Neuma, the contemporary, modern European restaurant, co-founded by Indian filmmaker Karan Johar, Bunty Sajdeh (CEO, Cornerstone Sport and Dharma Cornerstone Agency) and True Palate Café Pvt. Ltd., is now open. Located in the iconic, restored colonial-era bungalow on Mandlik Road in Colaba that once housed Indigo, Neuma is poised to bring stylish yet relaxed fine dining back to one of South Mumbai’s most coveted locations. Neuma is Karan Johar’s first restaurant.
Pronounced ‘Noo-Maa,’ Neuma means the vital spirit that exists within each of us and connects us all, transporting one to a different time and space. This is especially prevalent in the restaurant’s design – conceptualized and created by Ashiesh Shah, Neuma serves as an architecturally-prominent landmark, presented in a new avatar. Shah’s signature, minimal aesthetic is infused with colour and character, via the introduction of custom, hand-made pieces commissioned from craft communities from different parts of India. Drawing inspiration from the architecture of the bungalow and his own travels, Shah has sourced art pieces and collectables from across India, creating a space that is reminiscent of a collector’s home.
The restaurant is divided up into separate, distinct spaces, each with a unique character of its own that is guaranteed to draw guests’ attention. Maximizing the available outdoor area, Shah recreates the architectural language around the existing greenery, retaining the hues of white, detailed carvings and stone pebbles. As guests arrive, they enter into the Garden Café, an outdoor area featuring a coffee bar and communal seating under the shade of a mango tree. Continuing on, guests will step into an oakwood sun porch area with a large skylight that provides a glorious tree view and admits an abundance of natural light, immediately creating a feeling of warmth and expanse. This leads to a Courtyard, complete with black and white old-world cement tiles, ceiling-high potted plants and detailed, moulded panels on either side, resulting in a breezy, laid-back vibe. Another outdoor area, The Safari, will instantly transport guests to the glamour of a safari odyssey.
Back indoors, the striking bar, aptly named the Rose Bar, is a sultry, sexy space realized in hues of red and characterized by a sculptural light fixture inspired by Anish Kapoor. It is reminiscent of a Moulin Rouge-esque boudoir, with its wood cladding, low-slung, velvet seating, fringed cushions and chandeliers that add a dramatic flair. Shah has selected real books that add to the décor in the space, in a case under the main bar, complete with red roses, that are also grown in planters outside the bar windows.
Guests can opt to dine in the white-hued, Danish-chic dining room, The Blanc, to the right of the Courtyard, which features more intimate seating and a whimsical vibe. The room is dotted with artefacts nestled in wall shelving designed to showcase them, and also in glass cases, just like one would see in a serious collector’s home. This space leads to the private dining area, also known as Verde, which features sage green chairs and curtains which separate it from The Blanc. The walls display braided ropes designed to imitate a woman’s corset ties and the Atelier’s signature Guccha light serves as the highlight of the space.
The staircase leading to the first floor is amply lit and is distinguished by its rope-detailed handrails inspired by Shah’s sojourn in Sri Lanka. Guests will step into an outdoor bar area, Bawa, characterized by hues of black coupled with foliage and water features. The design elements here are heavily-inspired by Geoffrey Bawa, which explains the name. A strong, masculine vibe, reminiscent of a yacht deck, is furthered in the adjacent indoor dining area, bar Nautica, which is completed in shades of blue and white with stunning chandeliers alongside its panelled walls.
The kitchen is helmed by Executive Chef Abhinav Sharma, who is also the Corporate Chef de Cuisine for one8 Commune. An IHM Aurangabad graduate, he has over 12 years of extensive culinary experience, including stints with the Olive Group and Café Dori. The Neuma menu is a take on traditional European cuisine with modern plating and features produce-driven dishes designed to connect with the diner’s soul (as ‘Neuma’ the name suggests). A highlight is the vegan menu, created by renowned Chef Rishim Sachdeva, who was previously the Executive Chef at Olive Bar & Kitchen before moving to London to launch Tendril, a mostly-vegan kitchen. His consulting chef role at Neuma marks his return to the culinary landscape of Mumbai.
A hallmark of the menu is the focus on local ingredients sourced from nearby farms, resulting in a menu with fresh, wholesome and clean flavours. The technique-driven menu caters to all palates and features dishes with minimalistic and beautiful presentations, that are still comfort food at its best. It is divided into four sections – the Small Plates section offers vegan options like Sticky Soy, Purple Sweet Potatoes, Crackers, Watermelon Radish; and Caramelized Celeriac Croquettes, Remoulade. Other small plate options include Poached Salmon, Lime Leaf Coconut Glaze, Edamame, Black Rice; Honey-Glazed Chicken, Walnut Puree,
Chili Granola; salads like Chargrilled Asparagus, Compressed Watermelon, Balsamic, Goat Cheese Fritter; and flatbreads like Roasted Aubergine, Chopped Tomato, Parmesan; and Garlic Butter Prawns, Chives, Burnt Lemon.
For the Main Course, guests can choose dishes like Poached Snapper Laksa, Peanut Sambal, Noodles, Shallots, Pok Choi; and Chipotle Grilled Mushroom, Crispy Potato, Leek Sauce.
Sides like Crab Mac Cheese, Breadcrumbs; Broccoli, Orange, Fermented Chili; and Crushed Potato, Chives round out the meal, as do Desserts such as Vanilla Panna Cotta, Vodka, Apple Granita; Orange Crème Brulee, Chocolate Sorbet; and Bitter Chocolate Ganache, Tuile, Vanilla Ice Cream.
Neuma’s bar menu has been developed by Countertop India, one of India’s best-known bar and beverage companies, owned by Arijit Bose, with Zac Abbott consulting. For Neuma, Countertop’s bar menu strives to be a model of sustainability and advanced cocktail making. With a heavy focus on flavor and flavor pairing, the menu still ensures an opulent and interactive experience for the drinker. The bar menu offers visually-appealing batched drinks in specially-chosen drinkware. Bose and Abbott have experimented with both classic techniques as well as a modern approach to the cocktails, utilizing both global and forgotten ingredients. For Neuma, Countertop has created signature recipes and serves, resulting in future-forward, fun drinks that are easy and tasty to enjoy, yet high-end in technique. Each drink has its own story to tell, and while quick to the table, the behind-the-scenes story is very different.
The creative direction for the brand, along with the uniforms for Neuma, have been executed by KGL, a design house headed by designer Kanika Goyal.
