#blahvsfood on the evolution of Varun Tolani’s food at Masque

 

Strawberrry/ponkh 

I have been one of Masque’s earliest and strongest supporters. I have sat with Prateek and Aditi in 2017 to brainstorm on how to get more people to visit and realise how special this restaurant was. I argued with India’s biggest food writers for not giving it the praise and recognition it deserved. And when it finally took flight, I cheered as much as anyone. 

Duck floss /coconut stew / coconut malai

But I was slightly underwhelmed when I ate at Masque in September. Every dish was great. But I didn’t get the payoff that you get when a meal is conceptually cohesive and the chef’s soul is reflected in the menu. It felt like a menu of the mind and not of the heart. 

Squid / karanji kanji / gooseberry 

I spoke with Varun Tolani recently and said how I hoped to see more of what he stands for and believes in reflected in the food, that I wanted to see more than just the legacy and philosophy of Masque. He said that as he had evolved and grown, his food had become more personal and he urged me to come and try it soon and share my thoughts. So I decided to come back to Bombay and eat at Masque in the next two weeks.

BBQ pork / tamarind / amaranth 

Well I have to say, Varun was right. This food felt much more personal, honest and coherant to me. The flavours are all there like they have always been. But both Maharastra and seasonality make their presence felt with a boldness and strength that’s markedly differed from last year. 

The use of ponkh and karanji kanji and aamti and amla give the dishes a Maharashtrian vernacular that is woven through the entire meal. It reflects the food that Varun has been surrounded by over the years, a process of looking both inwards and outwards which leads to real inspiration. In fact the best manifestation of this was an off-menu dish Varun sent us (from a previous menu) of goda masala and onion sauce with clams and Koli masala. This was a dish that had honesty, humility, rootedness but also the confidence to know that your skill and technique will find their expression and you don’t need to force it or prove it. 

Top left: clams / goda masala / onion sauce 

Even when it comes to seasonality, Varun 

is pushing himself to go deeper, not wider. He celebrates mango season, not with a token mango dish, but through multiple expressions. Green mango, Aam papad, mango aamti. 

Green mango / Aam papad

This is what I want to see in any great chef or restaurant. Don’t play it safe. Explore possibilities. Be brave. Put your convictions and inspiration on the plate. 

And I’m so happy to see that Varun is finally bringing all of himself to the table and creating a Masque that looks forward, to the new, and in the process Varun is defining himself as a chef who stands alone and doesn’t need to be compared to or defined by anyone else.

Melon Rabdi / roselle 

We ate:

• Strawberry / ponkh
• Duck floss / coconut stew / coconut malai
• BBQ pork / tamarind / amaranth 
• Squid / karanchi kanji / gooseberry 
• Fara / mud crab / grillo 
• Green mango / Aam papad
• Soft shell crab tandoori 
• Lamb / Mango aamti
• Clams / goda masala / onion sauce 
• Kasundi / ladyfish
• Ladi pao and black garlic pulao 
• Melon rabdi / roselle 
• Citrus / cacao
• Coconut / poppy
• Apricot / pistachio 
• Strawberry / nankhatai

Fara / mud crab / grillo

Soft shell crab tandoori / lamb with mango Aamti / lady fish with kasundi / black garlic pulao