In the heart of Lakshmi Mills, Mumbai, nestles the city’s latest addition to fine dining. Designed by virtuoso architect, Ashiesh Shah of AA Homes, Masque is a restaurant that redefines indulgence and adventure.
Masque, The newly opened fine dining restaurant in Mumbai, promises ‘Botanical Bistronomy’! What is that, you ask? It is all about the setting that is inspired from the Japanese philosophy of Wabi-Sabi. The restaurant’s interiors reflect a way of life that is accepting of the ephemeral nature of life, while simultaneously understanding its imperfections. This philosophy plays a fundamental role in the interiors, structural and design elements of Masque.
“I wanted to create a space that was transformative and full of dramatic architectural details,” says Ashiesh Shah.
The name ‘Masque’ is an allegory, and is representative of a performance. And it is in the subtle, minimalist details of the restaurant that you will find this allegory brought to life. The metamorphosis begins from the outer façade of the restaurant. Housed within an old warehouse in the city’s once vibrant cotton district, Masque is an emphatic “play of materials and form that taps into the natural architecture of the space itself.”
Offering three, six, and 10 course meals carefully curated and masterfully executed by head chef Prateek Sadhu, Masque was initially meant to be CEO, Aditi Dugar’s central kitchen and pop-up studio of sorts.
Starting with Kolkata-based sculptor, Rathin Burman’s installation that transforms the otherwise expansive interior into a warm and intimate setting, the intricate detailing is “inspired by structures of pioneering modernists like Corbusier.”
This fairytale-like setup is further enhanced by velvet curtains. The tailor-made and ever-changing menu offers a bevy of gastronomic delights, ranging from simple sweet potato chips to Rhododendron Cocktail!
Adhering to the Japanese philosophy of Wabi Sabi, “elements that might be considered ‘de rigueur’ in most luxury restaurants were ditched in favour of bare natural materials.” Hard wood tables offset by brass fixtures along with stone-clad walls and flooring are reflective of the restaurant’s cardinal rule of sourcing ingredients naturally.
