In Japan, the word takumi refers to an artist unsurpassed in their designated area of skill. And rightly so, the newly launched Takumi restaurant in Santacruz, lives up to its nomenclature.
Mumbai’s food lovers have yet another Asian cuisine restaurant to delve into to treat their tastebuds. Created by the visionary team behind Richboyz Hospitality, Takumi blends tradition with innovation. The place is split into outdoor and indoor areas, though both are closed and air-conditioned zones. Designed by Sumessh Menon, Takumi’s architecture featuring bamboo trees mirrors the Japanese culture. It sports minimalistic luminaire, echoes a relaxed and aesthetic décor, in sync with the mood.
Wasabi Panchi |
The delightful and lip-smacking preparations, steered by Head Chef Passang Dorje Lama, who has meticulously curated a range of gastronomic specialties, is an oeuvre of Southeast Asian-inspired cuisine. The surprise element of Takumi is the live performances inspired by Japanese artistic heritage.
Coconut raw mango |
The tanginess of Coconut raw mango salad prepared the palate for the treats to come. For the second course of dimsums we went with Edamame truffle dumpling that just glided through the mouth to create a satiating effect. Sriracha Chicken dimsum had the right amount of spice and flavours to tingle the tastebuds.
The bar special of Wasabi Panchi – the spicy wasabi-infused gin, shaken with muddled lemongrass ginger, lemon juice and lychee juice, is not for the feeble tongue. We preferred Imperial Passion with its clapped basil, lemon juice shaken with gin and passion fruit syrup and puree. If tequila is your poison and you don’t mind egg in your drink, go for Jalisco Sour in which Blanco tequila is shaken with jalapeno brine, pink grapefruit juice, chilli and sugar syrup, lemon juice and egg white.
Egg fried rice, som tom salad and turnip cake |
The crunchy and buttery Takumi special Crispy avocado roll tempura was worth every bite. Our non-vegetarian diner loved Sake salmon sushi brushed with truffle oil and found the service of steaming hot Chicken gyoza with Asian greens to be a delish mix of tender chicken with its perfectly balanced sauce while grilled prawns with lemongrass rendered a delicate touch of citrusy and ginger flavours. The succulent chicken in Gai bai toey pandan leaf lent a pronounced taste of the aroma of the refreshing pandan leaf. The garlicky Tofu and asparagus classic oyster sauce is another dish to look out for.
Sake salmon sushi |
For the mains, it was a vibrant platter of Edamame rice, lotus root, baby pok choy, water-chestnut, broccoli, snow peas, mapo tofu, som tom salad, and turnip cake. Non-vegetarians will find (along with som tom salad and turnip cake) Egg fried rice, grilled prawns marinated with lemongrass-ginger-garlic and a dash of fish sauce, minced chicken with basil and bird-eye chilli, relish-worthy. We ended with the divine Lotus Biscoff dessert with French buttercream and biscoff cookie crumbles.
Lotus Biscoff dessert |
The acts that elevated our dining experience were the Bushi Act in which the spirit of samurai is brought to life; Nihon Buyo, a dance form beautifully interlaced grace and tradition with enchanting movements and the last act needs to be witnessed as mystery takes over in the Shibu Act. It was a unique culinary trip of Asian and Japanese gastronomy as Takumi goes a step ahead to create an immersive cultural experience in a convivial environment, with a delicious spread of fresh ingredients and a personal touch!
Average cost for two: Rs 2500 (without alcohol)
