Ex-Ellipsis chef Kelvin Cheung has returned to Mumbai with a new venture: a South East Asian-inspired pub, One Street Over. As a consultant with Aallia Hospitality, he set up the new venture in collaboration with his good friend and former student chef Boo Kwang Kim who previously worked with the acclaimed Chicago restaurant Little Goat. And this is just the first of many more projects to come. Here’s what you need to know right now:
It’s personal
Cheung explains that the diverse food menu is based on what he likes to eat when he’s drinking or hungover. You’ll find everything from Korean BBQ meats to full-sized American-style burgers. Plus, a wide selection of healthy bar snacks (whut?) for everyone who’s trying to eat better (there’s one way of justifying all those cocktails). Do yourself a favour and snack on the green beans in garlic soy but if you’re looking for something more indulgent, chose the creamy crab rangoon – crispy fried wanton stuffed with cheese and parsley, that accompanies beer perfectly. The comforting brown rice congee is a good bet too; it’s Cheung’s cure to the worst hangovers. The drinks, too, are a big mix from around the globe. Choose The Painkiller, a fruity concoction (pineapple, fresh orange, cinnamon, tiki mug and all) inspired by a drink he had at a soggy dollar bar in the British Virgin Islands. Or try the potent Pisco Sour, which has the right hit of Peruvian pisco, homemade grapefruit juice, thyme syrup and chocolate bitters. Love whisky? Reach for the Kelvinator (stirred with Campari and sweet vermouth) that’s an ode to the chef’s favourite spirit, Jameson.
It’s handmade
From the syrups and juices in the cocktails to the pickled fruit that garnish the small eats, everything is made in-house. (“Our office is full of vats of pickling kimchi!” laughs Cheung.) That’s true of the cheese too. It explains why the burrata plate is creamy, light and bursting with flavour from the carrot-top pesto and handmade sourdough bread.
It’s changing (constantly)
Like Ellipsis, the star on the menu is what’s freshly available in the market. “We’re constantly adding new elements to dishes and playing around with the food to see what’s fun and available at the time,” he says. But here’s what to look out for: once every week or two Cheung will come in and make a special batch of one of his all-time favourite meals and announce it on social media – follow them Facebook and Instagram. “Once we’re closed for the day, like around 11pm, I’ll just come in and whip up a batch of my favourite cookies or something, first come first serve of course.”
One Street Over, Ground floor, Navrang Building, near National College and Hotel Linkway, Off Linking Road, Khar (W), Mumbai. Tel: 022 2600 2224
