La Loca Maria

A Genuine Spanish Experience, No Compromise

Fatima Villa, 29th Road, Bandra West, Mumbai 400050

 
Ramblas or rambla, tapas or tapa, 'tomayto' or 'tomaaato'. Spain has captured the Indian imagination – Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara was woven around the Tomatillo festival, a Croc ‘Bagwati’ Birkin from Hermes, and you earned street cred with your Hala Madrid gear.

Bombay was ready for La Loca Maria, when they launched. First in a small space, a rocking success till COVID struck. The moment it lifted, they moved into the larger iconic Indigo space, and haven’t looked back. 

Chef Manuel Olveira and his wife/partner Mickee Tuljapurkar preside over LLM – it’s named after his mother – The Crazy Maria, at whose knee he learned his cooking. 

You walk in, there’s always a line, and a happy, friendly staff get you comfortable while you wait. The bar has all the atmosphere you could want, and a spiffy, spicy range of cocktails. The restaurant is a very homely experience, not an ounce of attitude, no ‘too cool for school’ posturing. It’s your restaurant in the ‘hood, where fine Spanish dining intersects with that relaxed Bandra vibe.

What does Chef Manuel want you to try? Above all, his signature paella. This is the peasant’s dish, that an enterprising Minister for Tourism elevated into gourmet food, by suggesting that it be made with lobster, not frog’s legs. Thus, a legend was born. The paella is brilliant, the rice is al dente, whatever you order it with is flavourful, and you want to scrape off the crispy rice at the bottom. I think the Vegetarian Paella is the best, because it really does not need protein, when the rice is cooked as well as it is at LLM.….

The Gambas al Ajillo (prawns lush with a golden spicy jus), the Mushroom Truffle Croquetas, the BFF Carpaccio, as silky as can be, and of course their tacos – which have a cult following entirely of their own. These are a few of his favourite things, and you must try them, to dive into the full experience of LLM.

Their deconstructed tiramisu is a treat for those who want a light, fluffy dessert, and a No-No for the tiramisu purists. I love it, and highly recommend it.

What’s their secret sauce? What makes LLM so sought-after, that the maitre d’ gently suggests calling a week in advance, to be sure of a table at the time of your choice. What makes it so busy, that the manager comes by, puts his arm around me, and whispers, 'I need to offer this table to my next guests, who’ve been waiting a bit. Sorry sir’. The food, for starters. Everyone raves about the food. By the time the restaurant started, Chef Manuel had come to have a deep appreciation of what makes Indian palates tick, and how to deliver the genuine Spanish experience, with excellence and no compromise.

It’s captured the Bandra vibe – friendly, relaxed, high service, and the ‘please and thank you culture’ that still thrives in the area. By changing the menus with each season, with Sunday brunches, festive offerings, taco and tequila events, they are able to offer variety, while sticking to their basics. Their recent Black Truffle menu was an absolute hit.

Ketan and Robert, who run the show every day are clear about their mission. "This is a passion industry. We want to give each guest the best experience, and that means listening to them, especially if they are not happy. We always call customers who give negative feedback, our best learning comes from them."

"You can have the best food, the best service, but if the washrooms are not clean, forget it. The knowledgeable customer, who knows their food, makes us raise our game."

Settle down with a pitcher of sangria, get a plate of the cocas – the flatbread, have some quality down-time, and let the flavours of Spain wash your cares away.