Tenderloin CarpaccioOrigin: Venice, Italy
Available at: Indigo, Two One Two, Aurus and others
First served in a Venetian bar in the 1950s, the dish got its name from artist Vittore Carpaccio, who had a tendency to use reds (similar to the meat's hue) in his paintings. Traditionally, the dish consists of extremely thin slices of tenderloin served with shavings of Parmesan cheese, olive oil and a bed of rocket or arugula leaves. Restaurants in Mumbai also serve options such as tuna, salmon or scallop Carpaccio, for those who do not have beef. According to Two One Two Bar and Grill's Outlet Chef Mohammed Bhol, "Any meat pounded flat and raw can be referred to as Carpaccio."
Bhol serves a lightly pounded version of Aberdeen Angus beef with a house balsamic vinegar dressing, rocket leaves and slices of 24-month-old Parmesan cheese. "The idea of slicing it thin is so you break down the tissue and fibre of the meat or fish, making it easy to chew and digest," explains Chef Tarang Doshi of Indigo, who prefers to dress up the tenderloin a bit more, serving it with fried mustard mayonnaise, truffle powder, wild rocket, Parmesan and an olive tapenade. While Two One Two imports its beef from Scotland, Indigo insists on using local meat. "The meat has to be absolutely fresh. We use the undercuts of local buffalo," reveals Rahul Akerkar.
CevicheOrigin: Peru
Available at: Vinoteca by Sula, Koh and others
"Peruvian cuisine has keen Japanese and Polynesian influences," reveals Chef Paul Kinny of InterContinental Marine Drive's restaurant Koh. According to Kinny, Peruvians began eating raw fish in the form of ceviche or tiraditos (different in the way the fish is cut and served) thanks to Japanese immigrants. Ceviche, he explains, has very thinly sliced fish served with a tiny bit of citrus (or another acid such as vinegar). Vinoteca by Sula serves locally sourced Kingfish, which is finely diced (not sliced), with a drizzle of lemon, sweet lime and orange juice as a tapa. Tuna, salmon and other varieties are widely available across the city, but Chef Ian Kittichai's version served at Koh has a rather interesting Thai twist to it. Sliced onions, both raw and browned, Thai roasted chilli powder, mint and kaffir lime leaves adorn a paper thin slice of Japanese Yellowfin Tuna "to be eaten the minute its brought to your table," warns Kinny.
Indulging in sushi, caviar and cold cuts may show class, but it does not make you an expert in uncooked gourmet dishes. MOEENA HALIM did an Anthony Bourdain and dropped in at restaurants across the city without reservations, to try out exotic meat and fish preparations that had one thing in common: they were all served RAW!