We’re suckers for drama – especially the sort that unfolds on spotless white ceramic plates. And the tuna carpaccio (R530) we had at Two One Two Bar and Grill put on a very memorable show. It looked like a frame from the climax of a theatre performance. At one end was the leading lady on a hot pink rug, her flouncy green skirt splayed about. A few strides away, her leading man stood upright on a patch of pale green. They looked spectacular. It was several minutes before we picked up our forks. 

This particular performance had been assembled by Alex Bignotti, the latest international chef looking to earn his stars in Mumbai. He mans the kitchen at Two One Two Bar and Grill, the Mediterranean restaurant in Worli run by Arish Khajotia, Gaurav Kapur, Jay Makhijani and Ketan Kadam – who many remember as a partner in the pioneering nightclub Fire ’N’ Ice. The menu abounds with pesto, tapenade and sage butter concoctions; there’s a list of thin-crust pizzas like quattro formaggio, and prosciutto and basil; and a grills section that boasts of meat with carbon footprints that made us shudder.

The dishes sound pretty straight-forward but like the tuna carpaccio, still managed to surprise. It had two parts to it: a conventional carpaccio on one side of the long rectangular plate and a stack of four sashimi-looking cubes at the other end. The first looked decidedly female with the frill of lettuce sitting on a perfect veil of pink salmon. Like its other half, it had a head of sprouted alfalfa. The chef’s take on the classic had fewer curves. There were three crisp layers of phyllo pastry smeared with avocado paste that served as a raised stage. Perched on top were square cubes of salmon drizzled with a tangy olive salsa. And the matching alfalfa hair-do, of course.

Of course, lots of places can make a plate look good. A brushstroke here, a swirl of oil there and a few slivers of immaculately-placed cheese make all the difference. But all through our meal, it was clear that the dishes had frills only when they served a function. The lettuce on the salmon carpaccio, for instance, cut the tang of the lemon and had the faintest whiff of lemon grass in the dressing. In comparison to the delicateness of the classic, the contemporary version had bolder, more unusual flavours. The creamy texture of the avocado paste complemented the briny olive but neither bullied the squares of salmon. They were ingredients we’d never have imagined together but set off explosive bursts of flavour on the palate. In dishes like the mushroom cappuccino (R380) where add-ons seemed pointless, there weren’t any. No designer swirl of oil or curl of cream, just a bowl filled with an earthy, smooth and decadent but airy soup.

Next, we tried the ravioli (R510) and the quattro stagioni pizza (R545) – a four-in-one pie with two slices each of mushroom, prosciutto, artichokes and olives. We recommend you skip the mozzarella-heavy crusts and choose their minimal parmesan-garnished pizzas instead. Bignotti’s prowess lies in creating dishes that show restraint and allowing individual ingredients to shine through. This was amply visible in our plump envelopes of ravioli stuffed with spinach and ricotta cheese. Served in a very light sage-butter sauce and garnished with crunchy caramelised walnuts, each flavour had its moment in the spotlight.

Upon our waiter’s recommendation, we ended our meal with the bitter chocolate fondant (R310). It looked ordinary enough when it arrived but a feather-light nudge of the spoon was all it took for the cake to pour its lusciously dense, gooey heart out to us. The fondant had a quality, rarely seen in desserts. It was lighter than the sum of its parts. Bravo!

Meal for two approx R5,000. Alcohol served. All major cards.