Malaika Arora And Arhaan Khan On Food, Business And Their Love For Malabar Curry

Malaika Arora is many things but a foodie? Well… she’s certainly enough of one to add ‘restaurateur’ to her ever-expanding repertoire.

One look at the multi-hyphenate star’s social media pages and you’ll know she takes her food quite seriously. When she’s not juggling everything from music videos and yoga studios to reality television and entrepreneurship, she’s busy cooking and eating cuisines from across the world. There are also those paparazzi shots of her walking in and out of top-tier restaurants with her gal pals in Mumbai. In the past, she’s also had a line of food bowls to her credit.

Her decision to open her own restaurant, Scarlett House, shouldn’t surprise anyone who knows and follows her. For this one though, she’s partnered with her son, Arhaan Khan, his childhood friend, Malaya Nagpal, and Dhaval Udeshi, founder of Dhaval Udeshi Hospitality.

The star and her son talk to us about all things food, working together and where to head for a meal, the next time you’re in Mumbai.

Esquire: What was the idea behind Scarlett House?

Malaika Arora: We wanted to inculcate our lifestyle into the restaurant and infuse it with a little bit of our personalities. This has helped us differentiate the space from other places out there.

Arhaan Khan: When guests drop by, they will have a lot of clean-eating options along with indulgences. By evening, the pop-up shop, that supports local artisans, turns into a wine and cheese bar.

ESQ: How’s it like working together?

MA: We agree upon almost everything and don’t step on each other’s toes. I'm more of a creative person, astute with design and aesthetics. Arhaan is an out and out people’s person. He has picked up the ropes of business along the way.

AK: Helming a restaurant is a completely different dimension for me. Living with mom, I have imbibed a lot of clean-eating habits and her outlook towards a balanced lifestyle. Now that we are working together, I want to adopt her work ethic. She works really hard and pays so much attention to detail, all the while maintaining a positive, free-flowing energy.

ESQ: Do you enjoy hosting?

AK: I do love playing host, which comes naturally to me. I enjoy having people over and ensuring they have a good time.

ESQ: Any specific food that makes you feel connected to Mumbai?

AK: I moved to New York to study filmmaking at the age of 18, so that feeling of coming back to a homecooked meal is special. Indian cuisine is my favourite, especially ghar ka khana. So be it Mutton Biryani or Beetroot Ghosht at my paternal grandparent’s house or Idli-Dosa at my maternal grandmother’s house, I’d rather stay in than go out to eat.

ESQ: What are some of the must-have dishes at Scarlett House?

MA: Paneer Thecha is a personal recipe, and I think it makes for an easy appetiser over drinks. Malabar Curry, Salmon Toast on Curry and the Salmon Mille-feuille are my other favourites. For an indulgent craving, go for Chocolate Toast Bread with Blue Berries.

AK: Our chef has nailed buffalo sauce, so I would highly recommend Wildfire Wings. My love of Indian cuisine makes me recommend Malabar Prawn Curry.

ESQ: What are your favourite food haunts in Mumbai?

MA: It varies from spicy street food to gourmet meals. I love the pizzas at Americanos, vada pav near Kirti College, ras puri at Thakkar Bhojanalaya, idli and dosa at Shiv Sagar and once in a while, I also like the set menus at Indian Accent. Only last week, my mom and sister joined me to eat bhel from a nearby roadside vendor. Everything in moderation is good for you!

AK: I take a lot of recommendations from my aunt, Amrita Arora Ladak. My all-time favourites are Pali Village Café and La Loca Maria. But like I said, I prefer homecooked meals.