Small bites, big flavours

French cut lamb cutlets with katsu sauce

Irony is something that's rarely lost on us. And so, it comes rushing to us as soon as we step into the contemporary chic interiors of a new Oriental tapas bar in a refurbished five-star that is now The Westin Mumbai Powai Lake. The hotel facing the picturesque waterbody was rebranded earlier this year, and so we are at its new restaurant, Mayouchi, the month-old, evenings-only (for now) space to savour its menu. Its small plate-dominated, bar food-centric menu is conceptualised by the hotel's executive chef Gautam Mehrishi, who infuses a healthy dose of European tapas culture into an Oriental selection, one where Japanese cuisine shines the brightest in terms of the number of dishes. The intent, we learn, was to create a culture of bar food that incorporates classic, modern Oriental culinary innovations that are unpretentious.

Soft shell kani tempura

In-keeping with the ethos of a tapas bar, the seating is centred around it at the front of the space. As a contrast, the main, 40-seater, lake-facing dining area is populated by low marble tables and quirky design elements. Like the surprisingly comfortable-for-dining rocking chairs and an open kitchen facing the chef's table. Mayouchi goes easy on clichéd Oriental décor representations barring the modern interpretations of Oriental fans and pictorial menu cards. Quite a few dishes differ from their visual depictions on the menu, which we are informed are stock photographs. So, the five, thick slices of yellow tail and jalapeño sashimi (Rs 1,495) morph into gossamer-thin, fanned-out, translucent slices of fish in the version served to us. But we are glad with this discrepancy.

Kohi zeri

The freshness of the fish, the piquancy of the sliced jalapeños, and the light soy-enhanced umami of the sauce anointing it, make for a cracker. We chase this with the signature kiiro cocktail (Rs 800) that's a medley of tequila, fresh lemon and pineapple syrup; this is accompanied by hints of chilli from the spiced fennel salt used to rim the coupé glass it is served in.

Yellow tail and jalapeño sashimi

Our small plates' sojourn continues with a few of our favourite Japanese izakaya mainstays - like the crispy tori karage (Rs 1,050) that thankfully eschews dry, white chicken breast meat for its succulent, darker thigh counterpart. The sublime soft shell kani (crab) tempura (Rs 625) and the seasonal vegetables tempura (Rs 575) of batter-fried capsicum, baby corn and onion rings, make all our deep-fried food fantasies come true. Next is a sampling of the shira meh (Rs 800) cocktail. This is an Asian riff on the Moscow mule; it is bursting with flavour from the gin, lime, elderflower and cucumber parts, as well as the spicy, fresh ginger kick.

Pics/Sameer Markande

Disappointment rears its ugly head as we dig our chopsticks into the buta bara kimuchi (Rs 1,195). While conceptually interesting, the kimchi-wrapped pork belly slices (again, different from its menu picture) are overpowered by the sour notes of the cabbage kimchi that eclipses the fatty savouriness of the protein. The ‘candy-adjacent' chilli honey lotus stem (Rs 995) is another letdown with its one-tone sugariness that masks every other flavour. Our sole sushi pick, the vegetarian, creamy, yet crunchy, and aptly named crunch maki roll (Rs 995), succeeds in buoying our spirits. However, the accompanying blob of wasabi paste misses that sinus-tickling pungency we so love and expect.

Although the menu at Mayouchi isn't a traditional one - populated with appetisers, soups, mains, and such - we consider the French cut lamb cutlets with katsu sauce (Rs 1,195) our de facto main course dish. Stripped bare of overpowering flavours, the intensely meat-y taste of the lamb shines, is complimented by the Japanese-style katsu curry sauce, purple cauliflower florets, grilled white asparagus spears, jasmine rice, and a comforting dollop of edamame mash.

The two desserts are as different as they come. The baked wasabi cream cheesecake (Rs 625) is an unctuous mascarpone cheese-based one that gives us the wasabi hit we'd been craving for all evening. Served in a ceramic, cacao bean-shaped bowl, the kohi zeri (Rs 595) is a silky blend of espresso and reduced milk that's topped off with coffee jelly cubes, making for an interesting reinterpretation of the similarly flavoured traditional Japanese dessert.

Time 5.30 pm to 1.30 am
At Mayouchi, The Westin Mumbai Powai Lake, near Chinmayanand Ashram, Powai.
Call 9582035648