Mezzo Mezzo

JW Marriott

Text: Mohan Krishnan

You drive up to the JW Marriott Hotel in Juhu, enter a magnificent lobby, walk along to stairs that descend into a vast lower area, and behold, the mother of all buffets! Beyond is a network of pools and water bodies, crisp blue and inviting, overlooking the beach and the sea – you could with a little imagination feel transported to Hawaii or Nusa Dua.

I’ve eaten at Mezzo Mezzo, a restaurant on the upper lobby with gorgeous views of the pool and sea, since the early 2000s. It was our go-to place for great Italian food. They were one of the few restaurants in Bombay with an excellent bottle of Sancerre on their wine list. Bliss.

I dined there recently with Preeti Hoon, one of a small handful of savvy Comms people in hospitality, and was delighted to see that Mezzo Mezzo is not just alive, but thriving.

Gianna, a stylish Greek woman, presides over the front of house. She greets us warmly, and strides along the length of the restaurant, to seat us at a table overlooking the beach. Out in the sea, I could see the pillars for the Sea Link, all lit up and waiting for the LEGO blocks of the road to be slid into place.

The restaurant exudes comfortable luxury, an inviting elegant style, and a glitzy open kitchen that seems to stretch for miles. Hotels have the luxury of space, and Mezzo Mezzo uses it to great dramatic effect.

Chef Jacopo has all the enthusiasm of a teenager, and the constant motion of the Energizer Bunny. Like all Italians, he talks mostly with his hands. He is 34, has already worked in 11 countries; in India he has been with Marriott in Chandigarh and Poona, before landing in Bombay. He speaks some Hindi earnestly and charmingly, and his meaning is clear.

Dry Aged Barramundi	Gambas	Leek Salmon Ravioli	Tagliolini fish ragu

"I want to use local ingredients as much as possible. When I got here, we were only using 00 flour imported from Italy. I have worked on a blend of 00, maida and atta, and we are delighted with the results. We were sourcing so many powders, broth, dashi and sauce brands from outside. Now, we create our own umami with natural ingredients, in house. It tastes better, it is sustainable, and it's more profitable."

"Italy after the Second World War was a poor country. We had to survive on what we had. Gnocchi is always made with potato, but we had to use leftover bread, and whatever we could find, and still make it tasty."

I asked if this drew its roots from cucina povera – peasant cooking, which uses the humblest ingredients, and results in delicious and satisfying meals. Chef Jacopo nods happily.

"At Mezzo Mezzo, we use cuts of meat no one uses, we use all the skin from the vegetables, we use the whole fish. We treat ingredients as God’s gift, that has taken time to grow, and we pay homage to whole cycle, by using all of it."

"I have worked in various countries, where it is difficult to import food, and we have had to source locally. In Thailand, the north has wonderful organic vegetables, that are delicious, and much less expensive than imported frozen veggies. Here, we make our own jus, we don’t buy it readymade. This is better food and better business."

The chef’s intent is clear. How does it translate on the plate? Mezzo Mezzo loosely translates as ‘in the middle’. He says that he wants to take you on a journey through Europe. There is a full menu, from which the chef has created four experiences – Vegetarian, Meat, Sea and Truffle. Each menu has six courses.

I was happy to see the price at Rs 4500 (Rs4000 for veg), taxes extra. At a time, when tasting menus elsewhere are at Rs. 8000 and heading up to Rs 10,000 soon, this is good news.

I had the Sea experience, and Preeti had the Meat. We tasted both menus, nibbled on the appropriately sized portions, and rose from the table pleasantly full, and very satisfied.

In the Meat experience, my standouts were the Chicken Cookies – a Parmesan sable, with chicken pâté, fig jam and caramelised onion, that we ate in one bite. The Spanish Duck Rice, done al dente, with duck confit.The Sous Vide Lamb Chop that was like butter, with a delish red herb crust. I would order this from the a la carte menu any day.

In the Sea experience, I was blown away by everything. The House Cured Salmon, gambas that could give La Loca Maria a run for its money, the Leek and Salmon Ravioli, the Fish Ragu with bonito flakes adding a real kick, and the Dry Aged Barramundi – sea bass not from Chile, thank God. It all rocked.

A palate-cleanser/sorbet that came before the main course was sublime. I’d go back there, just for that.

Arroz de Pato	Chicken Cookie	Warm and fresh!	Dessert on your plate

The Tiramisu 2.0 was playful, modern, and ranks among the top 3 in Bombay.

Chef Jacopo is eloquent about what he has achieved in the eight months he has been at Mezzo Mezzo. "I came in and found a good team, who were ready to play. There is no hierarchy, no one is more or less than the other. We have a lot of give and take, and I learn from them. I am also in some ways their therapist, their father figure, and I am always available."

"I like the simple life. Simple ingredients. Wake up to a beautiful sunrise. I love what I do. I might one day open an Indie restaurant in Thailand, like Papa’s or Masque."

His parting line will stay with me, "I want to make your palate dance. I want you to remember my life, through my food." Chef Jacopo, I do remember. And as soon as the Sea Link reaches Juhu, watch me hot foot it from SoBo, for your pasta, pizza, and yes, the lamb chop.

Interesting Trivia: A little on Massimo Bottura – the high priest of haute cuisine and cucina povera.

• Bottura, arguably one of the top-ranked chefs in the world, learned cucina povera (peasant cooking) from his grandmother – how to turn humble leftovers into gold.
• Zero waste – he believes no edible food, from day-old bread to cheese rinds should ever be thrown away.
• Bread as gold – he transforms stale loaves into rich passatelli pasta, thick soups, or pesto substitutes.
• Cultural reinterpretation – he reinvents traditional dishes using modern techniques.
• He’s founded a non-profit, Food for Soul, to apply cucina povera principles on a global scale.

Chefs like Bottura and Jose Andres (World Central Kitchen focusing on disaster relief) show that haute cuisine can also serve haute purposes.