Food Review: SpiceKlub’s Desi Fusion Brings Familiar Favourites With A Molecular Gastronomy Twist

Eight relishes and condiments arrive on the table as teasers. The red cabbage and radish are crisp, fresh and tasty enough to disappear on their own.

We wait for quite some time till the menu finally is given to us after creating a mini riot. Quite an interesting menu. As Karan explains, “The baseline is molecular gastronomy.” However, what comes across is a fusion menu with some use of molecular gastronomy in a few dishes.

We choose Pav Bhaji Fondue — because pav bhaji is an eternal favourite. This one arrives in a fondue pot, as expected, along with crispy pav pieces. It is cheesy, buttery and indulgent, taking Mumbai’s beloved street-food staple firmly into comfort-food territory. No complaints here.

The Naanza is a clever crowd-pleaser. Small pieces of naan are stuffed with masala paneer and topped with cheese and chilli flakes. Mildly spicy, warm and delicious, it is the sort of thing that keeps getting passed around the table until you suddenly realise there isn’t any left.

The Veg Galouti gets the texture right. It is beautifully soft and practically melts in the mouth, with the spices taking centre stage. But while the masala is assertive, the salt is a little less, making the overall flavour profile more garam masala-forward than nuanced.

South West Dosa Tacos claim that they are with Benne dosa, but what arrives is an uttapam doing the taco duty — and doing it well. Stuffed with paneer tossed with onions and masala and topped with avocado, chutney and chilli caviar, it brings together creamy, tangy, spicy and crunchy elements in one bite. It is less about one dominant flavour and more about the delicious chaos of textures.

The drinks choice is quite impressive. The Kalakhatta Mojito delivers the expected sweet-tart hit along with the kick of the soda. The Jaggmojito is the more interesting proposition. Kaffir lime gives it a distinctive citrusy note, while caramelised jaggery brings deep caramel flavours. It is familiar enough to be comforting, but different enough to keep you guessing. The Coconut Water Margarita is frozen and serves as a good palate cleanser. Though they do offer one just before the mains.

The Papads of India is an exercise in abundance, bringing together khichiya, sabudana, urad, toor and mathia papads with salsa. It is the sort of platter that makes you want to conduct a completely unnecessary ranking exercise — and the mathia wins hands down. Crisp, savoury and deeply snackable, it has that dangerous quality of making you reach for that ‘one last piece’.Keema Bocconccini Masala

We also try the highly recommended by Karan — Vada Pav Mousse. It is basically a deconstructed version of our desi Vada Pav. Besan comes in form of boondi, the batata vada stuffing is supposed be in the form of mousse. However, it is far too runny for a mousse consistency. They serve it with green chutney, tamarind chutney, and the garlic chutney that comes packed in small starch packets that melt in your mouth. The garlic chutney packets and the soft bread are the winners in this deconstruction. Among the mains, Keema Bocconccini Masala is the standout. The texture is spot on, avoiding the dryness or chewiness that can sometimes plague soya-based dishes. The flavours are balanced too, with the bocconcini adding richness without overwhelming the keema. The Truffle Burrata Saag is another good dish. Burrata cheese is the centre piece of a well made saag with a drizzle of truffle oil.

Amongst the dessert drama, we are super happy with Bubbling Kulfi. Nitro blasted kulfi that’s served with varied topping options. Caramel, Chocolate and Rabadi are the best among the five toppings.

SpiceKlub needs to get their act together about many things including their card machine.

Address: SpiceKlub, Babulnath, Grant Road (W), Malabar Hill, Mumbai

Average cost for two: ₹ 3000