Enjoy Sunday brunches, summer ice creams and a tapas night this weekend

Brunch plans at Otra, Mumbai

Around 1500 BC, Mesoamerican civilisations often processed corn to make masa, a dough that became the staple among the traditional communities to prepare a range of dishes. Masa anchors the menu at chef Alex Sanchez's Latin American restaurant Otra, where it is made in-house, and appears as tortillas, tacos and tostadas to name a few. Their debut brunch menu promises this and more starting this Sunday.

“The Bakery to The Taqueria” is an experience that begins with sour cream loaves and Japanese egg salad to mozzarella sticks reimagined as Cornflake-Crusted Oaxaca Cheese, parfaits and the classic guac on toast. Move over to eggs with pancakes, French toast, sandos and the silkiest scramble eaten with crispy tostadas. Try the signature tacos—the crispy fish taco with a remoulade sauce, and Chile Relleno Taco that comes as a roasted jalapeño filled with ricotta cheese and served with a Thai-style chilli jam. Enjoy the Japanese-style tacos like the Chashu Pork Taco and Chicken Katsu Taco. From the bar, go forTeeny Tinis, that are essentially small-format martinis served in miniature glasses. Or, the Michelada, which is a Mexican drink made with spiced tomato juice and chilled beer. Bigger groups can opt for Una Mas, the signature Margarita, which is now available by the pitcher.

When: Starting Sunday, 26 April; Saturdays & Sundays from 12pm-4pm.
Where: 105, Mubarak Manzil, Mumbai Samachar Marg, Kala Ghoda, Fort, Mumbai.

Tapas night at Loco Otro, Pune

Chefs Siddharth Mahadik of Loco Otro and Gayatri Desai of Ground Up are back with another edition of their technique-driven, experimental collaboration “2 Chefs & a Brewer”, in the form of a tapas-style menu featuring over 25 dishes. The food will be complemented by more than six types of craft beers by Nakul Bhonsle of Great State Aleworks.

The spread comprises dishes made with in-house ingredients, mostly from scratch, such as nduga, the classic spreadable sausage, koji from Ground Up's fermentary, pastrami, artisanal rye bread, and a paella cooked with a native variety of rice called Anandi grown on the outskirts of Pune. The cheese is sourced from Elephtheria and Spotted Cow Fromagerie, and the mushrooms from Shroomery. Desai's small batch vinegars, soy sauces, miso and koji-infused honeys will lend flavour, texture and detail to the experience.

When: Sunday, 26 April; brunch 12pm-4pm & dinner 6pm-10pm.
Where: Loco Otro, Aquila, next to Kirloskar House, Anand Park, Aundh, Pune.

Frozen indulgence by The Bombay Sweet Shop and Naturals Ice Cream

“The Original Twist” is a fun collaboration between two brands—Naturals Ice Cream and Bombay Sweet Shop that take their craft and your sweet tooth seriously. While the former is best known for their fruit-based flavours, the latter leans towards a more fun and modern approach to Indian mithai. The teams from both have now come up with two unique limited edition ice cream flavours for the summer—Tender Coconut Naga Chilli and Coffee Fudge Crunch. The tender coconut comes with a subtle kick of heat, while the coffee is layered with Bombay Sweet Shop’s classic fudge and crunchy coffee and nut brittle.
Available at Naturals Ice Cream outlets in India, and at Bombay Sweet Shop’s stores and cafés in Mumbai. Order away on Swiggy, Zomato and Naturals Ice Creams website.