If you’re an ardent foodie and love eating out, you may have come across many places that satisfy your taste buds. However, every so often, you’ll encounter a haven that satisfies not just your taste buds but also your soul. Luv in Mumbai was one such place for me. A cosy restaurant in Lokhandwala, its homely ambience embraces you like an old friend as soon as you enter it. And it only gets better from there!
Luv In Mumbai: A Place Of Comfort Food And Comforting Faces
There is a word in Hindi, ‘apnapan’, which can be described as a feeling of affinity or kinship. This apnapan is what characterises the environment of this restaurant. Everything, from the people to the decor, seems to be steeped in this familiar feeling of kinship. It is precisely this apnapan that also seeps into the food that Chef Akash Deshpande and his passionate and driven team of chefs whip up. Each dish we were served seemed to be brewed in nostalgia.
Accompanying me on this nostalgic journey was Phebe Aunty, my best friend’s mother who never fails to whip up piles of Puttu, my favourite, whenever I visit her. This was her first such experience and I was excited for her.
The walls of Luv are adorned with paintings made by none other than the head chef, Akash. The paintings lent an element of personality to the establishment that made it feel as if you were entering the room of a dear friend rather than a restaurant. In the background, mellow music played at a volume that was loud enough to mask the clamour of the kitchen but not so loud that it stifled conversations.
We were seated right in front of the kitchen so we could see, quite literally, how the sausage gets made. Chef Akash became our guide as he talked us through the different dishes he served.
Nostalgic Flavours But Not At The Expense Of Innovation
My characterisation of the food at Luv as nostalgic and comforting does not denote monotony or a lack of originality. As this piece will further illustrate, familiarity is restricted only to the flavour of the dishes. Their appearances are an entirely different matter. The Chef is a painter so it follows that his dishes are no less than works of art. The feat is therefore even more impressive that such known flavours come in forms completely foreign and unrecognisable.
What We Were Served
Housemade Focaccia with Herb Butter
Lamb Tacos with Chimichurri
Veg Gnocchi
Tortellini
Sizzling Pan-Fried Gyoza
Pork Bun Maska
Bombay Duck Toast
Starry Night by Van Gogh
Non-Alcoholic Rum and Coke
Brazilian Lemonade
We began small, with the Focaccia Bread and Herb Butter. The butter was well-flavoured and complemented the soft bread nicely.
Would I Order It Again? No
Nothing could have prepared us for the flavour-bomb that came next. The Lamb Tacos with Chimichurri completely blew us away. Best eaten in one bite, the mini-tacos packed a lot of flavour. They were juicy and succulent and reminded me of the qeema my mother makes. This was where the nostalgic element in Chef Akash’s food came in.
Would I Order It Again? Yes, Absolutely!
Next was the Gnocchi. Delicately flavoured, it made for a perfect contrast to the tacos. The sauce was light, bright and lemony, perfect for the continental taste buds. The gnocchi itself was soft and pillowy and became the perfect vehicle for the sauce.
Would I Order It Again? Yes
Next, came the tortellini. The pasta was freshly made and you could taste it. The sauce was a delightful blend of Dijon and Cognac and was surprisingly creamy. If you’re a fan of cheesy dishes, you will certainly love this.
Would I Order It Again? Yes
If there was one dish for which I was most excited, it was probably the Sizzling Pan-Fried Gyoza. And, having now devoured them, I am happy to report that my excitement was not misplaced. The gyozas were vegetarian which makes it all the more surprising how much I loved them. They were filled with Bok Choy and corn but had a rich and mushroomy, almost meaty flavour. The smokiness of the gyoza was probably what blew me away the most. It was served with a roasted garlic tomato chutney which significantly elevated the flavour of the gyoza.
Would I Orger It Again? Yes
This next dish took me by surprise and floored me completely. Now, I am a huge chai enthusiast and so, whenever someone offers chai to me, I am more than happy to accept. So, when I saw Chef Akash bringing out a familiar brown liquid in a cup and a saucer in the middle of the meal, I was confused but I wasn’t about to complain. He even served a bun along with it as well.
But! To my utter surprise and delight, the brown liquid was not chai but Pork broth. The bun? It was also filled with pork! You break the bread and dip it in the broth as you would with a bun maska and chai. The Pork Bun Maska was definitely the highlight of the meal for me. The bun was soft, the meat was savoury and well-flavoured, and the broth was very comforting, almost like a warm hug!
Would I Order It Again? Yes, Absolutely!
The last savoury dish we tried was the Bombay Duck Toast. Another dish that reminded me of home. The bombil was spiced with a kokum masala and served on a small piece of bread. The chef admitted that the recipe was not too different from the one his own mother makes that he has grown up eating.
Would I Order It Again? Yes
And now, we arrive at the piece de resistance of the whole meal – Starry Night by Van Gogh. The sheer artistry and meticulous care with which this dessert is crafted is enough to make you feel like a criminal for eating (and therefore destroying) this work of art. Unlike its appearance, the flavour of the dessert is subtle and not too over-the-top. It’s a dessert but it isn’t overly sweet which is the best kind of dessert. It was a perfect mind-blowing conclusion to the perfect mind-blowing meal.
Would I Order It Again? Yes, Absolutely!
Luv does not serve alcoholic beverages but for those who have a penchant for it, it has an array of non-alcoholic beverages that taste like alcohol. A case in point was the Non-Alcoholic Rum and Coke I was served. The flavour was uncanny! It is a fun beverage to sip on if you miss your boozy concoction.
Would I Order It Again? Probably Not
Phebe Aunty was served a Brazilian Lemonade. Admittedly, I loved it more than the Rum and Coke. It was delightfully refreshing and zesty.
Would I Order It Again? Yes, Absolutely!
More About Luv And Chef Akash Deshpande
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If you visit Luv and are lucky enough to have a conversation with the head chef, you’ll soon find that there are three things toward which his passion is most fervent — good-tasting food, Vincent van Gogh, and his elder brother, Luv Deshpande. It is no surprise, then, that you’ll find an abundant presence of all three at his establishment. The menu of Luv, their most beautiful-looking dessert (Starry Night by Van Gogh), and the name of the restaurant are all testaments to his passion for the three.
Luv opened its doors last month and has since seen no dearth of positive reviews and patrons who keep coming back. The restaurant is an ode to the bond between the Deshpande brothers and their support for one another, which was very refreshing to see. The staff, too, is driven by the love for their craft.
I, for one, cannot wait to go back there and try some other dishes that I couldn’t on account of my small appetite.
Also Read: CT Review: I Visited Blah! In BKC & Had An Absolute Blah-st Relishing Their Dim Sums, Sushi & More!
Where: 14-16, Sterling Apts, Sundervan Complex Road Shashtri Nagar, Lokhandwala Complex, Andheri West
When: Tuesday to Sunday, 11:30 AM to 12:30 AM
Cost: ₹1,200 for two, approx.
When are you heading to this place for a Luv-ly experience?
Cover Image Credits: Supplied and Tooba Shaikh
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First Published: November 05, 2024 6:52 PM