Chef Rahul Sharma Opens Nila
Chef Rahul Sharma's new restaurant Nila debuted in Bengaluru with a menu highlighting Northeast Indian ingredients and cooking techniques. The opening was covered by food media as part of the growing interest in regional Indian cuisines beyond the mainstream offerings.
- Before opening Nila, Chef Rahul Sharma was the head chef at Araku Coffee in Bengaluru and has a background that includes training at the acclaimed Noma in Copenhagen. - The restaurant operates as an intimate 18-seater, dinner-only establishment, serving a 12-course tasting menu priced at ₹4,550 per person. - Nila's menu is designed to change every three months, with each "chapter" focusing on a different region of India. The inaugural menu is a deep exploration of ingredients from Nagaland. - The name "Nila" means "moon" in Tamil, and the restaurant's design, by Prachi Joshi of Designworx, is inspired by the phases of the moon, featuring a central open kitchen. - The menu interprets Naga culinary traditions, emphasizing techniques like smoking and fermentation and using ingredients such as fermented soybeans (axone), bamboo shoots, smoked meats, and foraged greens. - Rather than recreating traditional dishes, Sharma's menu presents modern interpretations, with offerings like Black Rice Momo wrapped in tapioca and Tree Tomato Custard with perilla seed salsa. - Northeast Indian cuisine is distinct for its minimal use of heavy spices and oil, instead deriving bold flavors from fresh local herbs, fermented products, and potent chili peppers like Bhut Jolokia. - A tapas bar is also planned for the first floor, which will feature a bar menu celebrating India's diverse culinary cultures through small plates.
