There is a buzz in the air about the new upscale restaurant on St Marks Road, Brassa. Started by the folks behind Misu and Lucky Chan, Brassa promises the same kind of elegance, mixed with a bit of fun. Not limiting itself to any one cuisine, the menu at Brassa borrows from cultures such as Italian, American, Korean, Japanese and Moroccan. So naturally we had to pay them a visit to see if it lived up to the hype.
Expansive and airy, the space has white and golden accents, with a healthy dose of greenery. The menu impressed us at first glance. Gourmet ingredients such as truffles, salmon and caciotta cheese, meet the finesse of contemporary cooking techniques. Think Mexican Chile Relleno (but made with local Bhavnagri chillies), Lemon Harrisa Fried Chicken and Salmon Carpaccio. Offsetting the sultry afternoon outside were the drinks on our table. Sgroppino was a refreshing concoction of lemon sorbet, elderflower and sparkling wine. Although the sorbet melted very quickly, the tasting notes of this drink won us over. Another fruity number is The Orient. With vodka, grapefruit juice, ginger and sparkling wine, this one is as pretty as it is yummy.
Asking for truffle
Our lunch began with a selection of small plates. The stand outs from this section were definitely the Parmesan Churros and the Truffle Puffs. Churros are always a hit anyway, but these savoury cheesy nibbles, paired with a hot mushroom and truffle sauce, elevated this much-loved favourite to another level. The bite-sized puffs, one of their signature dishes, are made of choux pastry stuffed with truffle creme patisserie. The burst of cheese from within the delicate pastry took us by surprise, and we could not get enough of it. A special mention also goes out to the Calamari Fritters and the aioli they were served with.
Maki me happy
Next it was time to tuck into our favourite section of the menu — sushi. And Brassa didn’t disappoint. The Spicy Shiitake Mush-room Roll was topped with red tanuki (bits of tempura) and this gave it a crunch that we loved. A unique dish was the Asparagus and Pumpkin Roll. The cream cheese complemented the vegetables really well in this one. The Philly Wasabi Shrimp Roll and the Rainbow Rolls are a must-try at Brassa too. We loved the crispy prawns in the former and the tobiko (fish roe) on the latter.
Korean Bibimbap and Truffle and Goat Cheese Tagliatelle was our main course for the afternoon. The rice bowl with veggies, chilli paste and topped with an egg, checked all the boxes. For dessert, we were served a pull-up cake. This version of the Instagram-approved dessert, which is all the rage right now, was called Rose Tres Leches. It was moist and delicately flavoured with saffron, pistachio and rose. A classic tiramisu — bitter, sweet, creamy and lush — rounded off the meal. With its bold and experimental menu, Brassa proved to be a must-visit for food lovers in the city.
Rs 3,000 for two. At St Marks Road
anagha@newindianexpress.com
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