyaram from the South, Nellai Kozhi Varuval from Tamil Nadu, Dabeli from Kutch, Dhansak of the Parsis, Sai Bhaji of the Sindhis, Prawn Gassi from Mangaluru, Meen Pollichathu from Kerala, Batatyachi Bhaji-Amti-Shrikhand which is a classic mini meal in Maharashtra, Saoji Chicken from Nagpur, and so forth. We also worked on creating unusual desserts like the Gorpabdi Cheese Cake which has the distinctive Gujarati taste,’’ he smiles.
Rushad is not the only new gastronomic adventurer in town. Samir Patel, owner of Kolkata Konnection has thrown open a table with a difference. “I grew up in Kolkata, and meet many people in Ahmedabad who remember the kathi rolls of Kolkata fondly, either from their visits or having lived there for a time’’ he explains, “I studied information technology but had always thought of opening a restaurant with a Kolkata theme."
The restaurant has photographs of the city of joy on its walls, and is full of props of Kolkata buses and taxis.’’ Patel doesn’t serve Bengali food though. The menu is Kolkata-style Mughlai food. “Our customers come for Egg Rolls, Mutton Rolls, Mughlai Paratha, Mutton Chaap, Aloo Dum in the Kolkata street style, and of course, the Kolkata-style Chicken Biryani. Snacks such as Egg Chops and Chicken Cutlets are a hit.
His clients are not just Bengalis and former Kolkata residents, but are also Sindhis, Punjabis, Gujaratis, South Indians,’’ he says. Meanwhile, Chaitanya Dalvi has brought the cuisine of Mumbai to Ahmedabad through the nostalgically charming restaurant he owns called Madhavrao. Dalvi explains, “Growing up in Mumbai, I loved Maharashtrian food and local street eats. Though my main business is textiles, I started a restaurant serving such dishes.’’
In 2018, he launched ''Madhavrao,'' which has been designed to give the look and feel of aristocratic homes in Maharashtra or Goa. Chaitanya was also inspired by the décor of the colonial period clubs of Mumbai: carved wooden cabinets, colonial-style tropical dining chairs, polished wooden tables, brick-clad walls, wooden partitions with compartments carrying spice and food jars, antiques, artefacts and ornate light fittings.
The walls of the Madhavrao are festooned with ancestral photographs and portraits. An impressive wooden staircase leads to the second dining area that is largely used for parties and groups. The menu includes Maharashtrian snacks like Sabudana Vada, Vada Pao, Kothimbir Wadi, Dadpe Pohe, Misal and pancake-like Thalipith. The entrées are eclectic—Zunka Bhakri (chickpea flour porridge served with rice bhakri), Bharli Vangi Puri which is a substantial one dish meal of stuffed eggplant with puri, Bataka Dungli Biscuit Bhakri and Masalabhat Tamatar Sar.
The stuffed Puran Poli is redolent with aromatic spices. Madhavrao also serves Gujarati and Rajasthani dishes, South Indian snacks, and Gujarati sweets. With such an imaginative culinary legerdemain, Ahmedabad’s Tasty Three are only enhancing the broth.