Introducing Mumbai’s seasoned, cosmopolitan palate to a brand new delicacies isn’t any simple feat, however that’s exactly what SoBo 20 units out to do — providing town its first style of Franco-American fare. Marrying refined French method with the heartiness of Southern American soul meals, the Dubai-based Atelier Home Hospitality (additionally behind INJA in Delhi) describes the enterprise as “a considerate dialogue between two distinct culinary languages.”

This isn’t a gimmicky fusion. As government chef Sudeep Kashikar explains, “There are many Italian and European eating places within the metropolis, however no person has actually explored Franco-American delicacies. That’s why we thought it was time.”

Stylish interiors

Named after South Mumbai’s pin code, SoBo 20 greets diners with a playful mascot — a pelican (Louisiana’s state hen) in a beret — hinting on the restaurant’s whimsical mix of French Artwork Deco and Southern American attraction. Designed by Essajees Atelier, the house is fashionable but inviting: a marble-topped desk adorned with recent florals subtly divides the restaurant right into a glossy bar and a heat, rust-toned eating room. White brick partitions, leather-based chairs, and a deep inexperienced ceiling create a comfy, layered aesthetic, whereas brass saxophones and trumpets mounted on wooden panelling evoke the spirit of New Orleans jazz golf equipment. On one facet, giant French home windows flood the house with pure mild; lush planters lend a mushy inexperienced distinction. A discreet six-seater non-public eating room is nestled close to the bar for extra intimate gatherings.

Fusion with a distinction

“You wouldn’t have tasted a few of these dishes earlier than,” says Panchali Mahendra, CEO of Atelier Home Hospitality, and she or he is true. At SoBo 20, government chef Sudeep introduces Mumbai to a daring new repertoire, drawing from Creole-Cajun traditions born in Louisiana — a melting pot of French, Native American, West African and Caribbean influences. In his fingers, every dish is a considerate reinterpretation.

The menu is cleverly structured, starting with bar bites cheekily listed below ‘Earlier than the Ice Melts’, adopted by small plates, giant plates, pizzas, and naturally, desserts.

All of the breads are baked in-house, whether or not it’s the crisp, wafer-thin pizzas, the nice and cozy, comforting cornbread, or the signature SoBo Bread.

Although I hardly ever rave about salads, the Verte Salad was a standout, that includes basic French parts like spinach, citrus jelly, candied walnuts, pine nuts, and a halo of recent pea shoots. Given the variety of vegetarians in South Mumbai, the menu gives loads of considerate plant-forward choices.

Seafood lovers are in for a deal with, with dishes spotlighting clams, prawns, tuna, salmon, sea bass, lobster, crab, even caviar. The hen pillar, topped with glistening pearls of caviar over a velvety beurre blanc, is a shocking mixture, however it works.

Creative touches abound. The Oyster Rockefeller swaps oysters for clams, baked with parmesan, panko, brown butter and chives — a deeply satisfying chunk. The B&P Skewers are one other standout: pork stomach slow-cooked for eight hours, layered with spiced buff, grilled over a robata, and plated with avocado cream and chives.

Different highlights embody the indulgent lobster gumbo fried rice, the fried hen burger, and a vibrant ratatouille that holds its personal amid the meatier fare.

Cocktail sips

Curated by mixologist Supradeep Dey, the cocktail menu gives a intelligent fusion of classics drawn from each cultures. Every of the six signature cocktails is a considerate hybrid. Take the Sidecar Smoke, a daring whisky-forward concoction mixing the Outdated Normal and Sidecar, theatrically poured tableside over a cloud of corn air. Brass & Bitters marries the Whiskey Bitter and Boulevardier, served in a playful retro crimson glass, with bourbon at its coronary heart.

There may be additionally a bit devoted to “forgotten classics” such because the English Rose, Mamie Taylor, and Limoncello Sparkle —drinks you might be unlikely to come across elsewhere in Mumbai. The Vesper Martini, in the meantime, packs a correct punch — simply because it ought to. One cocktail that missed the mark was the Royal Sazerac, a hybrid of the basic Sazerac and Kir Royale. Made with rye whiskey, glowing wine, and bitters, it’s topped with a thick blackcurrant foam that overpowers the drink. The feel made it troublesome to sip, and the stability felt barely off. 

Dessert

With desserts as creative as the remainder of the menu, some making their metropolis debut, the night at SoBo 20 ends on a excessive notice. Take the burrata ice cream, as an example, which chef Sudeep describes as “a salad within the type of an ice cream.” Made with eggless burrata cheese, it’s completed with a French dressing of orange blossom water, honey, further virgin olive oil, and toasted almonds. Then there may be the crème brûlée-filled ginger beignet, topped with Ossetra caviar — a one-bite marvel designed to be popped like pani puri, advanced and indulgent.

It’s uncommon to step right into a restaurant and style one thing genuinely unique. However SoBo 20 takes that leap, and in a metropolis hungry for recent, aspirational experiences, it’s poised to ring a bell.

A meal for 2 prices ₹7000 with alcohol; timings midday to three.30pm and 7pm to 11.30pm

Revealed – July 01, 2025 11:55 pm IST