A regular favourite of Alia Bhatt, Ananya Panday, Ranveer Singh, Manish Malhotra and a whole bevy of luxury influencers, Bastian has pinned itself as a highly coveted restaurant in Mumbai. Co-owned by Shilpa Shetty, Bastian first launched in Bandra and has been serving a scrumptious seafood fare since 2016.
Five years later, in January 2021, Bastian got another outlet in South Mumbai’s Worli. This new and vibrant space is dressed in a new boho-chic avatar and a newer, bigger menu.
After being temporarily closed for dine-in for the last two months, Bastian Worli has reopened (Tuesday to Friday, from 11:30 to 4 pm) and we’re already making plans to swing by this fancy diner for a delicious brunch.
Inside Bastian Worli
Tasteful interiors Walking through the imposing arched door of the restaurant, one instantly gets a sense of escaping to a tropical getaway. A polished wooden flooring, white bricked walls and a 40-feet high ceiling give the space a joyous vibe.
Moreover, its eclectic decor makes space a perfect backdrop for your Instagram photos. Pose by it’s 28-feet tall bar and marvel at its prized collection of liquor while taking a joy ride in a small, open elevator. Divided into multiple dining zones, Bastian also hosts an elegant mezzanine level, which is designed as a perfect corner for private get-togethers.
Bastian Worli’s 28-Foot Tall Bar with elevator
For interior designer Minal Chopra, the biggest challenge was to create a space that Mumbaiites have never seen before. The imagination had to run wild, and so it did. Chopra veered away from lavish, glitzy interiors to instead bring au naturel, free-spirited mood to the whole space. She speckled the roof with fans made of natural cane weave mats and draped the walls with colourful charger plates, bamboo mats and a portrait of a Samburu warrior by German photographer Mario Gerth.
Inside Bastian Worli
A biophilic theme runs throughout the space. Cacti and lush foliage creates a mini forest-esque set up indoors. Turning the eatery into a museum of collectibles, Chopra also curated a mix of earthenware, glassware and figurines that sit on an island amidst the seating area.
For the love of food! One will instantly spot the two big arched windows on the opposite end of the entrance. These let you look into the restaurant’s open pantry, led by head chefs Amol Phute and Victor Manuel Murguia Mancilla. Unlike its seafood-forward sister outlet in Bandra, Bastian Worli has a diverse menu for pescatarians, meat lovers, vegetarians and vegans.
A spread of staples, mains, large and small plates has Mexican, Latin American, European, Asian and Colonial cuisines. There are also dishes with vegan mock meat.
Veg Taco at Bastian, Worli
“Some classic dishes have remained on our menu as a consequence of our patrons’ demands and have become resonant with the identity of Bastian,” chef Phute explains. Salmon Jalapeno, Mac & Cheese, Truffle Fries, Mom’s Singapore Curry and S’mores cheesecake are a few tempting recipes that are Bastian’s signature dishes.
The experience On our last visit to Bastian Worli, when lockdown restriction had eased down, we enjoyed a socially distanced brunch. On our table, that faced the fancy bar, a selection of dishes waited for their turns to be devoured one after the other.
Avocado poke
Starting with gluten-free truffle fries, juicy pork belly bao, tofu bao, lamb and veg taco, we moved on to avocado poke (avocado, cucumber and onion in sesame dressing with rice crackers and edamame hummus), sesame soy-laced Tuna poke and an energizing bowl of spicy Dan Dan noodles (made of rice noodles, spicy peanut broth, tofu, mushroom ragout, poached egg and kimchi).
Lamb Taco at Bastian, Worli
Paired with these dishes were some enticing cocktails and mocktails including Appleberry rocks and bitter summer, especially whipped up by John Leese, Group Beverage Manager at Bastian.
Next, we were on to desserts, which was a meal in itself. First up was Bastian’s highly in-demand Pull-Me cake layered in fresh Alphonso mango frosting, glaze and bite-sized dices. It is a must-try for every mango lover. Surprisingly left with room for another round of dessert, we indulged in Rocky Road made of chocolate rocks, chocolate chip cookie ice cream, peanuts, sea salt caramel and burnt marshmallow.
Mango Pull Me at Bastian, Worli
Meal for two: Rs 7.000 approximately Parking: Available but for Rs150 Address:Wadia International Centre, Pandurang Budhkar Marg, Worli, Mumbai
