It’s not every day that you see a frame of a customer feedback form with “excellent” ticked for food, service, and ambience by celebrated painter M.F Hussain on the wall of a restaurant. But that’s Gallops for you.
Launched in 1986, Gallops in Mahalaxmi Racecourse has been an iconic landmark in Mumbai. This year, the 38-year-old restaurant has a new look and menu with 42 new dishes and 15 new cocktails! What makes this renovation exciting is that it has been revamped after 26 years by the same architect – Vistasp Kahras. “It was time to give Gallops a fresh perspective and evolve with the times. The revamp allows us to enhance the guest experience by offering something new, while still staying true to the history that has made Gallops a beloved destination,” says Jasmine Singh, Partner at Gallops. She emphasises the importance of ensuring the space feels familiar and refreshed for their loyal diners and newcomers.
A familiar yet new look
The old interiors had a warm, elegant, and welcoming look. My North Indian parents often compared it to the kind of interior hotels at hill stations in the North looked like back in the ’80s and ‘90s. Besides the food, the décor played a role in the nostalgic factor for them – just as it does for many others. What caught my eye were the arched window booths overlooking the lush green racecourse. Luckily enough, they have retained those cute window booths. “We were intentional about preserving the distinctive features that Gallops is known for,” adds Jasmine.
When you enter Gallops 2.0, the red art installation above the bar is hard to miss. The Red Dancers by renowned Dutch artist Peter Gentenaar acts as a chic centrepiece of the bar and a pop of colour to the otherwise leather and wood-forward décor. The 3,000 sq ft space also pays homage to its residence – the racecourse – with its equestrian-themed memorabilia wall that displays saddle leather, stirrups, and original drawings of the racecourse from the private collection of Ar. Minocher Mistri of Ditchburn, Mistri & Bhedwar. Hanging at its original spot at the bar is also a Barnard’s clock from the 1860s by James Murray & Co. From the Brazilian Avocado marble with luxurious leather finish, walls lined with smoked oak veneer, a walnut herringbone-patterned flooring, to restored wooden trusses stripped of old polish and the custom-made candlelight chandeliers and wall sconces ensure to give a warm and intimate experience to the diner. These changes act as a bridge – they preserve its rich heritage while embracing a modern look.
Photos: Pankaj Anand
“We wanted to make the restaurant feel more open and lighter, yet still offer the cosiness and welcoming atmosphere that people associate with Gallops,” says Mikhail Singh, Partner at Gallops. “It is a modern take on a classic look, with a delicate balance of tradition and innovation.” The entire project from planning to completion, spanned over two months with the renovation work completed in 48 days!
Merging traditional roots with modern flavours
Chef and Partner Yajush Malik is at the forefront for the 42 new dishes on the menu. “Over the last couple of years, we have moved our philosophy that in the long run, we want to have more regional options on the menu,” he says when we visited the newly done Gallops.
Until now, Gallops was mainly known for its North Indian variety of food and classic Continental and European dishes. But before you panic, your timeless classic and all-time favourite dishes are still there! Chef Malik also admits that maintaining a balance between retaining these older dishes and coming up with new ones for the menu was tough because the older dishes are crowd favourites and quite popular.
Their new menu features dishes such as Goan Grilled Prawns (₹1,400), Chicken Zafrani Tikka (₹895), Amritsari Tangdi Roast (₹750), a reimagined version of their original Chicken Liver Pate (₹750), Baby Back Pork Ribs (₹1,400), Khatte Meethe Bhein (₹595), Corn Ribs (₹595), Daab Chingri (₹1050), Vegetable Goan Curry (₹650), Truffle and Porcini Pulao (₹695), and much more.
(from left to right) Pineapple Gojju, Goan Grilled Prawns
We started our meal with Charred Cauliflower with Harissa (₹595) which was a cauliflower steak chargrilled with lemon zest and herbs, atop Harissa Tahini, and finished with Dukkah. “We did a slight detour from the European flavours and brought in Middle-Eastern inspired flavours,” explains Chef Malik, and that explains the Harissa Tahini and the Dukkah. We didn’t have a lot of expectations from a cauliflower steak because it wasn’t a dish we had never tried but the Gallops’ version was a welcome surprise. The Harissa Tahini perfectly complemented the cauliflower steak, and the dukkah added just the right amount of crunch to the dish.
