Clean Margins
Here’s a random screenshot from TVF’s Panchayat:
Notice the phenomenal art direction. The lantern, the random objects on the window sill. The world looks and feels lived in, not just a set constructed for a web series.
You’ll find instances of this across the show. A random wall that’s on screen for less than a second has a mobile number painted over and a new one added. This happens all the time on actual village walls. But to put that on screen required time, and effort. Arguably, the show didn’t need that level of detail. But it’s there. Because it is a labour of love. Not just something that pays the bills.
Food and restaurants have been a bit of a recurring theme here. I never thought I’d actually write about one myself. Rest assured though, this is not a food or a travel review. You’re not going to see a vlog anytime soon with me saying “Hi guys!” as the light slowly leaves my eyes.
With that caveat, this newsletter has been MIA for two weeks because I’ve been on vacation. I didn’t mention it in my last post because, well, I didn’t think I’d miss out on posting from there. Hubris? Maybe. I’ll consider it overoptimism. In my defence, I spent a whole lot more time walking than I anticipated:
Being based tourists, we stayed in the most Indian part of Dubai. I swear to God, our hotel’s ballroom was hosting garba night all week. We saw more gorgeous ghaghra cholis and kediyas in one night than I’ve seen in Bangalore in years1. Amidst the dosas and kachoris and “North Indian” fare, I chanced upon a singularly unique joint.
Moreish is an Indian owned vegetarian joint in Mankhool, in the very desi locality of Bur Dubai. However, it touts neither its Indianness nor its vegetarianism. In fact, there isn’t a single Indian dish on the menu. But we’ll get to that.
First, the ambience. Everywhere you look, from the flooring to the walls to the menu, there is thematic consistency. The tiled floor, the lighting, the family pictures on the walls, a small niche packed with books. Every single element has been put together carefully, and by someone with exquisite taste. The overall effect is of visiting the home of a cultured friend for an intimate dinner. I’ve eaten out a lot. Achieving that is hard.
Next, the service. We once2 turned up five minutes before closing. Asshole move, I know. But they accommodated us cheerfully. One of the staff stayed back and let us eat peacefully. This was on the day we’d walked ~15km (as you’d have noticed in the screenshot). Imagine our relief at not having to settle for Palak Paneer or *shudder* McDonald’s at the end of that day.
All of this fades away though, in the glory of the food. Over multiple visits, I tried to cut as broad a swathe across the menu as I could. Every single dish was perfect. Well curated, perfectly balanced flavours and beautiful plating. Most restaurants settle on a theme. Like, if you’re offering a burrito, you might as well serve tacos too, because you’ve already done 90% of the prep. Moreish refrains from doing that.
It also doesn’t lean on chest thumping, like using its Indianness or vegetarianism as a fig leaf for cutting corners. It serves excellent global food. The management just happens to be Indian, and the food just happens to be vegetarian.
I imagine creating such a diverse menu from scratch with separate, intensive prep for each dish, must be difficult, and expensive. And yet, the prices are on par with what a meal would cost in the neighbourhood, and far below what a continental meal would cost in the city. Let alone a niche, vegan-friendly one.
In sum, just like Panchayat, Moreish is a labour of love. It’s in its 6th year, and I fervently hope that they thrive for a long, long time to come. It is rare, in any field, to see someone colour all the way to the margins, especially in places where no one will look. In the food business, that is rarer still. If you live in Dubai, or happen to be passing through, be sure to drop in!
I’ll end with yet another reason why I love the internet so much. As part of an online writing community, I now have friends wherever I go. And not grit your teeth and get through the evening type folks either. These are people I’ve had long, deep and sometimes existential conversations with. So, even though we were only meeting IRL for the first time, it was like we were resuming a conversation, not starting a new one3. I think you can tell from the joy on our faces:
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Here’s a neat garba primer by a dear friend.
I say once because we ended up having three meals there in all.
A miracle, considering most of us are introverts.
I love how introverts meet and chat. We need more of this in the world.
I hope you shared this with the Moreish folks, Nitesh. They will love it! And yay! our moment of fame 😄