The 100-seater Bombay Brasserie has the look and feel of a French bistro decorated with artefacts from India. The “master element” is white with turquoise, aquamarine and shades of blue blending in. Dreamy chandeliers hang down and on the walls are posters depicting the “flavours of India”. “It all comes together to create a magical experience!” said concept designer Payal Khanna of Aura Dezyne.

The franchisees of both Bombay Brasserie and The Irish House are husband-wife duo Niyati and Samarth Parekh. Also in their food kitty at Quest is the food court, CBTL, Serafina and Q33, a luxury cafe opening on the ground floor.

Old kettles and tiffin boxes hand-painted in blue, different kinds of jars, and antique pieces decorate the shelves as though “the old world meets the new world”.

A “spice bazaar” at the entrance lays out spices that are “very Calcutta” like the paanchphoron, which also finds its way into the Panchphoron Tandoori on the menu. “People love their spices here so we thought of a little spice bazaar,” said Payal, who has laid out a similar spice corner in the Coimbatore outlet of Bombay Brasserie.

Food-wise, the dine den has all the “flavours of India”. To name a few, there’s Kottayam Fish Curry (Kerala home-style curry), Prawn Gassi (Mangalorean prawn speciality), Gujarati Dal that’s sweet, sour and spicy, and (in picture) Prawn Theche, prawns with Maharashtrian green chilli chutney with a crunch of nuts and coconut. Down to the Papad Ki Tokri which has regional papads — Benaras Aloo Papad, south Indian Appalam and Punjabi Urad Dal Papad. Ask Shikha Nath, the brand director, what the best-selling dish on the menu is and she says it will keep changing from city to city. “For example, in Coimbatore, Salli Chicken, a dish that’s inspired from the Parsee Salli Chicken, a little spicy, a little tangy, sells very well,” says the Punjabi who is as much the brand’s face as the heart and soul of the menu, having collected regional recipes from family, friends and friends’ friends and put them to test before devising her very elaborate menu.

Combos make it easy to order from the menu — Paneer Sikha Pyaaz with Chur-Chur Paratha (Shikha’s personal favourite in the picture above!), Dum Ki Nalli with Khameeri Roti, and Lucknowi Chicken Korma with Ulta Tawa Paratha. A wide range of breads also brings in the essence of different areas and the Paneer Lifafa Paratha, which is like an envelope filled with spiced cottage cheese, is recommended. The Desi Ice Candy section is “kind of like gola turned into mocktail” while the beverage section is called Thanda Garam and Bombay Masala Chai is served in a cutting glass! That’s another Bombay touch.

Located on the fifth floor of Quest, Bombay Brasserie also has a sidewalk with seating for those who’d like a feel of the mall or a meal without music. A white picket fence encloses the area.

A show kitchen “has the feel of something happening there”. Expect to see the chefs in action as they turn out kebabs, tawa items, roomali rotis and the very Lucknowi Ulta Tawa Paratha!

In the dessert section, there’s Amritsari Kulfa (not kulfi) and the Calcutta touch is the Ras-e-Alam, which has Alphonso aamras-topped rosogollas floating in rabri! With mangoes and rosogolla, you can’t go wrong in this city!

Coming soon: the irish house

We won’t give it all away yet. But here’s a sneak peek at The Irish House, which will open its double doors — for a soundproof ambience! — on the fifth floor of Quest, right next to Bombay Brasserie. This is the fifth outlet of the Irish-style pub that will open in India, with three in Mumbai and one in Pune already. “We serve 2l barrels and 3l towers as well as all available Indian and imported beers in this market,” said Shankar Kulkarni, area manager. In Mumbai, The Irish House is known for its happy hours, with 1:1 on brands like Blue Label too! “Chicken Tenders, Grand Nachos and The Great Irish Fish ’N Chips are the pop picks,” said Niyati. A large projector will make game nights exciting for the boys. We can’t wait!