Hemant Oberoi Signature Lunch BKC Mumbai | Culinary Legend | Food Review | Food Photography

A legendary name taken with reverence in the field of culinary arts, with more than 4 decades of unbeatable experience,encyclopedic knowledge and a passion to provide an innovative fine dining experience to patrons. Hemant Oberoi at BKC signifies all this and more.

Walking in, an elegant ambiance greets us. High ceilings, plush couches, deep intense colors, beautiful chandelier, mahogany bar, it is modern yet comforting, cavernous yet intimate. Staff is trained diligently to provide 5 star level service which they do unfailingly from beginning to end. 

Menu is compact and serves choicest veg as well as non veg Peruvian, European and Asian dishes, a combination of exotic authentic ingredients imported from respective locations, traditional recipes, infused with a contemporary vigor and yes, also suited to Indian palate to a good extent.Portions just about sufficient for a good meal. I can say this with happiness that even my mom,who is not huge on experimental food, really liked dishes here that she would not normally think of ordering on her own :)

Yes,it all comes at a price. But I am not going to crib about that. I am no gourmand. Just a normal foodie, I liked the food, I loved the service and for an experience that I won't get anywhere else, dishes that I won't get to taste at many places, prices are more or less justified. When I walk in at an IMAX theatre to watch a movie like Interstellar/Avatar in Imax 3D, I happily pay 400 bucks per ticket because I know the experience is going to be superlative, unlike watching Kick or Dilwale. It's all good.

Before starting off with our tasting lunch, we ordered some beverages, just told the staff that I like refreshing stuff while my mom loves fruity flavors, and they got us really good selection. My mom had an orange based mocktail followed by a special concoction of berries + oranges while I had a watermelon cocktail followed by a mix of green apple + red apple refresher. Loved both rounds.

Lunch was flagged off by Amuse Bouche i.e. palate cleanser of PERUSHI Peruvian Sushi = Avocado-Cucumber Sushi with Peruvian spices, served alongside soya sauce, wasabi and ginger. Really nice. Plating done beautifully.

Qui-Know-Ah-Quinoa Salad with a hint of Mango and Balsamic Dressing = an explosion of flavors, sweet-spicy-tangy and ofcourse the healthy quinoa wholesomeness right on top, heartily recommended.

Beans on the Plate = Edamame & Chestnut Dumplings, with crunchy asparagus, and a hit of Amarillo Aioli to bring creaminess to the dish, worked out nicely, simple flavors done right.

I am not much into soups, have had enough of usual tomato/mushroom, but the ones here are definitely must-haves. If you are into warm soups, go for Leeks and Cusco Mountain Potato Soup with Beetroot Paper, it is creamy, fragrant, feels like something grandma made on a really rainy day. For those with an affinity for colder soups, do go for Melon Gazpacho, a bit on sweetish side, but oh-so-delectable. Again, simple flavors made special with little gourmet touches.

A little interlude with warm freshly baked bread & basil butter followed right before main course, enjoyable to the hilt.

For mushroom lovers, Cry O Pac Three Mushroom Ravioli with Toasted Oats & Truffle foam is a must-have = Ravioli filled with Portobello + button + morel mushrooms, in sage and butter, garnished with pecan nuts, frozen in tin cans, steamed right before serving, ensuring that the flavors of butter/mushrooms/nuts all meld together beautifully and every layer of this dish is just beautiful to look at as well as to relish. Even my mom, who would otherwise not touch mushrooms, really loved the way all the flavors and textures played together.

Finally, a very comforting dish = Asparagus Risotto with Aged Parmesan, creamy, dense but not overpowering so, the crunch of Asparagus Pears juxtaposed beautifully with the risotto itself. Simple warm dish to have during rains/winter :)

My favorite section is always the dessert section and HO presented two excellent dishes here-

Chocolate Mille-Feuille = Thin dark chocolate bars balancing droplets made of dark and milk chocolate, like a string of pearls, garnished with pecan nut, a must-have for every chocolate lover. Think of all the health benefits of cocoa for heart and dig in :D

Three Milk Parfait = Luscious cool parfait made of Cow milk + buffalo milk + goat milk, drizzled with salty caramel, garnished with candied popcorn. One is just not enough. Comforting, delicious, global, I am definitely coming back for this alone :)

Mondays to Fridays choose from a 2 course or 3 course lunch meal for around 1700 bucks or walk in for the weekend 11 course meal for around 3000 bucks, or just hop in for happy hours everyday with offers such as 50% off on all beers, I say Hemant Oberoi has got something for everyone and I will surely be back soon.