Eating Out at Ode
An Ode to Food
It's an ode to a life in food... Chef Rahul Akerkar's delicious decades, serving high quality and clean fare to Bombay's foodies. With Ode, you have a one-page menu and a no-fuss experience to look forward to
Text: Dr Nishant Kumar
Most of us know Rahul Akerkar as the chef who brought European cuisine to the city with much aplomb. Indigo was a restaurant where tables were hard to get, the food was always above expectation, the crowd was always niche and it was a place to be seen, but also a place where you went to when you wanted a great meal.
Following the success of Indigo, Chef has ventured into multiple partnerships, some of which have been exceedingly successful and some not so much, however, it is the indelible spirit of the man where he keeps dreaming, keeps experimenting and keeps coming back with more.
Following the closure of his signature restaurant Qualia, Chef had decided to take a slightly more relaxed route, opening a restaurant in Goa and moving there with the family till the Aditya Birla Group decided to get into fine-dining and could find no one better than Chef Akerkar to helm this project and hold their hands as they entered into a completely new world for them.
The first collaboration between Chef Akerkar and Aditya Birla Hospitality is Ode. I have known of Chef Akerkar since my days as a teenager when I used to visit Indigo and of course he has been a part of the Bombay social scene, and a celebrity chef for a few decades now.
What I learnt about Chef Akerkar when I visited Ode and got to spend some time with him is that he is much more than has been talked about and written about.
The first thing that really surprised me was that he is an Ivy League-educated engineer from Columbia University in New York City. Having completed his degree at this esteemed university he decided that engineering did not float his boat, however, food did and so he started working in multiple restaurants across NYC gaining experience and learning on the job. One thing led to another and from engineer, he graduated to cleaning dishes at well-known restaurants to becoming their sous chef to ultimately becoming a celebrated chef himself.
If this is not a journey which is worth being inspired by, I am not sure what is. The man himself is a repository of great stories of struggle and triumph and has a spirit which is infectious.
Being a Fulbright scholar with multiple degrees from multiple universities across the world, the most recent degree being from Harvard Business School, subconsciously knowing that an Ivy League-educated, ex-Columbia engineer has cooked my meal did possibly make my experience a bit better.
Coming from mixed lineage he has had the crossed upbringing of a typical Maharashtrian household infused with European flavours and that is what he brings to the table when he serves his food.
My first question to Chef was why ?Ode? and his reply was that this is an ode to everything he knows about food, an ode to all his experiences, an ode to all his mentors, colleagues and collaborators and an ode to all his patrons and diners who have enriched his life as much as they have been enriched by his food.
Located in Worli in one of the new office blocks, this is a large restaurant, which offers al fresco as well as indoor dining. The al fresco dining areas are pretty, however, with the traffic in Worli it isn?t my first choice. The restaurant has got an almost zen-like character to it. There are wonderful textures with warm colours and nothing is over the top. I enjoyed the mesh-textured chandelier and a large photograph of Chowpatty during Ganpati visarjan in the main dining area brings a bit of Bombay into the restaurant.
The star of the restaurant is its open- plan kitchen. It takes confidence to have a completely open-plan kitchen because you are exposing yourself to the critique of every diner. Your team, your front of house, your back of house, your chefs and your support staff need to be at their best if you are going to showcase an open-plan kitchen.
The most wonderful part is that they have an open grill as well as wood-fired pizza ovens. Food roasted or cooked over an open grill brings out a character, which no oven can replicate. Chef is quick to correct me when I say, 'Is this like a robata grill'? He says it is nothing as fancy, it is just a grill on which he likes to do a lot of his dishes. No complications, just plain simplicity.
Chef has very purposely and meaningfully distilled all his ideas into a single-page menu, which should have something for everybody. The menu is simplified into multiple sections like nibbles, cold dishes, hot dishes, pastas, pizza and sides. Nothing very complicated, but yet elaborate enough to keep your attention and diverse enough to keep everyone happy.
The other thing one notices when one goes through the menu is there is a purposeful combination of western food and techniques with a heavy inspiration by Indian dishes. A good example would be the Burnt Cucumber, which was served with the peanut thecha or the Pork Ribs, which come with the Khandeshi Kala Masala Mole. Chef is quick to point out that marriage of flavours is something he has seen as a child on his dinner table and he brings that to his restaurant.
There are some dishes which are known to us and some which will make you wonder what are these doing on the menu. A perfect example of that is the Pizza Carbonara. I have great love and affection for the carbonaraas a pasta, but could never imagine it being reinvented into a pizza. If nothing else, it is intriguing and begs an order.
