ODE To Asian Chic

Designed bySumesshMenonAssociates, Foo at Phoenix Mills in Mumbai adds brilliance and provides stiff competition to the fine dining restaurants in the city.

- Maria Louis

Foo is an ultra-chic urban oasis that feels like it’s been picked right out of New York’s Meatpacking District and dropped bang in the middle of the ever-evolving Phoenix Mills in Mumbai. ‘Foo’ is Chinese for fortune, blessing or happiness…and in terms of food, it inevitably relates to the joy it brings to patrons. The Asian kitchen celebrates fine ingredients and concentrates on small plates, exemplifying the concept of Asian tapas. Chef Eric Sifu presents a menu that has something for everyone, from dim sum to sushi to the city’s first taste of Nikkei – the Japanese-Peruvian culinary sensation. Pair that with awardwinning mixologist Dimitri Lezinska’s never-before-seen concoctions and you have a winner!

Conceptualised and executed by architect Sumessh Menon and his team from Sumessh Menon Associates, the restaurant envelops you in modern sophistication from the moment you walk through the arched-glass entrance highlighted by a bold red sign. The capacious space is enhanced by high ceilings, rich burgundy walls wrapping around the entire restaurant, one complete wall adorned with a saké jar display – inspired by Kazari-daru, cherry blossoms, and a custom terrazzo cast floor with a metal pattern inlay.

The irrefutable showstopper, however, is the ceiling. The designer has succeeded in retaining the original saw tooth roofing of the old mill, which lends an earthy and authentic vibe to the eatery while letting in ample natural light during the day through skylights. “My first visualisation of the space was of something like Buddakan in New York’s Chelsea Market, a classic example of a modern Asian space with subtle touches of Asian design without going over the top,” Menon recalls.