A perfect blend of captivating peach and cream walls sets the stage for the newest Mediterranean kitchen in town — Nomi. From falafel to sambusek to gaulash to hummus, this month-old restaurant in Andheri has a powerhouse of authentic flavours to offer.
Screeching through this bustling locale of Veera Desai, we reach the seventh floor of the popular Ambica Acropolis. What we see is a delightful reminder of the deserts of Dubai on the backdrop of the blue waters of Sardinia. The view blends perfectly with the bright white walls with sunburnt accents and dimmed golden lights that exude an old world charm blended with modern aesthetics appearing to be a vast cavern.
We took our sweet little time to absorb the intimidating aura of the restaurant while indulging in a few pictures for a quick Instagram check in.
Interiors of NOMI |
Spicy bliss
We start off the meal with Peiruti Hummus With Falafel, with just a drizzle of olive oil. It is fresh and makes for the perfect palate cleanser. The additional veggies on the platter set the mood for more, though, we paused and tried Pomegranate, Quinoa, and Kale Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette. The salad was almost a meal in itself like the authentic mezze in some parts of the Middle East. The mixture of white and red quinoa with a perfect hint of lemon vinaigrette made this salad one of our favourites from all that we ate. What came next were Spicy Za’atar Fries. These self-explanatory potato munching came with mayo and paprika dips and the former was the saviour, for we underestimated the spicy factor in the name. Despite their over-the-top spicy flavour, we managed to finish the plate full of fries which we thoughtfully paired with a refreshing iced beverage made with Guava and pomegranate concoction.
Pomegranate Quinoa Vinaigrette Salad |
Garlic and Parmesan Fish Fingers |
The ultimate Umm Ali
The Rigatoni Siciliana comes next which is a cornucopia of flavours with rigatoni, zucchini, tomatoes, chilli, lemon, ricotta, and pangrattato. One of the famous Italian dish was simple, colourful, and delightful. Manakish, our next dish was a Lebanese — a thin crust pizza of sorts with delectable minced lamb and ground meat. It was light, super thin, crunchy and filled with just the right amount of flavours, which is characteristic of Middle-eastern food.
Gnocchi de terre |
Lamb mince pide |
Roasted broccoli with cheese, zaatar, almonds |
They also served a creamy soft Harissa chicken that is mildly marinated and served with toume (Lebanese garlic paste). What better way to end our meal than with an Umm Ali — traditional Egyptian pudding made with bread, milk, and dried fruits. This was melt-in-the-mouth moment — the soft and buttery bread pudding had a strong flavour of cardamom and chopped nuts. With more dessert options like Banffee Pie, banana and coffee flavoured tart, rose flavoured milk pudding — Muhallabieh, Apricot and figs Sambusek — filo pastry stuffed with apricot, and Turkish Baklava will fulfil your starry Mediterranean dreams.
Price for two: `1,500
