Chef Timothy Newton of Opa Kipos: "We have accommodated more vegetarian dishes in our Indian menu"

Chef Timothy Newton (left); and his Spinach and Feta mousse pie.

In most restaurants, smashing a plate even accidentally will invite glares from other patrons. But at the Worli-based Opa Kipos, it is a common sight to see a guest smash a plate and shout ‘Opa’!

The Greek restaurant with its blue and white interiors opened its doors in Mumbai last year.

Chef Timothy Newton who is the mind behind the menu at both the Mumbai and Dubai outlets of Opa Kipos, was in Mumbai recently. Edited excerpts from a conversation with the chef:

What brings you to Mumbai?

We have been receiving a lot of requests for adding more vegetarian dishes to the menu, and we wanted to change the pastry menu a bit as well. We did some tastings and we will be including some more vegetarian dishes to the existing menu and a couple more items to the dessert menu too. I also wanted to see how the place is doing overall.

Before opening Opa’s Mumbai outlet, did you have any doubts or fears about whether your food will be liked here?

I think there is a lack of Greek food in Mumbai and in India in general, but the population does travel a lot. They also come very often to Dubai which has many Greek restaurants.

...I was definitely worried they might think the food was bland! (laughs) We did our homework and at least 10-15 percent of our food is Middle-Eastern and Turkish and we played on those flavours and that helped us.

...A lot of people have said the food needs to be spicier but we don’t compromise on that. Most of the food is braised meat, lamb and grilled chicken among other dishes, so there are enough options for people.

How different is the Mumbai menu from the original one in Dubai?

I would say 70 percent is similar. We have accommodated more vegetarian dishes in our Indian menu, which has been developed over the last six months. We are more meat-driven in Dubai.

Which Indian ingredients do you like to include in the dishes here?

We use local seafood which is really nice. The local prawns are delicious. In fact, I import prawns from India to Dubai. The day before I left, I received some local crabs which we are also planning to put on the menu. We have been able to find most of the ingredients here.

What about the Feta cheese which is a staple ingredient in Greek cuisine?

The Feta cheese is imported from Greece. It’s the same one that we use in the Dubai outlet.

What are some of the other ingredients that you import?

We import cheese and olive oil from Greece. The flour for the pizza comes from Italy and so do the fresh truffles.

Are you planning outlets in other Indian cities?

We are definitely looking... We have a lot of offers from other cities but we believe Delhi is the best option for us. It has a lot of international character and people with spending capacity.

Could you share a popular recipe?

Spinach Pie

Filling:                                

Ingredients

625gm          Baby Spinach – washed

25gm            Fresh Garlic – chopped

250gm          Leeks- chopped

300gm          Feta cheese

10gm            Dill

Method:

1. Sauté garlic and add leeks.

2. Add baby spinach, cook it and add dill

3. Cool it down then to chop the spinach.

4. Add feta cheese then adjust seasoning.

5. Weigh out into 35g portions.

Rolling:

4pc   Phyllo sheet

100gm   melted butter

1. Spread phyllo sheet on a clean worktop.

2. Brush with melted clarified butter and top it with another phyllo sheet. Repeat the procedure twice to get 4 layered phyllo pastry.

3. Cut this layered phyllo into 6 same size squares

4. Roll the spinach mix into these to form a pie.

Feta Mousse:

Ingredients:

50gm        Dill

500gm     Feta

80gm        Milk

Whisk all the ingredients together and transfer into a squeezy bottle.

For the pickup:

2pcs          Spinach Pie

20gm        Feta Mousse

1gm Dill

1gm Chervil

Method:

1. Sear the pie on hot pan on all the sides, use baking sheet to ensure it doesn’t burn or stick

2. Transfer it onto a tray and bake in the oven at 200 degree Celsius for 4 minutes.

3. Squeeze dots of feta mouse on the serving plate, then place baked spinach pie on top in the center of the plate.

4. Garnish with dots of feta mousse then finish with fresh dill.