The recent debacle of LPG shortage has taken over the news, with restaurants shortening their menus and long waiting times at homes with gas cylinders. However, in Mumbai, a crisis often leads to opportunities. At the tireless “City of Dreams”, there is a rare alchemy of creativity and responsibility that pushes culinary arts to think beyond the traditional. Bringing the age-old techniques of fire cooking, Hearth on the First stands out with its nostalgic recipes with contemporary vices. Led by the chef duo, Chef Dhriti and Chef Mehul (Lovingly known as Sabby), the restaurant builds a contemporary narrative using familiar ingredients and wood-fire techniques to create an innovative dining experience.
Hearth of the First
Perched atop the first floor of the historic Art Deco Eros Theatre in Churchgate, Hearth is an ode to the timeless classic. Its design meticulously mimics the building’s iconic geometry. Your journey starts with a charming touch, a traditional menu fixed by the door and a doorbell. Ring the doorbell, and a host quite literally opens the door to welcome you home. As you step inside, the roar of Mumbai dims with the jazzy hums, warm lights, and a New York-style bar where bartenders juggle mixology.
Whether you choose a long seat by the window overlooking the city or settle by the vintage vinyl player still spinning tunes, the atmosphere is one of calm sophistication. What makes it home is a subtle reference to pop culture of now, whether it is sticker boards, a poster of Breaking Bad in the middle or the memory board of the polaroids of the chefs’ team at work. However, for those seeking intimacy, find yourself a seat at the U-shaped chef’s table offering the front row to the live kitchen‘s fire magic. The embroidered napkins, hand-stitched by the chefs’ mother and grandmother with iconic Bombay motifs, add a familiar warmth to help you settle right in.
Let the Crackling begin
The kitchen is a tribute to the elemental power of fire, burning through nine types of seasonal woods to achieve the perfect bark and a giant hearth oven. The meal ignites with the first crackle of small bites, like the whipped brie and cherry tomato tart, baked in the hearth until smooth and crisp, or the succulent smoked and braised pulled pork on rosemary toast. Yet the standout is the tenderloin tartare with chives aioli and Tomme de Bombai, which melts effortlessly against the oven-baked crackers.
Prepping the palate for the main event, the refreshing stracciatella and stone fruit salad. Moreover, the featured housemade cheese is sourced from Spotted Cow at the farms of Palghar. Then comes the heat of the grills. Ensuring zero waste is the sold-out favourite, prawn and crab seekh glazed with a rich crab stock or skewers of chilli chicken topped with crisped skin and juicy chargrilled chicken coated in rasam and podi.
As the evening turns decadent, the menu shifts to petit sourdough pizzas made with Italian Biga technique, served in smaller portions to leave you craving for more. For the adventurous, the chicken liver parfait pizza with berries and hazelnuts offers that rich, velvety crunch, especially when paired with their signature whipped ranch or tonkatsu ketchup. Additionally, the mains carry personal narratives, such as the succulent pork belly and bacon fried rice, a smoky, agave-coated tribute to the staff dinners at the start of Chef Sabby’s career.
The sweet and the sour – Desserts and Cocktails
It makes one wonder how a kitchen heavy with fire handles the delicate nature of desserts, but the answer lies in balance. The mocha bread pudding made with croissants and coffee anglaise is topped with a smoked vanilla ice-cream that carries a wood-infused bark unlike anything else. Nevertheless, if that is for the heart, then the fruit custard jelly is for the soul, tasting exactly like the summer holidays custard mom stores in the fridge.
Furthermore, these pairings are only elevated by a curated, hand-illustrated cocktail menu. You can go for the timeless old-fashioned, but for those who come to experience, you must try the experimental sides. The School Gate Masala, a fennel-infused Gin Mare with an edible fennel flower, perfectly mirrors the spicy pops sold outside school gates. Whereas, the Amruth Amalgam with pear cordial and grapefruit air offers a smoky sweetness for the IYKYK crowd.
The unhanded details
It is, however, the minute details that go beyond to define Hearth. If the jazz calls you out to the balcony, you’ll find a timeless view of the Oval Maidan and the illuminated High Court. To add on, it is served by a dedicated ‘wine window‘ that passes drinks directly to the terrace. Look closely, and you may spot the cute herb nurseries used by the chefs to garnish your plates.
Moreover, even a trip to the washroom is part of the experience. Beneath the perfect selfie lighting, you’ll find Japanese heated toilets and, most surprisingly, a Game Boy attached to each cubicle to keep you (or the kids) entertained. Mind you, it is a bit of a task to leave the washroom. And, before you step back out, take a peek at the drawers by the door. Tucked inside is a treasure trove of nostalgia, with candies like Poppins, Magic Pops, and Kiss Me, allowing you to take a sweet piece of the past home.
Key Information
📅Tuesday to Sunday (Closed on Mondays)
⏰ Dinners (Tuesday to Sunday): 7 PM to 1:30 AM
Lunch (Saturday & Sunday): 12 PM to 3:30 PM
💵₹ 6,000/- for two
📍First floor, Eros Theatre, Churchgate
🎟️ Book your tables here or call +91 89768 08947/ +91 89768 08948