We started with the Eggplant Taco, the Charred Prawns and the Steak Tartare. The taco had a wonderful umami flavour from the eggplant. It is a well-thought out dish with eggplant, tofu and a corn salsa providing texture and flavour to this dish. The prawns were done on the open grill and as I mentioned there is something special about food done over an open fire. There is a character and sensory overload starting from the way the dish looks, smells and tastes, which is irreplaceable. Were these the best prawns I have ever eaten ? possibly not ? but it?s a good dish. The steak is a dish I would recommend. The pickled shimeji mushrooms really elevate this dish to the next level. It?s done in the typical tartare presentation with the finely chopped steak, the mushroom and the cured egg all being mixed together on the table in front of you.
Our next courses were Roasted Pumpkin and the Apricot Rum-glazed Pork Ribs. I had no clue that the humble pumpkin could taste so wonderful even when it?s done so simply. No fanciness and no molecular gastronomy, just simple pumpkin roasted over an open fire, served with walnut chutney and burnt butter. This dish highlights to me what simplicity and experience brings to the table. Chef is not trying to prove he is too smart by doing something complicated. Just letting the ingredients speak for themselves, and that's what makes this dish a winner. The pork ribs were slightly overcooked for me, but the glaze of the apricot and rum with the garam masala mole really worked.
Our next stop was with Carbonara Pizza and we also tried the BLTTTTT Pizza, which is essentially Burrata with red and green heirloom tomatoes and arugula. The Carbonara Pizza is actually exactly what it says on the menu. Bacon Parmesan and Mozzarella with a zabaglione right at the end. Was this the best pizza I have eaten ? no ? but was this the most interesting pizza I have eaten in the longest time ? yes. There is something amazing about the saltiness of the bacon and Parmesan with the very well-done zabaglione with the Mozzarella cheese and a wonderful pizza dough. This dish brings a smile to your face and though you are left wondering ?what I am eating?, you know you want more. The BLTTTTT is a good pizza with great quality Burrata and it does its job.
For pasta we tried the Walnut Onion Cappellacci. This is the first time I tried the cappellacci, which is similar to a tortellini, except it is slightly larger, and Chef tells me that the increased surface area helps it soak up a lot more of the sauces, therefore giving it a much fuller flavour. This one is served with walnut and onion with Kashmiri morel broth and dried onions. It?s a take on the famous French Onion Soup ? worth trying if you are a pasta buff and want to try something new.
Though it may not sound like a lot, each of these dishes is relatively well-portioned, and by the end of the meal we were full.
For dessert, there are some very good choices and it?s difficult to choose just one or two. Chef calls it The Best Damn Tarte Tatin! And if that?s what he?s decided to call it, then it has to be ordered and tried. There is something about the Tarte Tartin which is difficult to execute perfectly. There are a few places across the world that do this right and the rest of them are average. Making sure the pastry is fluffy and crispy, the apple is cooked just enough not to be mushy or undercooked, and flavouring the stuffing is a skill difficult to master. This one at Ode is possibly one of the better ones in Bombay, but I have had better.
We also tried the Arre Baba-Au Rhum!, which is charred pineapple done with a nolen gur rum syrup. Nolen gur, which is something typically seen in Bengali desserts, another fusion from Chef's European and Indian heritage.
We visited Ode on a Wednesday evening and the place was buzzing. The crowd was definitely upper crust and everyone there was a friend of Chef, who had come to check out his new opening. Chef Rahul holds great respect amongst the glitterati in Bombay and also amongst the serious gourmands.
There are certain dishes here which are definitely worth trying and the Pizza Carbonarais one of them. There are other dishes, which hit the mark and are just exactly what they say on the menu. Some dishes are well-thought out, but on execution may miss the mark. Overall, however, there are more hits than misses and the experience is definitely worthwhile.
What also makes Ode a winner in my mind is their price points. Chef could have priced this restaurant as a celebrity chef restaurant with premium pricing, however, he has chosen to go in the opposite direction. Prices are extremely modest in my opinion. Starting at Rs 550 the most expensive dish does not cross Rs 900. This is value for money. You are getting 5-star ingredients from a 5-star chef at very sensible prices.
Uncomplicated, unfussy, but food that makes you smile and satiates both the stomach and the heart is what Ode is able to deliver.
Ode
Gate 4, Raheja Altimus, Pandurang Budhkar Marg, Opposite Doordarshan Kendra, Worli, Mumbai 400018
Mob: 0 90760 51111
