The St. Regis Mumbai is one of my most favourite places in the city. So when I received an invitation to visit their all new modern European restaurant, I was excited beyond words.

Luna Nudo Gusta, a chic bar and restaurant located at the hotel’s 37th floor opened doors to city folks a couple of weeks ago. Luna Nudo, the charismatic bar is on the lower section while a stairway leads up to the glamorous restaurant, Luna Gusta. Since yesterday was the official launch of ‘Jazz Legends’ – Jazz nights at the bar, we were delighted to catch a glimpse of Ash Chandler and his band performing for a cheerful crowd. The place was lively and buzzing with the city’s creme de la creme.

Soon after, we headed to the restaurant. The decor left us speechless. Mosaic walls and golden chandeliers made us feel like we’ve just stepped into the land of royals. It’s luxurious and beyond gorgeous.

Australian Chef Martin Kindleysides has curated a contemporary European menu that features different kinds of meats and vegetarian options. They import their seafood from LA, chicken from a farm in Delhi and vegetables from ex-pilot Namit who grows chemical-free vegetables for them. So everything that is served is fresh and packed with flavour. Since we wanted to try small portions of multiple things, he was extremely kind to serve us tasting portions of some of his signature dishes.

What I ate & liked:
– Our meal started with an amuse-bouche that consisted of beetroot and goat’s cheese followed by some freshly baked bread with herbed butters – all of which were amazing.

– Soon after, we were served a portion of the yellow fin tuna tarter made with capers, hens eggs, red onion, cornichons, avocado & lemon dressing, served with a slice of freshly baked cheese foccassia. Usually, fish is chopped alongside the table as per the guests request and is then prepared live with parsley, capers and other ingredients but in our case, since we had mini portions, it came prepared to the table. Needless to say, it was delicious! All the ingredients complimented this cool, fresh fish and the dressing added the right amount of zing, making it a delightful start to our meal.

– Black truffle infused charred corn polenta with baby corn was a creamy, buttery and indulgent cornmeal mash that tasted even better with the grilled zucchini.

– Bouillabaisse, a hearty soup made with shrimp, fish and squid in a tomato broth was rich and packed with seafood flavours – highly recommended and should not be missed if you’re a seafood lover.

– Coming to the risottos, the Spiny Lobster one was a classic made with chunks of lobster, spinach leaves and Parmesan – undoubtedly an irresistible combination. The Asparagus one, however, got my vote due to it’s perfectly balanced flavours.

– Swiss chard and ricotta cheese tortellini, made in-house with sage, pine nut brown butter and truffle foam was a simple, heartwarming dish, sure to make you smile on a dull day.

– The flaky Chilean sea bass, imported from Chile was perfectly cooked and topped with a buttery crab sauce that created a burst of textures and flavours. The beautiful creamy mash and broccolini, served alongside, only added on, making this dish the highlight of my meal.

Post the mains, our server handed us a dessert menu which has limited options but is worth trying, no matter what. Even if you’re feeling stuffed, make sure to keep some room for dessert. We tried the Blackberry Pave and the Vegan Apple Tart, both were fantastic.

Their cocktail menu is also quite extensive and if you’re confused about what to order, Joel – the mixologist, is extremely helpful and will gladly serve you some of their intoxicating infusions.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed myself and will surely be back soon to sample the rest. Great food and drinks, live music and exceptional service – what more can you ask for? Special thank you to Ruchi, Allwyn, Abrar, Kushkant & Swadha for their warmth and hospitality. You guys make a great team. Keep up the good work!