If I say ‘Chiang Mai Train Station Noodles’, chances are you’ll know which restaurant I’m talking about. Mamagoto arrived on the scene some years ago with dishes handpicked by the proprietors on envy-inducing journeys into the innards of Asia. The flavourful names of the dishes revealed their provenance and evoked a satiety beyond the taste. The venture was met with loud burps and taut tummies. And now there’s Mr Mamagoto, an ‘Asian brasserie’ which is a ‘slightly sophisticated’ but ‘still fully quirky’ iteration of the popular chain. Same, same, but different.
The moment I walked in, I knew faithful customers need not worry. With a graphic language inspired by ‘vintage Asia’, it’s similar enough to the old Mamagoto in look, feel and vibe, and, as I subsequently discovered, the food is familiar enough to not send devoted patrons scurrying. I had lunch in a restaurant that was almost full, so the crowds are certainly cool with it.
The nice people at Mr M ran me through nearly the entire menu which, by the way, is extensive. A friend recovering from typhoid who was giving me company and who had said he wouldn’t touch a thing, mowed through the offerings with worrying gusto. (A few weeks on, he’s absolutely fine, so it’s safe to say the food is typhoid friendly.)
The menu has been developed by cuisine director Janti Duggal, with an emphasis on modern Asian and lesser available Asian dishes. They’re ahead of the curve in showcasing Nikkei cuisine, that marriage of Japanese and Peruvian food that is pegged to be the next big thing. The menu has been divided into small and large plates, besides ample maki rolls, dimsums, soups, baos and tacos. Bursting with flavour, the Asian-style tacos included fried goat cheese, pork belly and smoked chicken. We loved the Saigon-style chicken liver paté, and the sinus-unclogging shrimp and wasabi cream. The stunning Thai puchka, stuffed with betel leaf and peanuts is a must-try. Other standouts were the Burmese curry pulled pork bao and, among the large plates, the Asian fish and chips, with coconut-infused mashed peas and potato wedges. The New Zealand lamb chops were tough, which they have no business being if they’re pricey as well, but we were too sated to care. All in all, a lot of fusion and bold experiments and more hits than misses.
They are yet to receive their liquor licence, but when they do, the bar will feature handcrafted cocktails from colonial Hong Kong, drinks like Chase & Status (Laphroaig, coconut fat washed scotch, ginger, honey & pomegranate syrup, lemon juice) and Kowloon Thyme (Thyme-infused vodka, elderflower syrup, homemade thyme syrup, lemon juice, soda).
Shop No. 102, First Floor, DLF Cyber Hub, Sector 24, Gurugram, +91-124-4960243, mrmamagoto.in