Bastian Bandra is now Ammakai: Inside Shilpa Shetty and Ranjit Bindra’s newest culinary venture

Located at the same spot where CEO and founder Ranjit Bindra and his partner Shilpa Shetty’s Bastian Bandra stood till August, the restaurant has been entirely transformed. Drenched in earthy terracotta and rust tones, the 125-seater evokes the warmth of South Indian homes — from hand-painted motifs and textured walls and pillars to patterned floors inspired by kolams, weaves and temple art. Arched doorways break the space into intimate pockets rather than one large dining room, while quirky, stereotypical Amma lines — “When are you getting married?”, “No situationship anniversary celebrations allowed”, among others — add a note of lightness.

Led by Krishna, the cocktail menu borrows ingredients from a South Indian pantry and plays with them thoughtfully. (Express Photo)

The seating, dressed in handcrafted textiles and geometric prints, is plush and inviting. Even the bar follows the same design language, glowing softly with layered textures and shelves that feel more home-bar than cocktail counter.

‘Ammakai’ translates to ‘Amma’s hand’, and that is exactly how the food feels. Led by chefs from southern India who travelled to villages in Mangaluru to learn recipes directly from home kitchens, Ammakai presents Mangalorean cuisine in a way that feels refined while staying true to its roots. Rather than reinventing the food, the menu reveals its depth through spotlighting coastal flavours defined by coconut, tamarind and spice. The result is food that is comforting and flavour-forward without feeling heavy.

Even the bar follows the same design language, glowing softly with layered textures and shelves that feel more home-bar than cocktail counter. (Express Photo)

We began with a beautifully balanced methi–carrot puliyogare, a salad that opens with heat before fruits and berries soften the edges. (Also, how often do you see methi in a salad?) This was followed by soft paneer coated in a red chilli paste (kempu chilli wings), spicy butter green prawns scented with curry leaves, a punchy raw mango red snapper, and a fiery koli pulimunchi (caution: it’s not for the faint-hearted) where chicken is cooked with Karnataka’s famous Byadgi chilli.

Mains felt like a meal at a Mangalorean friend’s home, and guests are encouraged to eat with their hands. There was a thick toor dal cooked with methi leaves (menthi soppina pappu), a runny, comforting coastal vegetable stew in coconut milk, baby brinjals simmered in a coarse, earthy gravy of coconut, peanut, tamarind and curry leaves (yennegai badanekayi), and a tangy, homely Mangalorean fish curry.

Ammakai presents Mangalorean cuisine in a way that feels refined while staying true to its roots. (Express Photo)

We wiped the gravies clean with soft, paper-thin neer dosas and rice tempered with mustard seeds, roasted cashews and chana dal in ghee. Truth be told, the rice didn’t even need a gravy.

For those who loved the earlier Bastian menu, a few favourites remain, including the gloriously messy burrata sourdough topped with spicy roasted tomato jam, generous amount of burrata, heirloom tomatoes, almond shaves and basil oil.

Methi–carrot puliyogare, a salad that opens with heat before fruits and berries soften the edges. (Express Photo)

The bar deserves a special mention. Led by Krishna, the cocktail menu borrows ingredients from a South Indian pantry and plays with them thoughtfully. Kokum, green chilli, coriander, fresh lime and tequila blanco come together delightfully in Amma’s Ghat Road, while the Mysuru Royale Paan Negroni, made with paan-infused gin, genuinely feels like sipping paan post-meal. Bold, but never too loud.

Desserts lean into nostalgia as chana dal payasam with ghee and coconut milk sits comfortably alongside Filter Kaapi soft serve. Ammakai is also relatively easy on the pocket. While appetisers start at Rs 250 and curries at Rs 440 onwards, cocktails are priced between Rs 595 and Rs 725.

Opens to public on Friday, December 19, 11 am to 1 am
Meal for two: Rs 2,500