What comes into your mind every time someone mentions art? Probably it's paintings, art galleries, artists like Van Gogh or M.F Husain. But one visit to Andheri’s Luv restaurant and the first thing to come to your mind every time someone mentions art will be food! Yes, you read that right! Chef-Owner Akash Deshpande blends his passion for art with his love for cooking at Luv restaurant, and the result is an unforgettable experience. The restaurant recently debuted in Mumbai’s cocktail scene and launched its first cocktail menu. We, at unsobered, checked out the new cocktail menu at Luv and chatted with Chef Akash Deshpande himself. Here’s how it went!
Luv Restaurant has launched its debut cocktail menu and has named it “Bad Decision”. The name lightheartedly pokes fun at late-night cravings and order-another-round temptations (drinks) as the fun bad decision you make for the experience and later repeat! This cocktail menu is unlike any standard bar menu as it is designed from a chef’s perspective. Every cocktail is inspired by noir cinema as each one intends to evoke a feeling or a memory.
The menu offers classic cocktails like Old Fashioned, Whiskey Sour, Sangria, Aperol Spritz, LIIT, Somaek, Bloody Mary, Margarita, Pina Colada, Cosmopolitan, Daiquiri, Negroni, and more.
Its house cocktail menu offers amazing options like Midnight Monk, Forbidden Fruit, Peachy, Passionfruit, Kokum, Drunken Star, Cherry Batanga, and Bandit Rum.
Apart from this, they also offer a good range of wine, spirits, and mocktails to choose from.
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unsobered: Take us through your culinary journey so far! How did you get into cooking?
Chef Akash Deshpande: Well, a girl broke my heart, and she wanted to become a chef, so I decided to become one to prove something to her, and that is how it happened. Born and raised in Mumbai, I later went to Canada to study culinary arts at Niagara College.
From there, I went to Benchmark Restaurant in Canada, then moved to Doha to cook in an establishment catering to a global clientele.
Eventually, the calling to tell my own story brought me back home to Mumbai, where my brother Luv and I opened this restaurant.
unsobered: You have a deep-rooted love for painting, especially Van Gogh. Did your passion for the canvas or the kitchen come first?
Chef Akash Deshpande: The canvas came first because I have been painting for as long as I can remember. The artworks in this restaurant are all hand-painted by me. For me, painting and cooking both are mediums to express, just that one of them happens to be edible.
unsobered: Why the name “Luv restaurant”?
Chef Akash Deshpande: Luv is my elder brother’s name, and he has always been my biggest anchor and inspiration. Our relationship is very much like Vincent van Gogh and his brother Theo. So earlier we thought of naming it something related to the same, but eventually I thought of naming it after his name.
unsobered: You've worked in diverse culinary landscapes like Canada and Doha. What has been your biggest learning in the global kitchen that has shaped you as a chef?
Chef Akash Deshpande: Canada gave me an eye for detail and ingredients. Doha taught me how crucial hospitality and consistency are.
unsobered: Describe Luv to someone who has never visited the restaurant before.
Chef Akash Deshpande: Luv is a warm, art-infused sanctuary. It is surely something that you might have never experienced or imagined, so come with an open mind, and we will surely make you fall in love!
Also Read: Inside AUTM’s Seasonal Cocktails at JW Marriott Sahar
unsobered: Your signature Starry Night dessert is a massive hit. How did you think of making a literal painting edible?
Chef Akash Deshpande: I wanted to bring my two greatest loves, Van Gogh and pastry, together. Instead of naming any of my dishes after his painting, I thought of making the painting edible in a way.
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unsobered: Luv operates with an open-kitchen concept. Why did you think that Luv should have an open kitchen?
Chef Akash Deshpande: At Luv, we have no secrets to hide from our guests. For us, an open kitchen breaks the wall between a chef and the guest. The guests can easily sit, chat with the chef, and witness the dishes being made right in front of them, creating an intimate bond with complete transparency.
unsobered: You have launched your very first debut cocktail menu at Luv! What sparked this decision?
Chef Akash Deshpande: To be honest, the decision was influenced by the demand of our guests. So we thought, okay, why not! Also, expanding into a full debut cocktail menu allows us to complete the dining experience.
unsobered: What has been a learning while coming up with a cocktail menu?