The Corn Ribs also had a subtle hint of truffle hot sauce and the dish ensured that the truffle was not overpowering, unlike most places. The Dahi and Khoye ke Kebab (₹650) were soft, almost melt-in-the-mouth but a slight hint of sweetness and the peculiar taste of saffron didn’t work for my tastebuds but was enjoyed by others on the table.
I was skeptical when Chef Malik suggested we try the Khatte Meethe Bhein because I was afraid it would be similar to the Asian version of crispy lotus stem chips. But the desi in me was pleasantly surprised by the sweet and sour achari taste – thanks to the lemon pickle glaze – of this lotus stem dish. I can see myself ordering this again.
(from left to right) Baileys Caramel Cloud, Khatte Meethe Bhein. Photo (left): Pankaj Anand
The Peruvian Avocado Tartare (₹950) had a pull-me-up concept for an avocado and tomato tartare with a crispy melba toast. A personal preference aside, the dressing sauce poured over it which was a tad bit sour, but the dish was a fun concept and once again enjoyed by the rest of the party on the table.
Our main course included a unique curry and we are still thinking about it! The Pineapple Gojju (₹650) is a sweet, spicy, and sour curry with pineapple. “You will rarely find pineapple in a curry other than a Sri Lankan one,” says Chef Malik who adds that this dish is a native of Karnataka. We paired their popular Saag Burrata and paired it with their classic roomali roti and their newly launched Laal Naan (₹195) and it was a meal that left us happy!
Their dessert menu also has two new options – Mango & Raspberry Symphony (₹495) which has textures of mango served with a raspberry sauce and a Baileys Caramel Cloud (₹495) which is a soft Baileys mousse centred with salted caramel atop almond dacquoise. We opted for the Baileys one and the mousse was light as a cloud and a salted caramel oozing out of it balanced the dessert well.
Bringing back the classic cocktails
The new bar menu by Mikhail boasts 15 new cocktails and a vast wine collection. The cocktail menu includes a revival of old classics you might not see on menus quite often. “[For instance], we have Mai Tai [₹875] which you might not see a lot. We got it back to show some love to the rum drinkers,” says Mikhail. He also talks about the Kesar Kasturi [₹925] which draws inspiration from the Palaces of Rajasthan. “It is a version of Rajasthani liqueur which you get a different one in each kingdom of Rajasthan and each has its recipes. But the main job of the drink in the ancient time was to keep the army warm and we have also made it that way. It is served hot and we didn’t want to move away from Hot Toddy as the only option as a hot cocktail,” Mikhail explains.
(from left to right) Picante, Kesar Kasturi. Photo (left): Pankaj Anand
We started with a Smoked Whiskey Negroni (₹925). We initially thought the smokiness was overpowering but unlike most cocktails of similar style, the smokiness stayed till the last sip which was a good thing. Gallops has also not shied away from trying the ongoing alcohol trends in the industry. They have a handful of clarified cocktails on their menu and we tried the Jalapeno and Guava Kick (₹925) which was made with in-house clarified guava juice infused with spicy jalapeno-infused vodka. The best part of this cocktail was the subtle guava taste which was not too overpowering but still had a kick because of the jalapeno. However, the Picante (₹925) stole the show for us. A classic picante but with a Gallops’ twist where they had orange juice and it was sweet, with a perfect spice kick because of the red chillies.
They also have almost 23 wines that they serve by the glass – something which is not common everywhere. Mikhail also adds that they have a range of affordable wines where the diner can opt for a bottle to be equivalent to around a couple of rounds of drinks.
Photos: Pankaj Anand
As we left Gallops, we had our go-to dishes but this time, we had some more items from their new menu that were added to our favourites list. As Jasmine says, “[Gallops is indeed] a space that feels both fresh and familiar, capturing the best of both worlds.”
