When Japanese cuisine first arrived in Mumbai, chef Masaharu Morimoto of Wasabi by Morimoto tweaked his menu several times to suit the Indian palate, even inventing a “noriless” sushi for diners who couldn’t stomach its briny taste and smell. Nearly two decades later, the city can’t seem to get enough of Japanese fare, with a flurry of new openings. The latest entrant is Otoki, a Japanese izakaya in Colaba that’s drawing the city’s well-heeled crowd eager to explore the many flavours of Japan beyond sushi and ramen.
The Space
Otoki sits close to The Taj Mahal Palace Mumbai, inside the heritage Phiroze Building, which once housed SoBo’s beloved Indigo Deli. While the nostalgia of that iconic brand, and its famous deviled eggs, kept many loyal, veteran restaurateur Anurag Katiar of Indigo Hospitality felt it was time for a refresh. He teamed up with restaurateur Pranav Rungta, and their shared love for Japanese cuisine sparked the idea for Otoki.
The space, designed by Sarah Sham of Essajees Atelier, draws inspiration from the Japanese concept of ma—the beauty of negative space. A larger-than-life chandelier of ginkgo leaves catches your eye as soon as you enter, but beyond that, the two-level restaurant is marked by muted tones, warm wooden accents, and clean, restrained aesthetics. A sushi bar sits in one corner, where chefs deftly slice salmon. The charm of Otoki lies in its elegance and simplicity, which is precisely what its name stands for.
The Drinks
“Peer through the ochoko (sake cup). If you can see all the rings of blue crystal clear, the sake is top-notch,” says Kalpesh Dupate, the Dubai-certified sake sommelier at Otoki. The sake, which hails from Japan’s Kagawa Prefecture and comes from a brewery founded in 1970, is indeed smooth and crisp on the palate. Otoki’s list spans nearly 32 labels, thoughtfully curated by Maia Laifungbam, India’s only certified sake brewer. Handmade cups, sourced from different corners of the world, change with the style of sake, while the menu flows by brewing technique, from everyday table sake to full-bodied Junmai and even strawberry-infused dessert pours. Beyond sake, there’s also shochu, soju, umeshu, and a tight cocktail list, which includes playful signatures like one with shiitake, Toki whisky, orange bitters, and brown sugar, and another that pairs yuzu kosho with Pistola Reposado, citrus, and a touch of togarashi.
The Food
Otoki celebrates the finest Japanese produce, all flown in straight from Japan. The kitchen is helmed by chef Mohit Singh, who honed his craft at acclaimed spots like the three-Michelin-starred Kikunoi Honten in Kyoto, one-starred Inddee in Bangkok, and Boury in Belgium. Naturally, there’s sushi, sashimi, ramen, and robata, but it’s the small plates that push beyond the expected. The Chicken Sando is a standout—crunchy katsu hugged by pillowy, mildly sweet milk bread. The Ebi Okonomiyaki almost looks alive, with prawn skin performing ballet on the savoury, vegetable-packed pancake. The Nanban Chicken, batter-fried and dressed in tartar sauce, doesn’t quite hold its crunch.
Otoki’s vegetarian repertoire is equally impressive and doesn’t feel like an afterthought—nearly 40 per cent of the menu is vegetarian. There’s nigiri topped with 24-hour pickled tomato that gleams like tuna, and maki rolls with a perfect rice-to-filling ratio.
From the robata, the Saikyo Miso Cod and Lamb Chops are show stealers. The Alaskan cod, glazed in miso, ginger, and ponzu, falls apart at the slightest touch. The lamb carries a mellow sweetness from honey offset by the depth of miso. From the mains, we sampled the Taki Komi Gohan, a comforting one-pot dish of rice with dashi, corn, ginger, hijiki, and grilled mushrooms coated in butter.
RR Verdict
While new Japanese restaurants keep popping up across the city, for years SoBo regulars either stayed loyal to Wasabi by Morimoto or braved the Sea Link in search of standout sushi. Otoki saves them the trek with top-notch produce, a thoughtfully curated sake list, and a menu that goes well beyond the usual suspects.
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