Chef Akash Deshpande: Launching this cocktail menu took us three months of proper research and development. We have not hired any bartenders. All of us at Luv decided to do it by ourselves, so we read a book called Death & Co. It is considered to be the modern bible for craft mixology. The biggest motive was to make sure that the cocktails should not taste like they include alcohol at all.
unsobered: Will the art and painting theme cross over into the cocktail presentation as well?
Chef Akash Deshpande: Absolutely!
unsobered: Looking back at the journey of building Luv, what has been your single biggest learning experience as a head chef?
Chef Akash Deshpande: I have learnt that a good concept will pull people to your restaurant just once. But consistency in quality, warm hospitality, and most importantly, the willingness to keep evolving will surely help you in the long run.
unsobered: What are your future plans for Luv?
Chef Akash Deshpande: We are looking at launching another Luv restaurant in Bandra, then Bangalore, and eventually in France in the future!
Walking into Luv felt like walking into a painter’s cozy room at first. Beautiful paintings around, a vintage chandelier hanging from the ceiling, and candles on every table. We planned to sit away from the open kitchen, but Chef Akash insisted we take the high chairs right at the counter. It gave us a front-row view of all the action, from cooking to plating. And we are glad he insisted because now it is one of the best parts of our visit to this restaurant.
Here’s what we tried:
This cocktail’s main ingredient was passionfruit with tequila as its base, and it was surprisingly good. The flavor profile of this cocktail was tropical with spicy heat. It is perfect for people who like a good amount of spicy tinge in their drinks. This is Luv’s version of Picante!
Will we order it again: Maybe yes
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Who knew that vodka and kokum could ever be together in one glass? Well, Luv restaurant’s chef did! The drink is a super refreshing alcoholic version of kokum sherbet, but much better. The flavor profile is tart with refreshing coconut.
Will we order it again: 100%
Honestly, this has become a personal favorite. With whiskey and apple, this drink feels like apple pie served in a glass in liquid form with a nice foam on the top. The flavor profile of this cocktail offers crisp apple with the zing of ginger.
Will we order it again: 100%
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This cocktail is made using gin and housemade pickle. Imagine! It is goodness poured in a glass with a savory and salty flavor profile.
Will we order it again: Maybe yes
Special Note: The best part about all these cocktails is that we could not make out the existence of alcohol in them. That itself shows how successful this cocktail menu is!
This dish features five crispy golden wontons filled with smoked seasonal vegetables. They were served with a vibrant karvand beurre blanc. Yes, you read that right: karvand, the little berries that almost every Maharashtrian is obsessed with. It was unbelievably tasty!
Will we order it again: Yes
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This dish features prawns slow-cooked in a kokum-infused coconut curry drawn from a Konkani home recipe. It also includes prawn pickle and delicate crackers. It was sharp, sour, and tangy with kokum and comforting coconut to help balance the tanginess. The crackers add a nice crunch, and the prawns were super fresh, which elevated the experience.
Will we order it again: Yes
This dish does have my heart because the kebabs featured succulent, tender chicken which was beautifully spiced. It was different from the regular kebabs but offered the same comforting feeling. What added to the experience was the creamy and delicious rizala sauce.
Will we order it again: Yes
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This dish features Buckwheat soba in house chilli-sesame sauce topped with panko-fried chicken and roasted peanuts. The roasted peanuts offered perfect crunch to the dish that was earthy and super flavorful. The chicken was soft inside while it felt crispy outside, complementing the noodles well.
Will we order it again: Maybe yes
And here comes the star of the show. This dessert is made to order, so make sure you are patient enough for the star to arrive at your table! It is five layers of chocolate cake topped with creme anglaise. It is inspired by Van Gogh’s famous Painting The Starry Night. It was not only visually stunning but also tasted exceptional.
Will we order it again: 1000%
Note: The review is completely subjective. Everyone has their own taste and preferences. So we would encourage you to experience it firsthand and decide for yourself.
Our experience at Luv restaurant was simply amazing. He explained to us how they follow the Food web method to mix and match ingredients, decide the proportion, and present us with their best. When we tasted the food, we could connect the dots and actually make out how much thought process, love for art, and use of the best quality of ingredients have gone into making a perfect meal like the one they served us. So the next time you are in Andheri or are craving something exceptional to eat, visit Luv!
Address: 14-16, Sterling Apts, Sundervan Complex Road, Shastri Nagar, Lokhandwala Complex, Andheri West, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400053
Timings: Tuesday to Sunday 2:00 PM to 1:00 AM
