Mumbai has slowly been gaining a reputation as a bastion of food innovation. And I don't doubt that for a bit. I have been dining in so-called Mumbai's best-kept secrets for many years now, and I must say it's quite an experience. The so-called food revolution  has seen many of the country’s best new restaurants sprouting like mushrooms in this island.  And for those of you searching for a culinary experience like no other, look no further than MRP, short for My Regular Place.

Nestled amid the lofts and showrooms that pepper the city’s mystical Dadar area, MRP is a brainchild of the Pritam Stable, and banks itself on a very unpretentious cuisine coupled with world class ambiance.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

The interior will remind visitors of a trendy,Casino Royale-esque  paradise. The decor allows the simplistic beauty of the food to really shine, though beauty isn’t the only thing bringing folks to MRP. The restaurant buzzed with excited energy and had a number of "beer games" on the table.

As you enter the place you are welcomed by a magnificent setting, a delightful marriage of a gentleman's club and the luxuries of modernity.  Sitting at any table you have a wonderful view of the bar and huge blocks of Human Jenga next to it. The walls are full of useful information, and are really humorous to look at.

Let's get to business now.

MOLECULAR DSLR

A deeper, sexier version of a Pina Colada served in a DSLR lens. Yes, you read that right. A DSLR Lens. The cover  contained litchi caviar, which was to be added to the drink before being slurped upon.

The drink had a very tropical flavor to it. Creamy pineapple, luscious litchi pearls, a good measure of Malibu and white rum all made for a very delightful cocktail. The pearls burst in your mouth, but not before Malibu has filled all your senses over. There also was passion fruit puree in this, and it hit you after all of the above flavors were finished. Godly. This is some dangerous stuff, and a highly recommended one as well.

Summer in my lungs.

FENG SHUI POT

The Bartender highly recommended this one, and I was obligated to go in for this. I haven't been a huge whiskey fanatic, but the ingredients on this one looked promising, and I went ahead with it.

A drink with Whiskey, Elderflower, Apple, and cherry bitter, it definitely is a well concocted winner and hit me on all angles. A very full-bodied, apple flavored cocktail, the feng shui pot is unbelievably smooth and ultra-crisp on the palate. It served over a glass containing dry ice, and is not gimmicky to look at, unlike many unremarkable drinks  which resort to the dry ice gimmick. The base notes are definitely apple and whiskey, with the top tastes comprising of Cherry bitter and lastly a very pronounced Elderflower flavor. The drink was well balanced and zesty, and quite intoxicating as well.

HIGH.

PULLED CHICKEN BAO

When it comes to Asian starches, the dumpling seems to get most of the attention. And that just doesn't seem fair. I absolutely  have absolutely nothing against those delicious balls of dough, but would like to shift the spotlight onto another Asian carb experience: the baozi, or as the world colloquially calls it, "the bao," which rhymes with wow. What I am talking about is a Chinese steamed bun filled with ingredients that vary from meat to vegetables (or both).

The Bao at MRP have an extremely fluffy and soft texture. They also use sugar in their dough as a very interesting touch, so when you bite into it, you get a wonderful hint of sweetness. The fluffy bun was filled with tender, slow-roasted chicken that was presumably marinated in a mixture of Daikon, oyster sauce, soy sauce and sesame oil. I haven't had a better Bao than this in Mumbai, and I find no reason why you should'nt like it as well.

YING-YANG

BALINESE LAMB DIMSUM

The cacophony and sensory overload of dim sum can be overwhelming—even thou it is a very simple steamed dough ball dish, there's a lot of contrasting textures within one of these parcels. A chef probably needs the acumen of a Wall Street trader to make the right choices in what finally culminate into a perfectly made Dimsum. 

MRP serves up some mean, translucent lamb dumplings with a wheat starch skin that probably contains tapioca to give it extra stretchiness and translucency. The lamb was tender and cooked in a balinese sauce, and such dumplings are the most difficult to make properly. And yet, the skin was translucent yet sturdy, slightly chewy but not tough, with perfectly cooked, saucy lamb inside.

TRANSLUCENT.

TURNIP CAKE

The turnip cake, also known as a Lo Bak Gau, is a traditional chinese delicacy served on Chinese festivals and most importantly on the Chinese New Year. This was one of the two veg dishes I ordered, and consisted of shredded daikon radish mixed with rice flour and flavored with chili paste and a host of other oriental ingredients. Served on a bed of some spicy garlic and scallions. The savory turnip cakes are self-indulgent and have a sharp chili oil flavor to them. Combine this with a Feng Shui pot, and we have a sensational, sensuous combination here.

