Having lived more than 12 years across the length of Latin America, I know this cuisine quite well and my earlier trysts with restaurants in India trying to pose off as Latin American have resulted in disasters. Coming from the house of the well decorated Michelin Starred Chef – Atul Kocchar, it did raise a certain level of expectations, and as I headed to LIMA, I was filled with a bit a trepidation despite having heard great things about it.
To the uninitiated, the foodscape of Latin America traverses through different geographical areas, from the tranquil seas of the Caribbean to the rainforests of the Amazon, through the arid, dry and cold areas of Nazca plains to the desert of Atacama to the Snow clad Andes mountains to the lush green Argentinean Pampas, this region has some of the best topography when food is concerned, as such as you travel through Latin America, you will see a lot of focus on the produce, and the local meats and seafood are simply to die for. What also stands out is the use of different varieties of lemons and limes, maize and corn, potatoes and its variants and off course, the ubiquitous Cebolla-Onions! Many a restaurants have failed to recreate this diversity on the menu due to the lack of ingredients thereof, or simply lack of research and knowledge to recreate the platters.
Lima, on this front, has smartly crafted a very limited menu that traverses through the main culinary styles of LatAm and gives the diners just a glimpse of its exotic culinary legacy, leaving them craving for more.
The restaurant uses bright colours in shades of blue, green and cream and offsets it with classic chandeliers and a very open spaced seating arrangement, giving it a vibrant Mexican yet classic vibe. The well-stocked L-shaped bar adds to the entire appeal.
Our tasting started off with a Classic Caipirinha (a mojito like cocktail made with the native sugarcane spirit from Barzil called Cachaça) – if the drink was a precursor to the evening that was to follow, I would have immediately written off the place as it was bland, unbalanced and really a bad attempt at the Classic Caipirinha. This was immediately replaced with a Basil and Peach Caiprinha which was far better balanced than its predecessor.
The first dishes to hit our table were the Ceviche, the Quinoa Salad, Limo Chilly Prawns and a Mushroom Ceviche. Now, Ceviche is one dish for which I would happily do a one legged dance if done right and here I almost did it too. The restaurant has gone to the extent of getting the Leche de Tigre flown in for this dish and the flavours are just perfect. Oh I so wished that it had that added crunch of the salted Maize that one would get if eating in Peru as well as a better mix of seafood. Definitely as close to the real deal as I could have expected; Kudos to the team for bringing this dish closer to home. The Quinoa salad stood out with its ponzu citrus and the Limo Chilly Prawns which reminded me of Jamaican Jerk spices, was also quite delicious with its charred smoky textures. The Mushroom Ceviche was probably the weakest of the lot as it was more like a sautéed mushroom dish rather than a cooked-in-lime juice-ceviche. Though the flavours were not bad, this didn’t quite cut it for me as a Ceviche.
The next round of Tiraditos de Atun used Tulsi seeds which added a very interesting dimension to the dish, the Aji Amarillo sauce which it was served with, was delicious, sensual, creamy and slightly tangy. The very thin and delicate slivers of Tuna were delicious and the whole combination worked quite well together.
The Purple Potato and Chicken Causa was a visual delight and the huancaina sauce, fairly delectable but faded out in front of its predecessors. The Chipotle corn on the cob and Yuca grilled with lemon cilantro sauce were served next and were basic but delicious. The green tomato sauce needs a bit of tanginess I felt. Similarly the Yuca chips are a perfect side to go with some drinks. We paired this course with a tequila based drink called Acapulco Sunshine which had fruits in it, though it was fairly nice, it was nothing out of the extraordinary.
Chicken Churrasco had a generous portion of Chicken livers on a stick, which I have not eaten in a long time, it was simply perfect. The Chicken on the other hand was more on the sweet and spicy side which, I thought, can take some time to get used to. I would have ideally liked them to be more savoury and spicy!
The Quesadillas that followed were amazing and reminded me of the Mexican restaurants we used to go in the USA. It wouldn’t be wrong to call them one of the finest in Mumbai. The Grilled Heart of Palm was a great dish and hard to find in the Indian kitchen, however, the amaranth sauce that went with it had a romesco feel to it and I think it can be improved.
We ended off our meal with a Maracaibo Orange Chocolate Pie which had Maracaibo orange rinds within its soft chocolate casing and Masala Chai Biscuit which was not too sweet and decadent in its own way. Both the desserts were quite sublime and delicious, an apt ending to an interesting meal.
Summing it up, Lima has successfully brought Latin America close to India- what many others failed in doing before. In doing so, it has rightfully taken the title of being the first AUTHENTIC Latin American Restaurant in India. Off course, a big challenge of sourcing the ingredients will be something they need to address in days to come (they were out of the Chicha Morada – made of purple corn when we visited them). A bit of attention needs to be paid towards the bar as well if they are aiming to be placed as a “Go To” Tapas bar in Mumbai.
I am certainly looking forward to the way they evolve in the times to come, try some good empanadas, some asaditos, lechones and oh-so- many more dishes that bring back a wave of nostalgia to me.
Ratings out of 5
Food: 4.5 | Ambiance: 4 | Service: 4 | Overall: 4
Meal for Two with Alcohol: Rs.2000 Inclusive of taxes | Alcohol: Yes | Credit Card: Yes|
Timing: 6:00 pm – 12:30 am| Wheelchair access: No
Address: Maker Maxity, Next to NRI, Bandra Kurla Complex, Bandra East, Bandra 400051
Telephone : 022 30005040/ 022 30005041
Disclaimer : This review was done on an invitation from the restaurant. Due judgment and care has been applied by the author to remain objective and unbiased in the review; however readers may exercise their own discretion.
