It is not easy to stand out of the crowd these days. In a city where there is a new restaurant at every corner, it is notable that Henry Tham’s latest venture, KOKO has taken Mumbai’s gastronomes and design lovers by storm. Translated to mean elder brother in Cantonese, the Thams (Henry and his two sons Ryan and Keenan) conceptualized KOKO as an Asian gastropub which is big on food and even bigger on experience. “We wanted to introduce an Asian restaurant with a broader range of Asian delicacies that have not been seen in the city before. We then paired this menu with eclectic cocktails, a high-energy bar and Sumessh Menon’s stellar design” says co-founder Ryan Tham. Sumessh Menon of Sumessh Menon Associates was brought on board to turn the Thams dreams into reality. “While the restaurant is pan-Asian, we consciously stayed away from introducing too many typical southeast Asian elements or artifacts” Sumessh tells us, which is something new for an Asian restaurant. The team introduced Asian inspiration through hints of color rails like terracotta and fly-ash and natural forms resulting in a dramatic, seductive and elegantly designed space.





Terracotta Brick Facade at the Entrance

Mosaic Flooring and 100 ft Island Bar

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“The whole look of the space was kept very contemporary, upscale and sophisticated while being unique in design. The sculptural exposed perforated terracotta brick façade of the restaurant is a stunning display of rustic, yet muted elegance” says Sumessh. The first thing that catches your eye as you walk into the 3,500 sq. ft. space is the 100-foot-long island bar in the centre of the room. This indicates that, as serious as the Thams are about their food, they know how to throw a great party. The bar is made of locally sourced wood and has abstract, fluid-like resin-filled crevices that give it a distinctive texture. To impart this feeling of upscale elegance, Sumessh used dramatic period furniture, custom-made crushed fabric paper lighting, mosaic flooring and stunning wall features made up of fly-ash blocks, wooden blocks and sold glass blocks.



Custom-Made Crushed Fabric Paper Lighting



High Backed Sofa in the bar area

When it comes to design and food, Sumessh and Ryan definitely have their finger on the pulse. We asked them what they consider to be upcoming trends in their respective fields.



Sumessh: There has been a surge in the design world centred around exploring cutting edge materials in their raw, exposed finishes. Designers are now boldly grasping unique design trends with global influences and blending them with local inspirations. Nowadays, concepts for restaurant and bar designs are focused primarily on the design of the bars - the technicalities, functioning, and aesthetics of the bar. Lighting design is another aspect that is gaining momentum when it comes to restaurant design; lighting technology is now so thoroughly efficient that good lighting design can replace a ceiling itself entirely.



Lighting Design in the lounge area



Lighting and Accent Chairs in the lounge area