#blahvsfood goes to Nonna Mei, Shillong.. where one of my favourite chefs finds her voice again!

 

A lot of people told me not to go to Nonna Mei. When I said to my friends that it was the restaurant I was most excited about, people were surprised and they said I would be disappointed because it wasn’t that great, and having been there now I fully understand why they would say that. 

But I have to say they were absolutely wrong because this is a great restaurant in every sense of the word. It is a triumph by one of India’s best chefs, an act of imagination and creation that absolutely blew me away. I went to Rynsan and Nonna Mei on consecutive days and it astounds me that my hometown of Shillong now has two of India’s very best restaurants.. and in my honest opinion Nonna Mei is the better of the two. 

Smoked pork negroni 

The thing with Italian food (like Chinese food) is that everyone thinks they understand it and know it. But familiarity is not knowledge, and the pizza and pasta that most Indians know is as Italian as gobi manchurian is Chinese. If your frame of reference is the Italian food that is served (and often served well) across India, Nonna Mei can be bewildering. Because Nonna Mei is so pathbreaking and original that it’s like no Italian restaurant anyone has ever seen.

And yet, in its own way I found this more authentically Italian than almost every Italian restaurant in the country. Italian food for me is a celebration of local produce and ingredients… tomatoes that burst with flavour, herbs that sing, dairy that is fresh and rich… all cooked with love and a sense of respect for community and regionality. That’s exactly what Nonna Mei gives you, except that the region is Meghalaya and not Puglia or Tuscany. In fact, with its sense of humility and rootedness, this is food that really reminded me of southern Italy, of Sicily or Naples. 

Good Italian food is always a showcase for great skill and immaculate technique, whether at a Michelin starred restaurant in Milan or a countryside osteria. There is something undeniably artisanal in the way the pasta is always freshly rolled and cooked to perfection, in the fermentation of the pizza dough, the focus on slow cooking, the insistence on the best produce, the way every Italian dish is a vehicle for the natural flavours to emerge and shine. 

NONNA MEI SIGNATURE CAPRESE SALAD

The best example of this at Nonna Mei was in the Caprese salad, which was honestly my favourite dish of the whole trip. Roasted heirloom tomatoes from Meghalaya with fresh burrata from Pine Hills Creamery in Nongrah Village, fresh basil and a tomato dressing, finished with cilantro granita… this was a celebration of freshness and local produce, the kind of dish that gives meaning to the expression “bursting with flavour”. 

CITRUS SALAD, CILANTRO GRANITA, GARLIC CREMA

ROASTED TURNIPS, SWEET GARLIC, MEGHALAYAN FETA

This intensity of flavour was present across dishes. The roasted turnips with a bell pepper sauce, sweet roasted garlic and Meghalayan feta, had an earthy umami flavour. The citrus salad with sweet lime & orange dressed with blood orange dressing , cilantro granita and garlic crema reminded me of my childhood, when we would slake our thirst on bright sunny days with juicy, impossibly sweet local oranges. 

MUTTON BRAIN, JYLLANG, AXONE

GNOCCO FRITTO, MARINARA, HOUSE CURED LARDO

And it’s not just the vegetarian dishes. The lighter than air, puffy gnocco fritto acknowledges Meghalaya’s pork obsession by layering the bread with in-house cured Lardo, but ensuring that the bed of marinara sauce provides the necessary acidity. There is a wonderful house cured mutton brain which is pan seared and flavored with Axone (which I know is Naga and not Khasi), a butter sauce made with Jyllang (a local herb) and served with a side of Ciabatta.

CONFIT POTATO PIZZA, PICKLED JYLLANG, CREAM CHEESE AND LOCAL POTATO CHIPS

What I also like is that Niyati doesn’t feel the need to force the local narrative but lets it unfold naturally and with restraint. There is a really joyful pizza I had, Neopolitan style with a garlic cream base, topped with confit local red potatoes and finished with Jyllang which is pickled. The pizza is complemented by a drizzle of chilli-infused local honey and crispy potato chips, creating a balance of rich, savory, sweet, and crunchy flavors. But look at what the local elements are… a red potato, a herb to finish, honey to drizzle… no loud statements but incorporating local inspiration with intelligence and subtlety. 

