The menu is led by Chef de Cuisine Nitin Parulekar. His approach at Samaa centres on clarity of flavour and ingredient quality, with an emphasis on dishes that sit comfortably within established Mediterranean and Middle Eastern traditions. Key ingredients such as Aleppo pepper and akawi cheese are imported for maximum authenticity and flavour.
The menu opens with cold mezze—Lebanese crudités arrive as a seasonal spread of raw vegetables, including cucumber, tomato, carrots, radish, chilli, meant to be dipped and shared, reflecting the Levantine habit of starting meals with freshness and crunch. The classic hummus appears in two variations, one topped with shredded crispy lamb, where slow-cooked, roasted lamb leg adds both texture and richness, and another paired with popcorn shrimp, using crisp tempura prawns to introduce contrast and sweetness against the creamy dip. A Smoked moutabal, a Levantine staple, uses charred eggplant folded into hung curd, finished with pomegranate for a bright kick of acidity. Muhammara, originally from Aleppo, combines roasted red Aleppo peppers, nuts, garlic, and spices, offering a deeper, more complex counterpoint to the lighter dips.
The menu also includes a small shorba selection rooted in West Asian comfort cooking while salads trace the region’s geography with healthy and aromatic dishes like Fattoush, Tabbouleh. A standout is the Jarjeer salad, a Middle Eastern staple that combines rocket leaves, feta, pomegranate molasses, walnuts, and the Shankleesh with whipped feta and red pepper. Hot mezze pushes the regional spread further with a Sigara boregi filled here with halloumi and akawi cheese, paired with harissa labneh. Batata harra (a Lebanese potato preparation) comes spiced with Aleppo pepper and served alongside crunchy asparagus and tahini. The Mushroom baklava borrows the layered pastry technique of sweet baklava but turns it savoury, folding wild mushroom cream, akawi cheese, and truffle oil into crisp sheets. A Spiced squid, seasoned with sumac and cumin, reflects coastal Middle Eastern cooking, while prawns glazed with chilli molasses nod toward Gulf flavours.
Charcoal grills include a Sheesh taouk appears alongside the kebab Istanbuli or Pirzola lamb chops, both of which draw from traditional Turkish grills, while a classic chicken shawarma is a hat tip to Levantine street food, served with saaj bread, pickles, fries, and toum. Seafood grills include samak al faham, a Middle Eastern charcoal-grilled fish preparation seasoned with coriander, lemon, and chilli, and rubian meshawi, where tiger prawns are marinated with ginger, garlic, turmeric, and citrus. You can also pick a mixed grill platter that brings these elements together for the table.
Dining and Cooking