Sequel Bistro & Juice Bar, the Mumbai-based restaurant brand that advocates clean, organic eating, has recently celebrated the third anniversary of its flagship outlet in Bandra. The brainchild of Founder & Chef Vanika Choudhary, Sequel is a truly organic, farm-to-fork, vegan-friendly restaurant brand, offering farm-fresh produce which inspires the nutrient-dense, wholesome and healthy dishes on the menu.
In light of Sequel’s third anniversary, Choudhary recently joined hands with ace architect Ashiesh Shah, for a complete renovation of Sequel’s Bandra space.
Sequel 2.0, the result of Choudhary and Shah’s combined vision, pairs an authentically farm to fork experience with luxury. An overarching ‘Wabi-Sabi’ aesthetic has been introduced to the space, and a sense of freshness permeates, due to the use of wood, subtle greys and whites – the only colour in the space comes from the produce. An emphasis on Indian handicrafts brings tactility into the space – the marble community table that is a focal point in the restaurant has been constructed piece-by-piece by skilled Indian artisans; Chandigarh stools finished in a grained grey surround the table; and the flooring design, that also climbs onto the surrounding wall, was hand-done, through a process of pouring and curing – rigid, uneven and perfectly synchronized with the interiors. The benches on which diners sit are clad with ceramic tiles, which were fired to perfection by an artist, who treated this seating as a planned mural.
Channapatna beads, inspired by Karnataka, wrap around the main counter in vertical stacks, creating a playful yet polished exterior. The lighting chosen for the space is warm and intimate, which lends a more personal vibe to the space. The pendant lights and wall sconces are textured in a Giacometti bronze finish and cast a warm glow through hand-moulded alabaster. A large, elliptical light, specially spun with frosted acrylic, dominates the space and is suspended seemingly weightlessly from the ceiling, as it throws a glow on the walls that are textured in plaster – each corner is roughly finished with a smooth, curved edge.
Other hand-made elements in the space include the woven cane chairs and benches, and the six bronze shelves that are attached to the walls – each is textured by hand. The entire space is bound with soft edges and continuous forms, that complete themselves in hand-crafted materials.
Sequel’s Bandra space benefits from having an outdoor area as well, which has now been encompassed in grey stonecrete, that contrasts beautifully with the lush greenery that surrounds it. Outdoor planters cast in white stone, shaped and polished to perfection, house greenery that adds to the verdant nature of the space. Outdoors as well, a marble-top community table makes its presence felt right at the entrance, overlooking the indoors from every perspective. Handwoven cane sits on weightless metal to form chairs and benches that are completed with hand-stuffed cushions in beige linen. The entire space comes together with minimal, intimate lighting – creating a transitional area that offers welcome isolation from the city’s hustle and bustle.
While Sequel’s menu changes frequently to accommodate seasonal produce, the brand-new offering is Brunch. Offered every Sunday at the Bandra restaurant (Kala Ghoda will soon follow), Sequel’s brunch is a fine example of how eating well and deliciously can still be healthy. Diners can forget the weekend binge and instead indulge in a special brunch menu that offers dishes like Grape tomatoes, heirloom broth, kaffir lime oil; Charred turmeric cauliflower with lacto fermented coconut yogurt; and White sea prawns with coconut-celery milk, curry leaf oil; Tuna, farm tomatoes, charred zucchini, cucumber broth.
Heartier options include Buckwheat And Walnut sourdough,served with lacto-fermented truffle cashew cheese, smoked sea salt, cold pressed olive oil; Buckwheat and poppy seed flat bread with chickpeas, kale, Alphonso mango, charred avocado; and Stone-ground maize flour tacos with yellow and chioggia beets, guacamole, pickled lemon pepper. For those who prefer their brunch sweet not savoury, the menu offers Sweet potato waffles, Sequel signature granola, pure maple syrup; Chia seed pudding with peanut butter, raspberry compote, Sequel signature granola, blueberries, raspberries; Dark chocolate coffee cake made with 80% stone-ground dark chocolate sourced from The Dominican Republic, with raw Peruvian cacao nibs, Kashmiri walnuts; and Banana Bread with fresh blueberries, Kashmiri walnuts.
Most of this organic produce comes freshly harvested from the 'Sequel Green House,' which is just outside of Pune.
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