ULTIMATE SIGNATURE LASAGNA

I know that Larsing and Niyati don’t want to open another Nonna Mei outside Shillong. Larsing told me that there are a few things that should stay in the North East so people visit there to experience it. I understand and respect that sentiment. My only fear is that as a result, Nonna Mei will not get the fame, the acclaim and the critical recognition it deserves.

CHICKEN SAUSAGE PASTA, ROAST BONE JUS, TOMME CHEESE

I remember telling Niyati that I didn’t love her last menu at Ekaa as much as all the critics did. That’s because for me she has a singular gift… the ability to take what is familiar, to take memory and nostalgia, and to reimagine it in a way that is both familiar but completely new, that feels startlingly original, that creates a sense of excitement and discovery, that brings you joy. Her best cooking has an intimacy and sense of personal connection to the food that is special. At Nonna Mei, one of my favourite Indian chefs has found her voice again. 

SIGNATURE CHOCOLATE MOUSSELINE, TIRAMISU, KHASI PINEAPPLE GELATO

We ate: 

Antipasti:

- CITRUS SALAD, CILANTRO GRANITA, GARLIC CREMA: sweet lime & orange which is dressed with blood orange dressing , cilantro granita, garlic crema.

- ROASTED TURNIPS, SWEET GARLIC, MEGHALAYAN FETA: roasted turnips, bell peppers sauce, candid walnuts pickled bell peppers, sweet roasted garlic and Meghalayan feta from Pine Hills creamery. 

- NONNA MEI SIGNATURE CAPRESE SALAD

Roasted heirloom tomatoes meet fresh burrata from Pine Hills Creamery in Nongrah Village, capers, fresh basil and a tomato dressing, finished with cilantro granita.

- MUTTON BRAIN, JYLLANG, AXONE: House cured mutton brain which is pan seared and flavored with Axone, Jyllang Butter sauce with side of Ciabatta

- GNOCCO FRITTO, MARINARA, HOUSE CURED LARDO: Deep fried leavened dough, on a bed of marinara sauce, layered with in-house cured Lardo.

- 100% HYDRATION BREAD: Noyati’s legendary 100% hydration bread is further enhanced with khar-infused morbier cheese and a fermented hot sauce pulp, adding a distinctive local flavor and a balanced tangy heat.

Pizza:

- CONFIT POTATO, PICKLED JYLLANG, CREAM CHEESE AND LOCAL POTATO CHIPS: A Neapolitan pizza with garlic cream base, topped with confit local red potatoes and finished with a local herb called Jyllang which is pickled (garlic chives). The pizza is complemented by a drizzle of chilli-infused local honey and crispy potato chips. 

Pasta:

- ULTIMATE SIGNATURE LASAGNA: In house spinach lasagna sheets, layers of Bechamel, Smoked pork bolognese and cheese. Tossed in pizza oven for the crusty edges to give prefect bite to it.

- CHICKEN SAUSAGE, ROAST BONE JUS, TOMME CHEESE: A Rich chicken jus-based sauce tossed with cream and Parmesan, with freshly made inhouse cured Chicken Sausages.

GIANDUJA AFFOGATO 

Desserts:

- SIGNATURE CHOCOLATE MOUSSELINE

Callebaut 811 dark chocolate mousse served on a bed of gianduja syrup, finished with fresh whipped double cream and crunchy chip choc It’s a rich, creamy dessert with a contrast of smooth and crunchy textures.

- TIRAMISU: Savoiardi biscuits steeped in Kahlúa and vanilla espresso syrup, complemented by a gianduja sauce. It’s topped with a light and airy mascarpone cream and finished with a dusting of cocoa.

- GIANDUJA AFFOGATO: in house creamy vanilla gelato topped with chocolate chips and warm gianduja syrup, creating a rich hazelnut and chocolate experience.