Manifest Approved: Varsoo, For The Shaadi Family Gathering
Expect comfort food that dips into regional homestyle recipes, served in a charming, old-world space.
In Mumbai, if you follow the city’s dining scene, chances are you have either eaten at Soam or heard of it. The Gujarati eatery at Chowpatty is almost celebrated for its homestyle fare, helmed by founder Pinky Chandan-Dixit. It led to Aamchee paying an ode to good ol’ Maharashtrian flavours in a space for family, friends and bonhomie. And now, her latest, Varsoo, takes the baton ahead with more comfort food, perfect for gatherings. A little over a month into its opening, we learn it’s already held three mehendi functions, too!
Decor and ambience
A newly installed lift brings you up to the 60-seater restaurant, something that will be welcome for seniors in the family. Set in a 200-year-old heritage space, Varsoo exudes the redolent charm of a bungalow–high ceilings, wood-arched doorways and large windows that draw in natural light–as several of the previous elements here have been retained, like the quaint Minton-style tiles on the floor. “It made so much sense to keep some things as they are,” explains the restaurateur. And that philosophy follows into the menu, which is regional recipes–some taken from family kitchens, some her own, and inspired by numerous trips with her husband Aseem to Bhopal, Indore, Lucknow and Ahmedabad.
Up ahead is an open kitchen that doesn’t cast the usual chaos into the dining area; it seems to fit in quietly. So, what led to Varsoo is our query to Pinky, who shares, "The idea was two to three factors, "One was the availability above Aamchee, second, it also had this lovely old-world charm. First, we wanted it to be a banquet, but then we thought, why not both?"
Food and drink
You settle down to a table set with kaansa (metal) plates placed on round, dried leaf mats and some pretty ceramic sourced by her from Musafirkhana, as her previous order had got stuck in the Strait of Hormuz owing to the recent turmoil in the Gulf.
No long lingering on the menu here; the staff are quick to help and suggest dishes from two menus – a seasonal mango-based one with faves like Dal ki Puri Aam ki Launji, fennel-spiced moong dal stuffed puris served with a mango relish and of course fajeto gravies, which are di rigeur at any Gujarati eatery in the summer. On a recommendation, I start with the drumstick soup. It’s simple yet hearty - a light broth of moong dal, with a touch of zeera, chilli, sugar and salt. It’s also sure to lift a rainy day!
Salad lovers do have many choices here, but the standout is an interesting Peru-ananas ki Chaat, little cubes of pink guava and grilled pineapple with a drizzle of spice and lemon dressing, topped with peanut for crunch. In contrasting texture and flavour of the vegan pumpkin salad where roasted cubes of pumpkin that sit in a warm base of coconut milk and a tempering of chilli oil. This is going to be filling enough but make your way to the mains to try out the interesting amalgamations. You have a dal-dhokli ravioli served with pickled oil, sev and pomegranate, kadhi samosa chaat and a pani puri station grabs the buzz on at least three tables around.
One of the other mains is Kathiyawadi Chapda Tavo, a famous street dish from Rajkot, also called an all-season undhiyu. It’s a version of a little chokha and daal-baati, which has little dal baatis served with stew of whatever vegetables are available in season. For a one-dish treat, ask for Dahi Moriyo, made of barnyard millet and yogurt, paired with Bhavnagri chillies.
Varsoo, like its name that means inheritance, dips into the legacy of the past. She explains, "We curated a menu intending to have fresh ingredients and bring back some really old recipes from regional Indian homes onto the menu. So, you'll see a South Indian dish, a north India chaat, etc.” It's homestyle Indian vegetarian khana with a focus on plating and other little details. The classic paanki, too has three versions here - suva, Jain and nachni. "That I think is a non-negotiable for a Soam lover," she laughs.
Pair the food with the Jamun masala cooler, lifted with a little cumin and salt that doubles up as a cooler and a palate cleanser throughout the meal. Or the Saffron lemonade, that may also draw from your childhood.
Dessert
For a sweet ending, kulfis meet mohanthal and ghewar shrikhand. The Akhrot Halwa Khaja Cup is served canape-style with malai kulfi and seasonal ice creams. It may be a good idea to have more sugar-free options considering people like to end with a no-guilt thought, but that might be in the plan, here. So is a chai-pakoda station that is being planned for the monsoon. It may be just that thing needed as you watch the much-awaited wet season though the open windows.
Time: 11.30 am to 10.30 pm (All days)
Cost: ₹2,500 for two (approx)
Address: 2nd Floor, Soni Building, 46, Pandita Ramabai Road,
Opp Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan, Girgaon Chowpatty, Mumbai – 400007
Contact: +91 9833700300 / 9833700400