On a Google Meet between Mehrotra in Delhi, Sadhu in Solan, and Sunday mid-day in Mumbai, we hear how excited the duo are about this two-city pop-up in Mumbai first and later in Delhi. “People are curious about the cuisine, especially in Mumbai because it’s far in the Himalayas. The pop-up offers a platform for them to savour Naar’s food in the city,” says Mehrotra. Sadhu tells us, “I am very emotional about the collaboration because I have always admired Manish for his incredible contributions to our country’s cuisine and his success in representing it globally. It’s surreal to be cooking with him—I jumped on the idea. Also, it’s my first time back in Mumbai,” says Sadhu.

Dirty toast

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Both chefs’ mastery lies in transforming humble ingredients into culinary masterpieces. For the menu planning, Mehrotra tells us, they wanted to focus on bringing the flavours of the mountains so that the diners here can appreciate the real taste through Naar’s unique culinary lens. Think pahadi shakarkandi, bakarkhani, acidic butter or sunder-kala, ladakhi sausages, sinki broth. Pair these with Mehrotra’s shufta Indian Accent and ghee lamb, sunchokes, and dal kachori. Each dish is brand new and displays the integration of textures and techniques while pushing the boundaries of innovation. For instance, the shukta, isn’t a summer dish, but Mehrotra has altered the dish to suit the city’s hot, humid weather.

Prateek Sadhu and Manish Mehrotra

There’s also a breakfast dish from Uttarakhand, Sandhu tells us as he talks of celebrating the Himalayas through its produce, people, and stories—he is confident it will delight food connoisseurs, especially in Mumbai.  Speaking of the other dishes on the menu that push the boundaries of exploration, there is Indian Accent’s lemon crab with byadgi chilli and dried shrimp, Calcutta biryani, and ghee lamb, along with Naar’s pahadi pork served with bakarkhani and cultured butter; and askalu. For vegetarians, there is Indian Accent’s dilli papdi chaat, the innovative tawa green jackfruit elevated with mustard and coconut, and Naar’s dirty toast and sunder kala, eggplant tomatoes, and sinki broth, among others. These dishes make the menu seem like a story thread, waiting to be told.

Naar X Indian Accent 
WHERE: Indian Accent Mumbai, BKC
WHEN: June 22 and 23, 2024