Tanmoy Bose with the spread. Pictures by Sanjoy Chattopadhyaya

So long, he has made music. Tanmoy Bose is now ready to fuse it with his other passion — food. The percussionist has ventured into hospitality, with the music-themed restaurant Wasabee that will serve a mix of Oriental and Indian cuisine. The 45-seater restaurant at 956 Kalikapur Road, on the Bypass end of the Prince Anwar Shah Road connector, will be unveiled by sitarist Anoushka Shankar on Thursday.

“I have always wanted to create a space for art-loving people, a comfort zone where they can sit, eat and indulge in the arts and adda. Many years ago, I used to have something called the Kya Baat Club at my home where all my artiste friends would meet every evening for free-flowing adda. This restaurant brings together many of those passions,” said Tanmoy.

Done up in bright citric shades of orange and lemon, the musical theme has been worked into Wasabee’s decor, from wall to ceiling. One part of the roof is styled like a tabla top, the other like a cello. The pillars are frescoed in typical South American and African-style brush strokes.

Each wall has a different musical story to tell. Old compact discs are mounted on one, while another is splashed with colourful posters of international fests like Sacred Music, Womad and Glastonbury that Tanmoy has picked up on his travels.

The most interesting mishmash is at the bar counter, which has bongos, kashishi, wooden shells and three frame drums — tar from the Middle East, tambour from Brazil and ganjira from India. “I want to expose kids to these instruments and I would like to showcase different instruments on this wall every few months,” he added.

There are plans to set up an activity corner with canvases, musical instruments and open mic, where celeb chefs will also be invited to hold workshops. “Like classical musicians would say, it’s all about ‘raag rasoi pagri’, which means that the love for good music, good food and good clothes is part of the same platter,” said Tanmoy.

And what do you think the menu would sound like in a music-themed restaurant? Chicken a La Hip Hop, Platter-e-Kodo, Shredded Lamb Rock & Roll, Mutton Qawali, Paneer Thumri.... To place an order, tap on the iPad menu on your table. “The iPads will also have games to keep youngsters, especially children, engaged,” added Tanmoy.

Open from noon to 11pm, a meal for two at Wasabee will cost you Rs 700 to Rs 1,200.