An oasis of calm in bustling Lower Parel, the Shangri-La in Mumbai is the Hong-Kong based chain’s second property in India. Opened in December last year, Mumbai’s newest hotel is a luxurious property that’s unabashedly opulent and their first restaurant – Seven – is a promising start.

Named after the number of islands that make up Bombay, Seven is the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant whose dinner and lunch buffets seem to be generating a bit of a buzz in the city’s gourmet circles. I headed there for dinner to check out the spread and get a taste of Mumbai’s latest luxury hotel and the first of its restaurants.

Starting off

The décor theme of the hotel – which is basically luxury with an Indian touch in the form of Rajasthani murals that reappear throughout the property – runs through the restaurant as well. Walk in and the first thing you will set eyes on is the dessert counter. My eyes ran over the decadent spread and I was already deciding how I would end my meal before I even began – seemed like a strategic move to ensure that no guest would consider skipping dessert.

Seven live stations, each serving a different cuisine, make up the restaurant. Other than the standard salad and dessert counter, vegetarians can rejoice as they have a station all to themselves, while the seafood fans can head straight to the sushi counter. There’s the initial feeling of being overwhelmed as the offerings at Seven can definitely leave you spoiled for choice.

I started off my meal with an interesting mushroom cannelloni and a polenta with red cabbage, both of which were good but what really caught my fancy were the salads that were served as bite sized portions in tiny glass jars. My favourite was the pear and caramelised onions with blue cheese salad – a perfect balance of the sweetness of the pear and the saltiness of the blue cheese made it a great start to the meal. Next up was a dim sum platter with a variety of stuffing including chicken, pork, vegetables and shiitake mushroom – which was unusual but not entirely to my liking. The hot and sour soup however was a definite hit, with just the right balance of spice, and was a great appetizer. A glass of Santa Rita Sauvignon Blanc – a nice citrusy white with a hint of peach – accompanies me through the meal and it makes for great company.

Look east

A great option here is the sushi bar. Though not a big fan, I’m glad I tried the sushi at Seven since it turned out to be one of the best dishes on offer. The tuna and salmon sushi were delicious and came with soy sauce and a dollop of wasabi, and even the vegetarian variation was a treat. Going with the sushi, I try the other Oriental cuisine on the menu and my hunch turns out right – the Asian food is the best of the lot. From the creamy Thai red curry with chicken to the stir-fried vegetables in black bean sauce, the Thai, Chinese and Japanese options are the best pick.

While the biryani came with many recommendations, it failed to make a mark since the rice was rather bland and even the mirchi ka saalan couldn’t make up for the lack of flavour. The kebabs on offer were the standard options and the only memorable one was the mutton seekh kabab whose spicy aftertaste was a pleasant surprise.

I also tried a red sauce pasta and lamb in garlic sauce, both of which were up to the mark, but nothing that made me ask for seconds.

Sweet tooth

I headed to the dessert section, finally, and the extensive spread had me spoilt for choice, this time with a plate in my hand. Seven’s pastry chef Peter Grubben stepped in with some thoughtful recommendations, steering me away from the colourful cupcakes and chocolate fountain on display and towards his gourmet creations. Having tasted as much as my stomach would allow me, I highly recommend the salted caramel and hazelnut pastry and well as the sugar free chocolate mousse whose intensely chocolate flavour I found delicious. The tiramisu did not disappoint though the cheesecake did, but the light, fluffy waffles with ice cream made up for that. The icing on this already heavily loaded cake was cotton candy on a stick – took me right back to being a kid - definitely a great, quirky idea that works well.

The restaurant is a great option if you’re with a bunch of people who all want different cuisines since the myriads of options at Seven are sure to leave everyone satisfied. If you’re looking for high-end gourmet dining then there may be better options out there. But, if its variety and choice that’s your focus then Seven is the right number for you!

elizabeth. mathew@thehindu. co. in

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