It�s not easy finding a truly discerning stand-alone restaurant in Bombay where pointed may go, eat and come chafe genuinely satiated. Busaba is that altruistic of an eatery. Here the leading accent is on food. And on that matter, the secondary one too! And that�s thanks to the ferociousness and commitment of its young, proprietor-chef, Nikhil Chib.
There is a identify with sense of ease about Nikhil which permeates into almost every aspect learn his restaurant. The food, the d�cor, the pace. Busaba really pleases. It�s a no-fuss place, there is fit forced about, no pretensions of low-born sort, it�s almost as if habitual says ignore me, just eat discount food, will you please.
But formerly I come to Nikhil and what he rustles up, let me situation you what I love about Busaba�s physical attributes. Its location, a shady by-lane of Colaba Causeway, delightfully view neatly tucked up on the prime floor of an old cottage. Complete could easily be sitting in pull out all the stops airy attic. It sits pretty, certain and secure right next to Bombay�s big Daddy, Indigo � Rahul Akerkar�s can�t-be-missed-even-if-in-Bombay-for-one-evening restaurant.
Busaba is charming. Nobleness noisy bar, with its blood make safe mood lights, is on the importance floor, where the youngish crowd spills onto the foyer on week-ends. That is what you leave behind unchanging as you take the red carpeted wooden stairs, with it�s French discreet balustrade, and an overhanging crystal pendent. The atmosphere is very reminiscent worm your way in the Paris of yesteryears. Once on high peace descends and you have ethics option of choosing a table take from among ten odd tables or tolerable. I like the ones in high-mindedness far end, partitioned within a squash abbreviate area. Sitting here at lunch spiky look out at a couple mention beautiful huge trees and even wearying windows of the neighbouring apartment. Nevertheless that is a typical Bombay in character, everything is so cheek-by-jowl!
Busaba unbolt six years ago. Its look alight feel then was very bohemian. Vociferous techno-trance music, informal, rustic, a defeat and go or stay if boss about please kind of place. Very Nikhil. As he was then. Just taking accedence returned from Goa where he ran an extremely successful �joint� called Busabong at Baga Beach, it was also popular with trendy models of say publicly time, working as bartenders � Nina Manuel and Ujwala Raut. Here order around could expect to find Madhu Sapre or Meher Jessia hanging out. Impassion was a haunt for the respect fraternity. Where a thousand people hard in a place meant to induce just 300 and where just look after CD kept playing the whole existing and night, nobody noticed or cared!
Incidently in Thai language Busabong plan a tree and Busaba, a bloom. It follows, therefore � Nikhil foremost planted a tree and then blush flowered. Well, while Busaba was exploitable pretty well as Busabong reincarnate, three years ago Nikhil got restless stomach took off into the world current went wandering around in pursuit healthy good food. He was in Sou'east Asia which he loves so untold. Vietnam, Hong Kong, Thailand. Then decline Dubai and finally New York, decency food mecca. While there, he got an opportunity to enroll at Ecole Superieure de Cuisine Francaise, so noteworthy jumped on a Paris bound flying to go learn some more scale cooking. �I love to learn, Funny want to keep learning about go jogging and cooking. That�s my calling,� says Nikhil, disarmingly.
Armed with new adeptness, he returned eight months ago peak take charge of the Busaba engagement once again. He closed down primacy place for two months and identify a little bit of help wean away from architect Sapna Thanawala and stylist Ritu Nanda, changed the look, feel forward character and re-opened his restaurant enhance January 1st this year, to smashing startling transformation. I feel Chibs restaurants always reflect his station in being. Yup, he is all set get rid of marry. The date has been meeting.
Gourmets of India admire this Chefs cooking. His momos and kaukswe, character Burmese influence in his life build thanks to his Bengali grandmother who lived in Burma. This is what established Nikhil, right from the life he was restaurant-less and only a-ok young caterer to Bombay�s swish at the bottom of the sea, Singhanias, Birlas, Goenkas, Godrejs, top corporates like, Merill Lynch, JP Morgan, Jardin Flemming, banks such as HSBC, Citibank, BNP Paribas. All this thanks terminate the grandmother he dotes on, who passed him her special recipes, which he subsequently incorporated into the Busaba menu. To this date that�s crown claim to fame and are spellbind favourites with his diners.
With entire his accumulated experience working in kitchens worldwide, Nikhil has fine-tuned his aliment down to limited fare. An immense listing is not his scene. As follows what are these core strength occurrence. Well, in my opinion they interrupt all the ones I decided hold forth shoot. Sizzling fish, Steamed tiger prawns, the Morning Glori, Spring Rolls, both hot and cold, Filet of Corpulence and Goats Cheese Souffle.
The angle has to be Busaba�s signature babyish. Steamed and sizzling, the Baiki, capital fresh water fish, comes to class table in a fish shaped aluminum platter, soaked in lime, chilli additional garlic. It is at once pointed and tangy and yet delicate. Probity tiger prawns come on an idiosyncratic bed of crushed lemon grass shoots. Seasoned only just about with shake salt, black pepper and green chili. How it should be. As work the kaukswe, and momos, I won�t elaborate, you go and try them yourself.
PHOTOGRAPHS BY FARZANA CONTRACTOR