In Japanese, the word '外人' (Gaijin / ) refers to a 'foreigner' or an 'outsider'. Although historically the word has had a negative connotation, Chef Anand Morwani (Brewbot, Rocketman Pizza, The Big Zest) has reclaimed it for his new restaurant and bar in Mumbai. Gaijin, Morwani's latest culinary venture, is a confident, high-voltage reimagining of Japanese cuisine seen through the lens of an Indian chef unafraid to disrupt.
At Gaijin, Chef Morwani takes an outsider's approach to Japanese food, applying classical technique while introducing regional ingredients, street food references, and cross-cultural pairings. The result is a menu that spans cold plates, nigiri, gunkan, small plates (vegetarian and non-vegetarian), maki, mains, and desserts. Gaijin's menu is less about fusion and more about friction — the kind that produces creative sparks.
Here, Chef Morwani bends, stretches, and layers traditional Japanese techniques with quintessentially Indian intuition. The results are wildly inventive and speak for themselves: Truffle Corn Gunkan (a punchy bite of smoked corn, miso, spicy rayu, and takuan or pickled radish), Not Buff Carpaccio with bone marrow and tartar, Cherry Wood Smoked Himalayan Trout, and Spinach Cream Cheese Gyoza dumplings doused in a kimchi beurre blanc. Even the quotidian gyoza get a street-smart remix at Gaijin — served tostada-style and topped with goma, pesto, or espuma and black garlic water chestnut emulsion.
The drinks menu, developed by Varun Sudhakar and Nischal Suman, follows the same experimental ethos. Inspired by Japan's midnight izakayas, neon-lit alleys, and age-old tea rituals, the drinks menu plays with textures and a touch of the unconventional to stir up unexpected flavour profiles.
Cocktails like 'In a Pickle' marry a briny, bold blend of Don Julio Blanco, fermented cucumber, shiitake brine, and yuzu kosho with a crunchy pickled salad. For something more contemplative, 'Midsummer Ritual' evokes a quiet moment in a teahouse — bringing together guava pisco, green grape, musk melon liqueur, clarified milk, and Sancha tea layered with matcha tincture and a ceremonial matcha stick.
The non-alcoholic 'Spirited Away' collection includes drinks like 'Blue Moon', a floral whisper of lavender and blue pea; and 'Sakura Fizz', which captures the essence of Japanese spring in a glass with delicate strawberry and cherry blossom bubbles
The interior space, designed by Spiro Spero, seats 60 patrons at a time across two floors connected by a design language rooted in contrast and discovery.
The main dining room is anchored by a monumental seven-tonne stone centerpiece — an homage to Suiseki, or the Japanese tradition of stone appreciation. The room shifts with time: by day, it is bright and filled with greenery; but come nightfall, and the atmosphere leans into its sultry side — intimate, electric, and alive with with rare Japanese vinyl sets playing on an analogue sound system at the listening station. The bar and the omakase counter complete the room.
Upstairs, a smaller, more intimate room serves as a private dining dining, while the alley beyond recreates a backstreet slice of Tokyo in the middle of Mumbai — complete with neon signs, graffitied shutters, and a riot of Mumbai-Japan pop-culture crossover posters.
A collaboration between Chef Morwani, Rohan Mangalorkar, and Karan Gaba — veterans of Mumbai's F&B scene — Gaijin is irreverent, immersive, and most importantly, it makes you smile. It is a wink to the outsider, a corner for the curious where reverence meets rebellion under neon glow.
TL;DR:
What: Gaijin — Bandra's newest joint for those who want Japanese comfort food with a Mumbai flourish
Where: Lotia Palace, Linking Rd, Opp. Citi Bank, Khar West, Mumbai, MH 400052
When: Lunch: 12 noon to 3 PM; Dinner: 7 PM to 1.30 AM; Mondays closed
Who: Guests under 18 are not permitted during the second seating on Fridays and Saturdays
How much: Average meal for two: INR 1900 (without alcohol); INR 2600 (with alcohol)
Follow Gaijin here.
If you enjoyed reading this, here's more from Homegrown:
Sushi Tacos, Mochi Ice Cream, & More: A Guide To The Best Japanese Cuisine Across Mumbai
Into The Unknown With Crackle: Bangalore’s Dedicated Omakase-Style Restaurant
Across Is Reinventing Himalayan Cuisine In The Heart Of Mumbai