Mumbai is an inspiration and a frustration for Michelin starred chef Vineet Bhatia

Vineet Bhatia, the Michelin star chef of Azok by Vineet, understands the need to manage expectations for his new restaurant in Mumbai that opened January 28. "When people see a Michelin star they expect fireworks. That's not what we are doing". It's an important caveat to issue given that Azok was not conceived as fine dining. Instead Azok is meant to be a relaxed, open-air, rooftop lounge and restaurant experience, the menu featuring modernized Indian cuisine with unusual twists such as lemongrass and wasabi. (Read the CNNGo restaurant review)

Though living in London while running Rasoi, a popular Indian restaurant in Chelsea, Bhatia grew up in India's coastal metropolis and savors the memories of all the good food that was on offer -- especially food cobbled together on the footpath. CNNGo talks tastebud memories with the world's only two time Michelin star Indian chef.

"Mumbai", he says, "is a non-stop snacking city. At school, they served what were called 'Bombay sandwiches,' essentially potatoes and green chutney fashioned into a sort of club sandwich. On the way home, I had various places I stopped to snack at. There used to be a Parsi Dairy shop at Churchgate that served the best ice-cream sandwiches. As I lived in Juhu, I would also treat myself regularly to a gola on the beach or a delicious malai kulfi."

Pausing to reflect, he adds "and how could I forget the pav bhaji with Amul butter!"

Mumbai's abundance of street food undoubtably played its role in awakening the palate of a young chef-to-be, but so did the home food dished up by Bhatia's mother. "My mum made rogan josh, a slow-cooked lamb dish, in which she added potato, something that is not normally done. She used to prepare this with thick parathas that would soak up all the gravy and would then give us a sweet lassi to go with the meal. She was an excellent cook."

Knowing Mumbai as he does, Bhatia also points out the many gastronomic shortcomings of the city. There are still no Indian fine dining restaurants, for instance. 

"Fine dining is not just about serving good food. It's also about the decor, service, presentation, crockery, glassware, flavors and composition. All this matters, and as a complete package, I haven't seen Indian restaurants offering this yet."

Part of the reason, he says, is the conservative attitude Indians have about their food and a reluctance to pay a premium for eating Indian cuisine. "Everyone expects Indian food to be cheap and cheerful. Wasabi [another Mumbai restaurant] serves food for Rs 4,000 but customers feel that's okay as it's Japanese. Why should Indian food cost any less? I also feel that there is a problem with people not wanting to push boundaries. People say 'It's been done like this for thousands of years. Why change?' If they burp at the end of the meal, then that means they've enjoyed it and are happy. I think that's such a shame. There is more we should be aiming for."

Naturally, Bhatia's modernist approach to Indian cooking has peeved some traditionalists. "People feel that what we are doing is not Indian food, but that it's fusion. I don't think so. All we are doing is asking ourselves: 'Is it necessary to add all these spices and oil?' We try to clear all this from our cooking and what remains is good food like the type you eat at home. Cooking at luxury hotels in my early days taught me that an upmarket clientele likes simple food."

Despite the resistance he senses to Indian food as fine dining, Bhatia is optimistic about the future and about Mumbai's role in bringing about culinary change. "Indian cuisine is in the same position that the Indian cricket team was in 10 to 15 years ago. We weren't number one. Now, we've won the world cup and we have become a good team because we are more aggressive and have learnt a lot. Mumbai is moving so fast when it comes to food, there are new eateries popping up all the time, it's so good to see the changes happening here. It's really improving and makes me feel proud."

Azok by Vineet at Oakwood Premier Mumbai, J.R Mhatre Road, Opposite Iris Park, Juhu; tel. +91 (0) 22 6623 8888. Opening hours, 7pm-1am.