Innovative, Exciting Eats At AKA Bistro, Kala Ghoda’s Newest Restaurant

Mumbai has an intense love affair with food; every few days it welcomes a new restaurant with open arms. The newest kid on the block is AKA Bistro in Fort, a cousin of the fine dining restaurant, AKA in Worli. While the Worli restaurant boasts a fine dining Mediterranean and Italian experience, AKA Bistro instead offers patrons a more laid back vibe with quirky interiors and an exciting menu with some dishes that Mumbai has never seen the likes of before.

We stepped into AKA Bistro last week to soak in the vibe and sample its food. We were immediately bowled over by the space itself; the two floor restaurant is large, spacious and filled with natural light. The decor, in a nod to the owners’ textile business background, fuses food and fashion together. Indeed, in the upper level of the restaurant there’s a apparel store which houses beautiful clothes and accessories. One of the most stunning elements of the restaurant, in our option, is a colourful archway at the entrance. Here, we’ll dispense with words and show you a photo instead.

Meanwhile, the restaurant’s menu is similarly impressive. Easy to navigate, the menu offers a balance of healthy fare (Quinoa and Cauliflower Cous Cous Salad, Seared Tofu and Broccoli Cakes) and more indulgent dishes (Baked Macaroni and Cheese and Fondue) which will appeal to corporates, families and college goers alike. It also has an all-day breakfast menu with dishes like Wild Mushroom and Feta omelette, Huevos Rancheros, Cereal Bowls and Eggs To Order. Its drink menu again reflects a fusion of fashion with food with non-alcoholic drinks named ‘The Label’, Tanned Leather’ and ‘Yellow Muslin’.

Tasting The Talk

We decided to begin our meal with a ‘Jersey Musk’, a smoothie which blends together musk melon, apple and coconut syrup. Chilled and creamy with a frothy surface, the smoothie was deliciously refreshing; the perfect way start our day.

We’d also recommend the ‘Tanned Leather’ which blends together coffee and lime juice with chunks of apples to create a mock coffee flavoured sangria.

Next up was a plate of Broccoli Cakes and Fish Tacos. Its understandable that one may react somewhat dubiously to the idea of broccoli cakes – broccoli, while extremely healthy is not the most loved vegetable. However, these cakes were mouth-wateringly magnificent, with a smooth, creamed broccoli filling covered with panko and fried.

The fish tacos were similarity impressive; a crispy beetroot taco shell was stuffed with fried fish, crunchy water chestnuts and a sriracha mayonnaise which worked seamlessly together in terms of both texture and taste.

After polishing off the tacos, we walked over to the live kitchen station to watch a chef whip up a serving of Mushroom Duxelle and Goat Cheese Crepes. Made with buckwheat (which lent the dish an added healthy appeal), the crepes were thin and crispy allowing the stuffing to shine through and hold court. The stuffing itself was earthy, smooth and faintly spicy. We were struck by the fact that the chef used shiitake rather than button mushrooms which gave the dish an earthy exotic taste.

With our appetites suitably whetted we called for two mains; the Slow Cooked Lamb Goulash One Pot and the Pasta With Chicken. AKA Bistro offers a collection of ‘One Pot’ dishes, which will be perfect for corporates who have little time to spare but want a filling, nutritious meal. The Slow Cooked Lamb Goulash, therefore mixed all the food groups into one pot; it contained tender, soft lamb long grained spiced rice and black beans, a combination packed with protein and carbohydrates to give busy folk lots of energy to tackle their days.

The Pasta and Chicken also boasted a balanced combination of ingredients. A light, creamy pesto sauce coated well cooked spaghetti and tender chicken. Given the dish a further healthy spin were artichoke slices and long green beans.

Finally, we polished off our meal with the Flourless Chocolate Orange Fudge Cake. This was extremely soft with a rich chocolate flavour tempered by citrusy orange.

Indeed, the super soft cake was the perfect way to finish off our meal. As we said earlier, there’s no dearth of new restaurants in Mumbai to try. However, we definitely think you should propel AKA to the top of your list. It offers customers wholly unique dishes with premium, exciting ingredients and innovative combinations. Pair these with it fun ambience and excellent service and you’ve got yourself the perfect meal.