Motodo Pizzeria, Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai

Restaurant Name: Motodo Pizzeria, Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai
Phone: +918591802205
Address: MAKER MAXITY, second floor, S-5, phase – 2, Bandra Kurla Complex, Bandra East, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400051 India
Time: 12:00 Noon – 11:00 PM
Meals for two: Rs. 1,600
Cuisines: Pizza, Panini, Desserts, Beverages
Facilities: Takeaway Available, Mall Parking, Indoor Seating, Desserts and Bakes

Motodo Pizzeria Italian

I admit — I’m a hyper caffeinated and animated Italophile. I love Italians and everything Italian, from slow food to fast cars. I’ve studied Italian food in ICIF, their culinary school in Asti. Dined joyfully in Trattorias and the maestro Massimo Bottura’s Osteria Francescana. I have a real problem though. I’m not (never have been) a pizza fan. So, what do I do when one of India’s best Italian chefs, Ritu Dalmia opens her first Motodo pizzeria in Mumbai? How to review it accurately without letting my personal bias come in the way?

Viva Italia

My globetrotting friend, one ofIndia’s first travel and wine writers Vinod Advani, has the solution. Not only has he been to Italy 28 times, he was also invited to the launch ofItaly’s Slow Food Movement, studied wine making, tasting and viticulture in Italy and has an admirable knowledge of Italian wines. Also an admirable number ofItalian friends. He invites to Motodo, Alessandro Giuliani, high fashion expert and the chief of the renowned Italian business school in India. The multi-talented Alessandro, is not just a diving, ski and windsurf instructor, but also a serious

Italian gourmet. With him is his professional partner, yet another Italian food aficionado, Vaishali Shadangule. Award-winning fashion designer, who is making fashion history by working with 900 weaver families, is focused on sustainability and social impact. The first Indian woman designer to be invited to showcase her designs at Paris Haute Couture and Milan Fashion Week. A vegetarian, who has lived in Italy for months, where she fell in love with Italian food.

This is my second meal at Motodo. The first one (with Italophiles, Amushka, Mallika, Seema and Jaideep Mehrotra) had several patchy dishes. Happily, this meal gets a thumbs up from all.

Motodo Pizzeria, Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai: Decor

This is a small 54 seater restaurant. We love the enclosed verandah with the appeal of an alfresco dining. The patio-style furniture and tropical plants, terrazzo flooring framed pictures of old Italy, all add to the charm. At the centre is the open (blue mosaic tiled with a handcrafted, stained-glass installation. Charming, pleasant and elegant.

Pizza Perfect

Motodo has mastered the art and science of kneading together the perfect proportions of flour water and yeast, using local products. Ice water fermentation, perfect temperature in a gas fired oven with a log of wood to add some smokiness. Fresh buffalo mozzarella cheese, with San Marzano tomatoes. The result — fluffy, crunchy, supple, dense with pleasures of a serious crust Neapolitan pizza with blisters. Take your pick of the Italian flag with rosso (red), bianco (white) and verde (green) bases with superb choice of toppings such as spicy salami diavola (our favourite) to grilled eggplant and béchamel. Gluten-free quinoa base is available too. Two must-try vegetarian dishes include the unique sous vide watermelon with a goats’ cheese mousse and luscious buratta salad drizzled with candied walnut.

Carrot risotto infused with orange juice sparkles is a must-try, too. Moist and rich with flavour, the ossobuco on saffron rice delights, though I would have preferred the whole veal shank. Go for the acqua Pazza, fish served with cherry tomatoes, capers and olives. Pasta lovers are in for a treat with 10 kinds ofpasta, all served al dente. On request, their brilliant Chef Khetle accommodates the Indian palate, too.

Deep-fried bombolini, delicate ricotta lemon cheesecake and tiramisu make for sweet finales.

Minus Points

“I enjoyed the dishes,” opines Alessandro adding, “With the exception of a couple of them (the thick dough ravioli, overcooked bufftagliata).” He also felt that the dish names “don’t respect exactly what an Italian would expect,” like the Focaccia di Recco which has “more holes”, the Panzerotti which is “too thick” and “tomatoes are missing.” We all agreed they should have at least one Italian wine served by the glass.

My Point

Ritu Dalmia opened this fine Italian restaurant after the success in Delhi and Milano. Motodo’s gifted Chef Devendra Khetle (worked with Chef Solomon and an Italian restaurant in Singapore) ensures that he sticks to Ritu’s exacting standards, fresh ingredients and comforting food. Mridul Verma ensures friendly service. Fine tuning ofa few dishes, Italian wine by the glass needed.

Motodo, an acronym made from mozarella, tomato and dough, makes it quite clear that the restaurant is all about simplicity and comfort, and we love that. No need to wonder why the three-month old restaurant is packed. Benvenuto! Welcome!