INDULGE.

MEZZE PLATTER

As it is in  Lebanon and Cyprus, a mezze is often a meal in its own right. There are vegetarian, meat or fish mezes.

The Mezze Platter at MRP consists of a group of dishes, viz. olives, tahini, salad and a host of other flavorful foods. The falafel is delicately flavored with Green Pea, and this marriage of chick pea with green pea turned out to be just right. Instead of a Kaboos, they serve the mezze alongside toasted Baos, which do enough justice and are in line with the place's oriental orientation.

LEBANON.

CHICKEN SATAY

Indonesia is thought to be the true birthplace of satay, but the dish was carried to surrounding countries including Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and others. The most popular is chicken or pork satay, but beef is also used as well as tofu satay.  The meat is then skewered onto wooden sticks (known as satay sticks) and grilled over charcoal or your own backyard BBQ.

There's nothing like the satay at MRP. Its Heady, makes you want to take a deep breath, like someones roasting coffee, or garlic, Definitely savory and very inviting. I want to stick my finger in. Thank God, I had enough sense to eat with my fingers the traditional way, and not using a knife and fork for this. As I bit into it, the first thing I think of is peanuts, or nuts. There's a bit of a pause, something savory I think, but my tastebuds are mesmerized by the peanuts. Then Pow! Corr! the spice hits you!
The chicken is high quality, and very harmonizing along with the portion of rice noodles they serve.

A CART IN JAKARTA.

BAKED PORK SPARE RIBS

After I bit into the Pork ribs at MRP, I sniffed my fragrant fingers, then licked the greasy digits. The magical blend of warm protein, molten fat, and unctuous collagen in roasted meat is a narcotic elixir and it addicted me on my first bite. I was soon focused, obsessed with tugging and scraping the bones clean, moaning, and shaking their heads. The sensuous aromas made my nostrils smile and the fulsome flavors caused my mouth to weep.

That's how I could best describe these rejuvenating, restorative, revitalizing, revivifying, reviving, revolutionary, rich, robust, waterfall like Pork Ribs here.

This was Primal eating. Carnal Eating. Like my ancestors always wanted.

EROTIC.

D.I.Y BURMESE KHOW SUEY

For my penultimate main course, I decided to go with MRP's DIY Khow Suey.  The curry was on point with the most freshest prawns utilized. The rice was flavorful and had an exquisite jasmine flavor to it. The flavor of the green mango balanced the richness of the sinfully tender coconut curry very well. The sides included fried garlic, peanuts, cashews, leek, and lemon. The dish was executed perfectly, and the bright colors of the ingredients peeking through the pans made it a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach. I did find it a bit too thick for my liking, but I know a lot of people who would be willing to pay top bucks for a dish like that. The serving was huge, and well worth it.

CONSTRUCT.

GALBI STEAK

Done rightly, on a charcoal or wood grill, the perfect steak should be smokey, and a bit earthy like a mushroom with a different texture.  It's like this:  You are starving, and you have one of the most delicious morsels given to you. It's juicy, with striated texture, hopefully some fat, crispy on the outside with a tenderness that melts in your mouth.  If it is prepared "well done" you will have none of these experiences.  As medium rare, you should have no taste of blood.

The Galbi steak was Bright, sweet, balanced, full-flavored and filled mouth. I loved this meat – flavors changed throughout chew, it was rich and savory. This was one of my favorites and definitely my friend’s favorite.  This steak had a very distinct flavor, and tasted more earthy than a lot of other steaks I have eaten in the city.

STEAK CARTEL.

JENGA TOWER

There were a few dessert options, and I did not have place for a lot of food now. But we went with an original MRP creation called Jenga Tower a gooey, dark chocolate brownie creation assembled like a jenga tower. It was made even richer with the addition of caramel syrup. The brownie was a little grassy and a little nutty, with hints of vanilla and a bit of that coveted umami flavor. Paired with bittersweet dark chocolate and rich chocolate flavors, the dish was simply divine.

DROP.

ALL IN ALL

Though I would love to be selfish and keep MRP all to myself, the work of the chefs is too good to stay hidden for long. There’s no doubt a table at MRP will quickly become the hottest reservation in town.

If you had asked me immediately afterwards, belly distended and head swimming in umami, I’d have probably told you to come back and eat everything on the menu. But there were some quibbles. These are powerful flavours that don’t leave much room for subtlety.

THE GATORR HIGHLY RECOMMENDS.