Royal China, Bandra, Mumbai

Royal China prides itself on serving authentic cantonese cuisine in a fine dining setting. The outlet is also one of the best places for celebrity spotting in Mumbai and one hears that the restaurant is also one of Sachin Tendulkar's favourite restaurants.

The decor at Royal China is spacious and exudes a certain class. The colours are dark and sober and one gets the feeling of dining in a comfortable high end establishment. The service as expected is prompt and polite. The waiters are well spoken and at ease with the dishes on the menu. They are more than willing to add their suggestions and recommend specials for the customer to taste.

The menu at Royal China has a dim sum and a regular section for patrons to choose from. We ordered three dumplings the last time we were there, the prawn and chives dumpling, the seafood dumpling with ginger and chilli and the chicken sui mai. The dumplings were all tasty and with a lot of flavour but my favorite would have to be the seafood dumpling, which was a touch spicy but left ones taste buds yearning for more. The dumplings at Royal China are served in small quantities of 2 to 4 dumplings a serving allowing the customer to sample different varieties. We had heard that Royal China also has a dimsum lunch option, but were informed that the same is only for customers who dine there atleast four times a month. A slightly tough criteria given the food options available in Mumbai!

For main course we ordered egg fried rice, roast duck cantonese and flaming chicken in superior sauce. Mainland China is my usual benchmark when it comes to fried rice quality and Royal China meets the benchmark in texture and flavour of the rice. Tasty, but not too overpowering so as to not detract from the flavour of the side dishes. Royal China prides itself on roast duck, but I found it a bit too bland for my liking, this, in spite of being a fan of Singapore chicken rice and being usually appreciative of blandish food. The part i really liked about the duck was the crackling on the skin, but i thought that it could do with a bit more flavour.

The flaming chicken in superior sauce was fantastic and greatly elevated by the way it was presented. It is served in a mini counter which is set alight in front of you. The visual appeal definitely added to the mildly spicy and very tasty chicken preparation.

We capped off our meal at Royal China with an order of lychee with ice cream and a helping of apple toffee with ice cream. Here I wish to remind you that we were surprised by the quantities and could not get through the servings. The lychee with ice cream were nice, but we were not really impressed with the apple toffee. To my mind, the apple toffee did not work. Overall though Royal China is definitely a visit for people who like Chinese food and specially for those with a soft corner for dim sums. Do go there and freak out!

A meal for two at Royal China, without drinks, will cost you approximately Rs 2500/-

How to get there: Royal China is on Turner Road, Bandra West. It does not have a great facade and there are chances that you may miss it if not looking out. It will fall to your right, If you are driving from Moti Mahal towards Carter Road.

Persian Darbar, Bandra, Mumbai

Persian Darbar is one of Mumbai's more famous Mughal food eateries and has been welcoming its clientele since 1976. Persian Darbar tries to serve authentic food in an authentic setting and that needs to be appreciated. The Biriyani for example is served and is had by its regular patrons in the true tradition of community eating with people expected to have food from the same very large plate served at the centre of the table. Lately I have read advertisements of its Byculla branch renovating its decor to add to a truly Mughal experience and setting to sample some fabulous food.

Persian Darbar also drives home one of the oddities in my culinary discoveries in Mumbai. The fact that the non Mughlai dish of crispy chili prawns is so fantastic, yet so Non Mughal had been first discovered by me at Shalimar and the version at Persian Darbar underscores that fact. The dish if you can get yourself to order it is fantastic and the serving is also very, very generous.

The last time we were there, apart from the prawns, we ordered the Raan Biriyani and Bheja Tava Masala.

The Biriyani needs to be ordered just for the grandeur of the dish, the Raan is very obviously the star of the show and is covered with Biriyani rice and adorned with sliced boiled eggs, cucumber and onions on the sides of the serving plate. The biriyani rice does not have the greatest taste and sort of disappointed me but the Raan was succulent and with loads of flavours. I would definitely recommend the dish for the taste of the Raan and the way the dish is served up.

The bheja was also disappointing, the masala was greenish and sort of overwhelmed the taste of the bheja. I prefer the version at Bade Miyan and Jaffer Bhai any day. Overall though, the meal was still worth it because of the Prawns and the Raan!

A meal for two at Persian Darbar will cost you approximately Rs 450/- without drinks.

How to get there: Persian Darbar is on Bandra, Linking Road. If you are driving from Khar towards, the highway, Persian Darbar will fall to your left once you cross Shoppers Stop.

China Gate, Global Fusion, Bandra, Mumbai

Global Fusion is a place I have been to a number of times and is a place that I always love going back to. The place provides a combination of Japanese fare with some other South East Asian influences that cater to most palates and covers most bases on mine. The place also offers one of the more unique culinary experiences in the city with multiple counters providing all - you - can - eat food options. The options are so plentiful and the array of delicacies so overwhelming that one would need at least two visits to sample all the food properly. But then, if you make one visit to China Gate, Global Fusion, you will keep coming back.

The decor at China Gate is very nice, the seating area is large and comfortable, you see a number of waiters milling about but the service is not very good at all. They have yet to work out the operations and in my experience the food is inconsistent apart from the self serve options.

There are four buffet areas at China Gate Global Fusion, the first and my favourite area is the sashimi and sushi area. The range is mind blowing and the options range from lobster to eel to smoked salmon. They also have a vegetarian option. Dips of wasabi, ginger and soy are available and best of all is the fact that one can go on eating unless ones appetite is satiated or one is tempted to try out the other options.

The second area is one of the features of the restaurant and resembles an open kitchen which is surrounded by one dish each placed with an open bowl. The concept is to place pegs with your table number (found at your table - ref pic) in the open bowl in front of the dishes to indicate your interest at sampling. The offering range from a whole host of dim sums to fried food and teppanyaki preparations. Here is where the service at Global Fusion becomes wonky with large variations in quantity and arrival time with what you order and what you get. Often what you order does not arrive at your table at all. The saving grace is that whatever you receive at your table is truly delectable and great to eat!

The third section is a regular buffet with counters which serves the staple fried rice, chow mien and regular Chinese fare of fish, chicken and prawns in black bean, oyster and XO sauces - good to eat but in my mind a distant second fiddle to the first two sections. I guess the restaurant needs the section for the less adventurous foodie but if you listen to my advice, you will steer clear and save your appetite.

The 4th section is the dessert counter with a few sweet cake options repleted with a Baskin Robbins ice cream counter, the same is a big hit with the kids but disappoints me slightly as i have never found good chocolate ice cream variations which I am completely partial to as far as ice cream is concerned. The flavour I choose is usually coffee but there are usually 5 to 6 options for the ice cream connoisseur.

If that was not all the offer comes with unlimited soft drinks though alcohol has to be ordered and paid for separately. