Mumbai-based Ekaa lands at The Raintree in Chennai, with an eight course popup menu

At Mumbai’s famed restaurant Ekaa, the team follows one rule: creating something new. That is how they stay true to their name which means unique, matchless or one. “If I see a tomato, I’ll think of hundred ways of making something with it which has not been done before,” says Chef Niyati Rao, partner and head chef of Ekaa.

The restaurant which opened its doors in Mumbai in 2021 is bringing its ingredient-centric flavours to Chennai this week. This is Ekaa’s first ever popup here and the venue is The Raintree St Mary’s Road.

The dinner features an eight-course menu. “At Ekaa (Mumbai) this is our sixth tasting menu. We are bringing our favourites from our six menus. It has a lot of storytelling and emotions, and that makes it so special,” she says, adding, “It was important to make sure our favourites paired well with each other. They had to go well and not clash.” But finalising the menu took time — sifting through six menus and picking out only eight meant arguments, a lot of discussions and upset chefs (including herself, she says) as some of the dishes did not make it. “We will bring them next time,” she smiles.

| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

The menu is cuisine-agnostic which means you will find diverse flavours that are not restricted to one country, culture etc. “We have become masters at procuring ingredients, be it sea urchin, and Indian durian from the South of India, or trout eggs from Kashmir,” says Niyati, adding that a lot of the times her guests are unaware of these being available in India.

Niyati wants to keep the courses under wraps, so the diner gets to experience the surprise and drama that comes with every course at Ekaa. But she gives a little teaser: Butter beer… butter beer that you can eat, to be precise. Each bite brings out a whisky-caramel-like flavour. “There’s an illusion of whisky without adding any. This is dedicated to all the adult Harry Potter fans, laughs Niyati.

Another dish, from their Indian milestones and icons menu, comes in a vallam kali boat and stars curry leaf pastry with caper leaves and a bunch of other ingredients which we will not divulge. The restaurant is also bringing its beverage menu, Dwadash which means 12 in Sanskrit — a nod to Ekaa’s 12-course cocktail tasting menu based on 12 botanicals. Four of these will be available here during the two-day popup.

Ekaa is not new to popups. It did its first one as a fledgling, four months after launching. What is interesting, Niyati says, is the fact that restaurant popups are not limited to metropolitan cities anymore. “We recently did one in Bhopal and one in Madurai.”

She believes, every popup helps create new relationships and learnings as you work with different kitchens and adapt their style of working and vice versa. Adds Niyati, “We go to places where people are open and accepting of something new and adventurous.”

The Ekaa X Raintree popup will take place on November 14 and 15, from 7.30pm onwards. The meal is priced at ₹5,999 plus taxes. For reservations, call 7824000171.

| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement