New food and cocktail menus to try this season

Try something new this month from a Finnish chef’s ode to Mumbai's iconic flavours and a menu celebrating New Orleans classics to cocktails inspired by your grandmother’s ‘achars’

Call Me Sofia's new menu brings the Italian aperitivo culture at the table through inventive cocktails and small plates. Some of the old favourites stay, while new ones make an impression with new twists and surprises. Some of them are Wild Thing, a unique blend of sourdough, farmer's jam, bourbon, mushroom beer and balsamic, and Call Me Picante, a combination of tequila, gin, strawberry, baby spinach and jalapeño brine. For those who enjoy savoury cocktails, there is Keep It Dirty that features gin, cucumber brine, vodka and vermouth.

Where: Call Me Sofia, 14, Union Park Rd, Union Park, Khar West, Mumbai.

The 32-seater cocktail bar Oxymorons in Hyderabad has come up with 12 new drinks. The menu is called Anti-menu 2.0 and has retained a few old favourites, while playing with new flavours that seem familiar yet innovative. There are tequilas to try with cream cheese and onion soda, a bread cocktail and flavours that play with your grandmother's nimbu ka achar. One can also sample the zero-proof, fruit-centric concoctions. The food menu features baida roti, chicken ghee roast and kori roti, pork buns and shrimp roll.

Where: Oxymorons, Behind the bookshelf, Pillar No. C1405, Under Begumpet Metro Station, Inside Country Club, Uma Nagar, Begumpet, Hyderabad.

Mumbai's Franco-American restaurant SoBo20 has lined up some new additions to the menu. The dishes are an amalgamation of French and Louisiana-style of cooking, specifically Cajun and Creole cuisines, with fun interpretations of the city's local flavours. Some of the standout dishes are Louisiana Curry Puffs, Mushroom & Straciatella Pizzette, Chilli Butter Farfallone with lump crab meat, Chicken Fricassée and Honey Toast for dessert. There are salads and pork belly too.

Where: Sobo20, Ground Floor, InterContinental Marine Drive, Mumbai.

The North-East and Eastern Himalayas have inspired chefs to conceptualise menus that celebrate the region's indigenous food culture. Permit & Co. is bringing ingredients such as bamboo shoot, axone, bhut jolokia, timur and black rice at the table with dishes such as choila, phaley, shapta, thukpa and momos. There are some fun riffs too in the form of smoked pork tacos and Black Rice Phirni Brûlée.

Where: 1st Floor, Raghuvanshi Mills, Senapati Bapat Marg, Gandhi Nagar, Upper Worli, Parel, Mumbai.

Mumbai's BARE restaurant functions as a collaborative kitchen inviting guest chefs to take over the menu for a brief period of time. The latest one is helmed by Finnish chef Toni Toivanen, who has spent almost a decade at Copenhagen’s Noma restaurant. His approach to cooking is focused around seasonality, and with his interest in Japanese cooking, Toivanen intends to bring his experiences blending India's ancient food culture. Guests can try Shrimp Bikini Toast, Mackerel with Wasabi & Dashi, Bombay Duck Fish & Chips and Mentaiko Noodles with Spicy Curry, and Matcha Soufflé with Milk Ice Cream.

Where: BARE, Gate No.3 , Altimus, Dr, GM Bhosale Marg, B Wing, BDD Chawls Worli, Worli, Mumbai.