How often have you made time to head to an eatery or planned a celebration at a restaurant after giving in to a cuisine craving? Now, in this new dining spot at Linking Road, Bandra, multiply that by five! Sorena, a new fine dine address by Monarch Liberty Hospitality, brings together cuisines from five cities—Mumbai, Tokyo, New York, Sicily and Istanbul.
And not just menu-wise! Here, the culinary trail unfolds in more than one way via the dining plate, taking diners from the electric pulse of Mumbai to the precise presentation of Tokyo, the cosmopolitan energy of New York, the sun-drenched kitchens of Sicily and the spice-laden streets of Istanbul.
One of Sorena’s biggest draws lies in its lavish spaciousness. The two-level eatery designed by KNS Architects is spread over a staggering 11,000 square feet! You are greeted here with an entrance to match: a huge and well-appointed island bar that stretches almost up to the ceiling, with a glass-and-metal statement chandelier above.
You can’t miss the little curios from different cities—like a loving postcard in themselves, grabbing attention at the 220-seater restaurant, with a large mirror finding itself covering an entire wall and a grand, curved sculptural staircase leading up to the second level! The place could seamlessly transition from sophisticated daytime dining into a high-energy party space post sunset, you might start to think, and if you do so, you aren’t wrong!
Settle into your choice of plush seating, but of course, the fun lies in a table by the window, with its sweeping view of the skyline of Bandra.
The man helming the menu at Sorena is Chef Sachin Kadam, someone who gets the nuances of regional fare right, having had stints at The Bombay Canteen. His curation doesn’t flow into pages (thankfully!), and for someone who may not connect a dish with a location, Sorena’s menu helps with abbreviations like MUM, NYC, TYO, and the like.
The flavours shine through from the start, whether it's the Cream Di Porcini Mascarpone Soup with its rich, smoky mascarpone foam and porcini, to be had with a garlic baguette, or even the Chilli Corn Carne—a one-pot, nourishing broth of lamb mince, corn and kidney bean, with a drizzle of chilli oil.
Sorena’s salads take you from Mumbai to Sicily and New York, with the Sicilian Carrot Agrodolce Burrata Toasted Pistachio—a soft carrot mousse with burrata cheese that sits atop ciabatta toast. An Indian twist comes in the way of Mango Crudo Seabass Ceviche with a cured seabass, mango ginger for that slight piquancy and fennel oil.
In the large plates, another desi delight is the good ol’ fajeto that moves into a sweet-sour Fejeto, with mango mousse, mango salsa and a crispy dhebra. If you’re in a group, NYC’s iconic Chicken Wings, Turkish Zaatar Chicken and the list of sushi make for good pass-arounds!
With Mumbai, being the seaport that it is, you would do good to veer towards seafood on the menu, and Sorena does that in the way of Tandoori Prawns, slightly charred, moilee style or the spicier New York-peppered version of Avocado Prawns with assorted nachos and tomato confit.
There’s plenty in the way of Italian, from fettuccine to cannelloni, but in the large plates, a must-try is the punchy Dan Dan Noodles, anchored by tofu or cauliflower crumble, with the chilli oil spice mellowed by the earthiness of tofu veggies.
A satisfying dish is also discovered in the poultry-forward spin on the classic Sichuan favourite—Mapo Chicken with Jasmine Rice. Here, you tuck into chicken served in a robust black bean sauce, countered by crunchy Japanese cucumber, paired with fragrant jasmine rice—such a fun, textural contrast!
There is an extensive list of wines and blended scotch, single malts, whiskies and tequilas. Curated by Dimi Lezinska, the cocktail programme also draws inspiration from the personalities and cultures of the world's five most iconic cities, and ordering any of these is a good idea. Or simply try the bitter-sweet Safe Card, a mocktail with watermelon, grapefruit soda and kaffir lime or the floral and refreshing zero-proof ‘Naked Truth’ with cucumber juice, elderflower cordial and a dash of lime.
The portions are satisfying, but make sure you save space for dessert, which looks as good as it tastes! You’ll want to whip out the camera and click the Lychee Silky Yogurt with a little shower of rose petals and pistachio. Ditto for the buttery deconstructed lemon meringue pie that arrives with an artful presentation. As you’ve probably guessed, New York cheesecake is on the list. And those with a penchant for desi fare will love Sorena’s rendition of ghewar with rabri foam, crunchy nuts and almond saffron ice cream. Apt ode to the geographies you know and love!
We love how Sorena has something for everyone—post-work meetups at cocktail hour, a romantic date night overlooking the city, the family gathering with its infectious energy in the lively seats and destination some shaadi planning that begins right at the Sunday brunch table!