words by Aude Camus
The first time I heard about chef Samaira Kavatkar, known as The Bombay East Indian Girl on Instagram, was through chef Guillaume Galliot and his wife, Juliana. Having your cuisine recommended by the helm of one of the city’s most iconic three-Michelin-starred restaurants is quite a business card, I must say. Since then, I’ve been eager to try chef Samaira’s creations, but as she operated as a private chef, I’ve never really had the chance.
That was until last week, when I was invited to discover her first, and newly opened, restaurant in Tsim Sha Tsui East. Nine One, named after India’s international dialing code, serves as a culinary playground for Samaira to showcase her vision of Indian cuisine. Here nostalgia-induced recipes inspired by her childhood challenge global misconceptions of Indian food.
The first time I heard about chef Samaira Kavatkar, known as The Bombay East Indian Girl on Instagram, was through chef Guillaume Galliot and his wife, Juliana. Having your cuisine recommended by the helm of one of the city’s most iconic three-Michelin-starred restaurants is quite a business card, I must say. Since then, I’ve been eager to try chef Samaira’s creations, but as she operated as a private chef, I’ve never really had the chance.
That was until last week, when I was invited to discover her first, and newly opened, restaurant in Tsim Sha Tsui East. Nine One, named after India’s international dialing code, serves as a culinary playground for Samaira to showcase her vision of Indian cuisine. Here nostalgia-induced recipes inspired by her childhood challenge global misconceptions of Indian food.
Born and raised in Bombay (now Mumbai) in a family of Indian-Portuguese descent (hence her Instagram handle), chef Samaira grew up enjoying recipes passed down from generations of mothers and aunts. Although opening a restaurant was always her dream, it took a successful corporate career around the globe before she decided to pursue it. After years as a private chef in Hong Kong and successful sold-out pop-up dinners with Tatler Dining Kitchen and Test Kitchen, she now has a permanent home in Tsim Sha Tsui East.
Chef Samaira’s cooking style reflect her Indo-Portuguese heritage, infused with creativity. Her goal is to showcase the diversity and vibrancy of Indian cuisine, challenging the misconception that it’s all about curries. This results in a menu that is as exciting as it is puzzling for foreigners like me, who will be served dishes they’ve probably never tried before. Yet, the flavour profiles will feel familiar.
It's also noteworthy that everything (except the soy sauce) is made from scratch, including the spice blends. With some ingredients flown in directly from the family’s farm, it’s fair to say that Chef Samaira is truly putting her heart and soul into this project.
Chef Samaira’s cooking style reflect her Indo-Portuguese heritage, infused with creativity. Her goal is to showcase the diversity and vibrancy of Indian cuisine, challenging the misconception that it’s all about curries. This results in a menu that is as exciting as it is puzzling for foreigners like me, who will be served dishes they’ve probably never tried before. Yet, the flavour profiles will feel familiar.
It's also noteworthy that everything (except the soy sauce) is made from scratch, including the spice blends. With some ingredients flown in directly from the family’s farm, it’s fair to say that Chef Samaira is truly putting her heart and soul into this project.
If you’ve attended her pop-up events or used her private chef services, you’ll recognise some dishes on the menu. These include the East Indian lamb potato chop with green pea chutney and kachumber, a crisp potato patty filled with joy-inducing juicy lamb, and the East Indian chicken khuddi, featuring slow-cooked chicken in a homemade mix of spices.
A highlight of the tasting menu for me was the Not Curry, a lamb stew that, as its name suggests, isn’t a curry but tantalises with a familiar Indian flavour profile while offering the comforting effect of a French pot-au-feu.
The Gucchi Khichdi was arguably the most surprising dish of the evening – featuring precious Indian morels (Gucchi mushrooms) simmered in a flavorful sauce made with bottle masala (an East-Indian spice blend) and served with rice.
This spice-infused experience ended with two refreshing desserts: the Aamrakhan, featuring fresh mangoes, and the Rabdi, a creamy rich milk treat served with saffron-infused cantaloupes.
As for the space, it aligns with the menu – challenging misconceptions about Indian restaurants. Expect a cosy, welcoming 95-seat venue where the bar area, largely open to the street, invites you in, and a wall of wines guides you to your table.
The verdict? Forget what you think you know about Indian cuisine and get ready to indulge in Chef Samaira’s vibrant renditions of her childhood recipes. It won’t leave you indifferent.
This spice-infused experience ended with two refreshing desserts: the Aamrakhan, featuring fresh mangoes, and the Rabdi, a creamy rich milk treat served with saffron-infused cantaloupes.
As for the space, it aligns with the menu – challenging misconceptions about Indian restaurants. Expect a cosy, welcoming 95-seat venue where the bar area, largely open to the street, invites you in, and a wall of wines guides you to your table.
The verdict? Forget what you think you know about Indian cuisine and get ready to indulge in Chef Samaira’s vibrant renditions of her childhood recipes. It won’t leave you indifferent.
Nine One
https://nineonehk.com/
G80-85, G/F, Tsim Sha Tsui centre, 66 Mody Road
This article is based on a complimentary media tasting hosted by Nine One. No money has been paid for publishing this write-up which is entirely based on the genuine opinion of its author.