Maffy’s is a magical dining experience
South Mumbai is filled with different cultures of Middle Eastern communities, as well as open minded people who are willing to try new things. As we walk into Maffy’s, the new Pan Arabian bistro on Prem Ramchandani Marg, we see a wall full of sketches of the cities Isfahen in Iran, Corfu in Greece, Luxor in Egypt and one of Istanbul. Chef Nimish Bhatia masterfully combines the traditional flavours and techniques of Middle Eastern cuisine with his streamlined cooking methods and healthier ingredients resulting in a feast for all the senses. From sensuous tagines and Egyptian Koshari to the bean free smoky Cauliflower Hummus, the decadent Chocolate Hummus and Baklava Lollipops, the gorgeously photographed recipes are nothing short of magical on the taste buds.
It’s a small, tightly run restaurant but the flavours of the food just cannot be faulted and there was a genuine desire to provide good service. Makarand Samant, the executive chef formerly with Aurus, brings with him culinary talent to please our palates. To begin with, the red Hummus was creamy and healthy, paired with pita bread. The Labneh with za’atar was warm, thin and crisp, with a hint of garlic and zaatar spice, ideal to curb our hunger pangs before the main course arrives. It complimented the Irani Saffron tea, that had a rich saffron whiff. The bean free cauliflower hummus was appealing to the palate as it has been roasted and blended with tahini to a creamy texture. Roasting the cauliflower brings out its natural sweetness and gives the hummus an extra kick of flavour.
On to the main course the Egyptian Koshari, Egypt’s much loved street food and national dish makes a hearty vegetarian meal comprising of rice, lentils, vermicelli, pasta, and chickpeas all layered together in a spicy tomato sauce with crunchy caramelised onions. The seafood tagine is cooked in aromatic spices with an array of seafood like prawns, fish, mussels and served alongside a bed of fragrant saffron rice. The wonderful spices blended with prawns, fish, mussels and vegetables is a crowd pleaser. The salmon in the Salmon biryani is marinated in yogurt and spices and then cooked to perfection and served with lightly sweet smelling rice. To summarise our meal we asked for the Chocolate hummus and the baklava lollipop. The former is full of fibre thanks to the delicious and nutritious beans, the taste is somewhere between raw chocolate chip dough and whipped chocolate frosting. The date syrup further enhances the flavour. The bakhlava lollipop served on wooden skewers was visually appealing and made from top quality ingredients that you virtually get transported to Istanbul for a while till the flavour lingers on in your mouth. My experience here in a word.