Mumbai’s newest brunch space, Blah! opens in BKC’s corporate hub
- Featured Food & Beverage
Ruhi Gilder
- 10 minutes read
Ruhi Gilder
Pink flamingos, wooden partitions, hanging straw lights and swing benches await you at Blah!, the newest entrant to BKC’s buzzing restaurant scene. The space means to encourage joyful, juicy conversations over non-stop mimosas and sangrias. Don’t forget to also snap some candid photos, as the décor is definitely gram-worthy.
Owners of Keish Hospitality – Niketa Sharma and Dilip Rawat collaborated with entrepreneurs Dhaval Udeshi, Nikita Harisinghani and Pawan Shahri of Chrome Hospitality to launch Blah! Specialising in brunch, it was thought to be women-centric, the kind of space where “you can have a nice latte, champagne or mimosa in the day and an artisanal cocktail at night,” said Niketa Sharma. Blah! serves up brunch specials, with their cuisine repertoire including Pan-Asian, Italian, Indian and Continental.
Blah Blah Blah!
Blah! was originally supposed to be named “Bed and Brunch.” Then one night during a team discussion, the founders decided to come up with something with a little more zing! As the team threw out names and suggestions, the word Blah! emerged as a winner. Catchy, short and sweet, it encapsulated the vibe the founders were trying to build. “People say it has a negative ring to it as well, but it was a risk we were ready to take, because we were very confident about the ambience and the food,” said Sharma.
Launching in the pandemic
Like most new restaurants, Blah! was a complete Covid baby. Though Sharma came with eight years of experience in the hospitality space, Keish Hospitality was only formed during the pandemic. Niketa Sharma and her brother Dilip Rawat, were stuck under the same roof for four months and founded the company in November 2020.
Within 15 days, in December, the spot for Blah! was finalised. The restaurant was supposed to open in April but was delayed for obvious reasons. Covid has given entrepreneurs the time to really think about the concept, perfect the food and every aspect of the décor and feel, claimed Sharma.
Instagram-worthy décor
In stark contrast to the glass and concrete building it is housed in, the 3,000 sq. ft. restaurant encapsulates leisure. Nestled between the skyscrapers of Bandra Kurla Complex and the manicured lawns of Jio Garden, Blah! is pristine in white with pops of pink and green. Small succulents and stacks of books dotted the interiors of the space. Plant lovers will love the unusual ceiling décor of the space, where a gardener takes care of a mini farm powered by grow lights. Herbs like rosemary, basil, thyme and rocket leaves are nurtured in their compact nooks. In an initiative called “Garden To Glass,” the herbs eventually make their way into house cocktails. A DJ-manned booth in the night changes the vibe of the space from a brunch space into a bar.
From brunch to beer
Starting off our meal with selections from the wide range of cocktails, I sipped on the White Gold Sangria, while my dinner date chose the Bumble Beer, a concoction of beer, honey, ginger, apple and orange. While the sangria shimmered with edible gold specks, it contained no fruits, which is generally my favourite part of the drink, and it was a bit too sweet for my liking. The beer cocktail though, hit a great balance between tart and bitter, and was as effervescent as promised. Among the starters, we began with the Truffle Edamame Hummus, which was creamy and delicious, served with falafel bullets, lavash and pita. The Lotus Stem in Jungle Sauce was a unanimous favourite, tossed in spicy hoisin and plum sauce; the balance of spicy and a tint of sweet ensured that one kept going back for more.
The Grilled Artichoke and Tomato Bruschetta is the ideal choice for those who want familiar flavours, but with a creamier and more complex texture. On the Brunch menu, we sampled the Korean Fried Chicken Waffle. The chicken was crispy and succulent, while the waffle was soft on the inside with a crunch on the outside, exactly like a waffle should be.
Topped with maple syrup, it made for an interesting cross between a breakfast staple and a lunch favourite, honestly, it would be perfect hangover food. Moving on to the mains, Nasi Goreng arrived at our table, which had a flavourful rice accompanied by a paneer satay. For dessert we tried the much-discussed Double Chocolate Chunky Terrain, which came with three layers of white, milk and dark chocolate mousse. As a fan of less-sweet, more balanced desserts, this one did not tick all the boxes for me. It was more sugar-heavy than chocolate, leaving an extremely sweet aftertaste.
For fans of brunch, Blah! has many plans in store. A new breakfast menu with options for vegans and those who love experimenting with different cuisines, the space has an Israeli special, as well as a plant-based menu planned. Expect a high tea extravaganza complete with personalised trolleys for each table to also hit the menu soon.
