If you’re seeking different cuisines, you can count on Mumbai to deliver. Kashmiri wazwan, Bengali home-style mutton curry, Tamil Nadu’s prawn sundal, or Korean staple bibimbap — name it and you’ll get it in the Maximum City. But authentic Manipuri food remained largely absent from its culinary map. Until model and actor Lin Laishram decided to change that.
Through Akhoi, her Versova-based cloud kitchen, the Manipur-born actor has built something that goes far beyond serving meals of her home state. Every few months, she hosts intimate pop-ups in Versova where diners learn about the world she left behind. In this by-invite experience, they discuss the history of ingredients, forgotten recipes, farming practices in Manipur, and the stories that make up every dish on the menu.
Was Akhoi born out of homesickness? Or from the desire to make Manipuri culture more visible? “A mix of both,” Laishram smiled, before saying, “I missed the food and flavours I grew up with. I also realised that despite Mumbai being such a diverse city, Manipuri cuisine was largely invisible. Akhoi became a way to stay connected to home while also making my culture visible through food.”
The Manipuri style thali consists of rice, ooti, eromba, singju, and paneer
Unlike other regional Indian foods that most diners recognise instantly, Manipuri dishes often required introductions before they could be appreciated. “When I started Akhoi in early 2025, I spent a lot of time explaining almost every dish because people couldn’t understand what they were ordering. Our most popular dish, Singju, needed the most explanation. It’s a spicy salad with layers of herbs, textures, and flavours. Once people understand the culture and history behind it, they appreciate it in a completely different way,” she beamed.
That has become the philosophy behind every Akhoi gathering. The meals are meant to acquaint people with a place that many Indians know surprisingly little about. Before guests leave, they understand why certain herbs grow only in Manipur, how fermentation is central to everyday cooking, and why recipes evolved the way they did. “Food has a deeper meaning connected to culture, geography, and the history of a community. Manipur is incredibly rich in all of that. At our pop-ups, people come not just to eat, but also to listen and engage with the stories behind the ingredients and traditions.”
For someone from the Northeast, those conversations are often necessary. Despite years of visibility in films, sports, and fashion, stereotypes about the region continue to persist. “Many mainland Indians assume that people from the Northeast eat only meat and that our food is bland. In reality, Manipuri cuisine has a variety of vegetables, herbs, and fermented ingredients. So, food has become one of the best ways for me to challenge those misconceptions.”
That’s evident in the pop-ups, which rarely resemble conventional dining experiences. For a few hours, ordinary office space gives way to something closer to a cultural gathering. “Our chef Nikesh [Asem] and I create an experience involving smell, touch, and storytelling, so it feels less like a restaurant event and more like inviting people into our world,” she smiled.
Asked what surprises first-time guests the most, Laishram said, “Fish mint. It has nothing to do with fish, but the herb has a naturally fishy aroma.”
Around the world, food has increasingly become a way for countries and communities to tell their stories. For Laishram, Akhoi plays a similar role. And she wants to do it in Mumbai, the city that gave her a career, and her husband Randeep Hooda. “Mumbai has already become home for me. What I’m trying to do is bring a piece of Manipur into this home. Inclusiveness is what guided me. Akhoi creates a space where people from different backgrounds can come together, share a meal, hear stories from Manipur, and connect with a part of India they may never have experienced before.”
Quick Five with Lin Laishram
Your favourite dish on the menu?
Chicken curry; it’s cooked with lots of herbs and is flavoursome
Randeep Hooda’s favourite dish on the menu?
Black rice kheer
If you’re having only one dish at Akhoi, make it:
Black rice kheer
If you love spicy food, you gotta order:
Eromba. It’s a spicy dish of boiled veggies mashed with fermented fish, or with fried onions and herbs for vegetarians
A drink you want to incorporate in the menu?
Fermented rice drink