Restaurant Spotlight: Masala Library, The Magnum Opus Of The Late Jiggs Kalra That Offers Delectable Indian Fare With Contemporary Influences

The home of the finest modern Indian fare in Mumbai, Masala Library aims at showcasing the epicurean lineage of Ancient India, representing culinary excellence from across the geographical landscape of the country, but with a contemporary influence.

Founded by late Jiggs Kalra, also known as the "Czar of Indian Cuisine", Masala Library, in the true sense of the word, is a culinary legacy that endeavors to offer its patrons a never-before-undertaken gastronomic voyage, capturing the grandeur of centuries-old traditions and the long-lost essence of one of the oldest known gastronomic traditions in the world, combining it with modern-day cooking techniques, whilst retaining the traditional preparation for each dish on offer. It aims at recreating the erstwhile culinary traditions in turn offering a truly gastronomical adventure for the connoisseurs.

Masala Library combines culinary tradition with cutting-edge molecular techniques to serve up familiar Indian dishes in unexpected and innovative ways.

Dubbed ‘Indian cuisine 2.0’, every run-of-the-mill Indian recipe is given an interesting makeover here and transformed into a totally new dish that is a treat to the eyes as well as your taste buds. For instance, even a basic 'Chai Tea' gets a reworking, with clear consommé poured over mushrooms and dried truffle oil. There are pearls of yogurt and deconstruction aplenty, but all this jazz is done in a way that gives the most regular of recipes a new edge while retaining their true essence.

The menu here showcases a unique spread represented by dishes from the key provinces of the country, each elucidating the rich cultural heritage flown down centuries. Each region, represented in the vast menu, is prepared & presented by skillful Chefs with extensive experience and expertise in the cuisine from the same.

They push the frontiers of Indian food, infuse their pan Indian fare with molecular gastronomy. They tell stories through their dishes and use high-tech science to do so.

Masala Library’s menu is where science marries art and curates reinterpreted masterpieces. We are in awe of their innovative amuse-bouche of 'Papri Chaat', a street-food snack of crispy fried dough and spicy toppings, that is beautifully served over plumes of dry ice as a chilled sphere of yogurt (infused with flavors of tangy and sweet tamarind sauce) implodes on the palate.

The 'Deconstruction of a Samosa' is one of the many examples of molecular gastronomy available at Masala Library. Three tiny, innocuous dots of spicy potato mash and peas dressed with chutney drops arranged symmetrically on a puff pastry strip atop a banana leaf on a straw mat. One bite and the flavors explode, sweet and sour, tangy and salty, hot and cold, all at once.

'Dal Chawal Arancini' is another exemplary preparation that looks kinda complex but packs tons of flavor. Featuring a medley of dal, chili, chutney, achar mayo, papad, and a garnish of tomato, this dish is literally a revelation and absolutely worth all the hype.

From start to finish, the dishes and the interpretation of Indian flavors are spots on, a fact that is quite evident from the selection of innovative desserts such as the 'Jalebi Caviar' that allow molecular gastronomy to enhance the flavors as well as the visual appeal of traditional dishes.