Mexican eatery Pompa arrives in Mumbai

Ceviche de salmon

The legacy of the Tham family takes a turn towards Mexican fare with their new restaurant and bar Pompa that opens on Sunday. Siblings Ryan and Keenan Tham established Foo and Koko, and the nightclub Trilogy, and take their rich culinary heritage forward, courtesy, SoBo's Kamling and Mandarin, helmed by their grandfather Tham Mon Yiu, and the eponymous resto-bar by their father Henry Tham. We sat with the brothers, partner Saamir Chandnani, and chef Jason James Hudanish, a Miami-turned-Mumbai boy, tasting our way through the menu.

The bar takes up the highlighted central area of the spacious restaurant

With few notable Mexican joints, Pompa has much room to set trends across the city's F&B landscape. And with a sprawling over 100-seater floor in Bandra's Linking Road below Foo, they've got the space to do so. The brothers share, "Mexican food in Mumbai has a distorted view; we wanted to offer a range and an experience based on food, drink and music to set the atmosphere." Spanish for flamboyant, Pompa's interiors greet you with colour and playfulness. Inside, you'll spot fringes on chairs and lampshades reminiscent of those on buckskin jackets, walls adorned with Mexican textiles, and a fresh coat of bold reds and greens.

(From left) Saamir Chandnani, Ryan Tham, Keenan Tham and chef Jason James Hudanish. Pics/Anurag Ahire

We begin with blue corn chips that are served with the salsa flight (Rs 300) with seven in-house salsas or a chunky and creamy guacamole (Rs 550) prepared in a molcajete - the Mexican mortar and pestle. Chef Hudanish nails the balance of sweet, sour, earthy, and smoky flavours while catering to desi-spice levels. We love that the heat holds its own, alongside tangy profiles. The salsas flirt from nutty to smoky mixes with the macha - a Mexican sauce of dried chillies, and a fresh green tomato verde. It builds the intensity with the earthy and fruity mango habanero, banana habanero, and a floral hibiscus habanero.

Prawns al veracruz and Pompa paloma

There are plenty of vegetarian options too. Tacos are the highlight but don't sleep on the small plates. The butter-basted and pan-fried lobster tails (Rs 795) come with a creamy, smoky chipotle sauce. Another winner dish is the prawns al veracruz (Rs 475), marinated with a paste made from the South American annatto seeds that give it an earthiness. It's placed on a mini tostada and with the spice from the mango habanero it is like a chic prawn sev puri.

The ceviche de salmón (Rs 650) is a refreshing bite shuffled with thinly sliced avocado in a citrus-based marinade called ceche de tigre, ají amarillo - a Peruvian chilli, and rice paper for added texture. The lamb birria (Rs 650) - a Mexican-style of cooking lamb - in blue corn tortilla would have been a favourite if its vegetarian taco with shiitake mushroom didn't steal the show. The lamb is perfectly cooked and the mushroom taco is a bite full of crispy cheesy costra, ginger and a spicy toreados made with green chillies. The crusted sea bass (Rs 2,200) is a miss; the béarnaise was too tangy while the sea bass was slightly overcooked. The polenta on the plate was great.

Salsa flight

Vineeth Krishnan works his magic with the bar menu. The pomparita (Rs 680), a margarita with a smoky mezcal, and a kick of tequila was balanced with the sweetness of sherry. Sweet senorita (R680), a horchata-inspired creamy dessert drink with pistachio liqueur and tonka beans is an acquired taste. The desserts (R450 onwards) were tres leche with cream cheese and a feuilletine cracker, churros with a hot chocolate drink and traditional Mexican popsicles called paletas. Along with the savoury plates, the desserts leave us wanting more.

Pompa
Opens December 17, 7 pm onwards
At: VN Sphere Mall, Bandra West
Call: 9930507673