The by-lanes of Bandra’s Chapel Road are home to some of the most picturesque walls with graffiti and paintings, often serving as backdrops to pictures of tourists and locals. Saying that there is another spot added to the list of places to click a picture would do an injustice to this newly opened place called Mokai.
It is hard to miss the façade when we pass by Mokai, Bandra’s newest hotspot for coffee and other bites. The artwork in this Asian-inspired all-day dining and coffee shop is inspired by the famous Japanese painting called The Great Wave but it is merged with the brewing method of a moka pot.
Mokai derives from the word moka and “ai” which means love in Japanese. Founded by Karreena Bulchandani, Mokai is inspired by her travels and her time spent in China, Singapore, and other Asian countries. “The idea with the space started when I moved [to Mumbai] from London and used to go on a café hunt,” shares Bulchandani. The food at Mokai is inspired by her travels in Asia with dishes such as hawker-style wantons, katsu sandwiches, and more. She noticed that a lot of fine dining restaurants and cafes are offering good food but also the same kind. “They are brilliant with their coffees and stuff but I felt that there was some gap,” she says. “I wanted to fill the gap that if a person comes, they should not feel that they will have the same kind of Avo toast. We took everything and did it differently.” According to her, Mokai is “casual dining.” “We wanted to create a vibe that is pocket-friendly, giving a layman the same experience in a more casual and affordable atmosphere,” she adds.
Photo: Mokai
The walls with a meaning
“Every spot has some meaning,” says Bulchandani. The space has Wabi Sabi walls which means finding beauty in imperfection. India and Japan were the two countries taken as key inspiration, paired with the bungalows of Bandra. “We wanted to get the beauty of Chapel Road to tell people that we are a part of Bandra.”
Divided into a go-to coffee shop window with an alfresco space, an indoor area, and a first-floor space; the interiors emulate minimalism and a zen vibe. Mokai has soothing jazz music—a genre that complimented the vibe of the space well. On the walls, ran a few lines which were “a combination of Sashiko [a Japanese style of embroidery] and Kantha—an Indian embroidery style,” explains Bulchandani. “We go by the motto that we are Indian-made but Asian-inspired. We combine French techniques with Asian flavours so it is literally East meets West.”
What stood out for me, was the washroom. What looks like a vending machine opens into a washroom that transports the diner to the streets of Tokyo. The highlight? The washroom had Asian audio books playing on the speaker and gave a glimpse of Tokyo’s streetlife in the heart of Bandra.
Photos: Mokai
Spread across a space of 1,500 sq ft, the concept and interior design of Mokai is done by Studio 6158, Parzan Daruwalla, and Natasha Chawla – Jungle Gym.
Rapid Review
With such heavy influences from Asia, Mokai has an extravagant menu with a variety of matcha and boba. Bulchandani shares that their taro boba comes from Taiwan, matcha is sourced from Japan, and a lot of other ingredients are sourced internationally. “When I was in Singapore, I spent a lot of time at Common Man Coffee Roaster so now I am glad that I can collaborate with you as our international coffee roaster at Mokai,” says Bulchandani.
The Great
(left) Katshu Chicken Sando. Photo: Tanisha Mehta, Mokai
The Katsu Chicken Sando (₹490), a Japanese sandwich had panko fried chicken, house-made katsu sauce with slaw and shokupan bread. The Japanese milk bread was the perfect soft, melt-in-the-mouth texture with a nice crispy fried chicken and a katsu sauce we would keep going back for. While it may seem to be just one sandwich, it was quite filling to the extent that you cannot finish the entire one and it is better to share it with a friend.
The Good
I don’t drink coffee often but whenever I do, it is usually a cold or an iced coffee and less sweetness. Mokai’s Gula Melaka Iced Latte (₹290) hit just the right spot. Similar to any other iced latter, this one came up with a double espresso shot. However, the highlight was that it was sweetened with Malayaisan Gula Melaka (palm jaggery) which was exported from Malaysia and it made it taste just the right amount of sweet.
(left to right) Gula Melaka Iced Latte, Basil 3 Cheese Sando. Photos: Mokai, Nidhi Lodaya
The Basil 3 Cheese Sando (₹450) had Cheddar, Parmesan, Mozzarella, and basil in sourdough bread. This was a classic basil pesto cheese sandwich—something we have all had before. However, it would have been even better if the bottom bread was also toasted in the same golden-brown way.
The Miss
I am always on the lookout for a good basque cheesecake. Mokai had two options, The Match San Sebastian Cheesecake and The Mango San Sebastian Cheesecake. My first preference was to try the matcha one but since it wasn’t available, I decided to go for the Mango San Sebastian Cheesecake (₹400). The first thing I noticed was that it wasn’t as light as most basque cheesecakes are supposed to be. The lack of mango pieces was also not something I had expected. It wasn’t bad but I have had better San Sebastian/basque cheesecakes in the city.
(left to right) Mango San Sebastian Cheesecake, Roasted Almond Latte. Photos: Nidhi Lodaya
As I have mentioned before, I prefer cold/iced coffees but a sore throat made me try their Roasted Almond Latte (₹320). It was a house-made roasted almond mixture, whisked with a double shot of espresso, textured milk, and sweetened with organic honey. It wasn’t extremely sweet so that was good but there was a subtle aftertaste—perhaps the almond mixture—which wasn’t compatible with my palate. I would rather opt for a normal latte because I am lucky to not be lactose intolerant.
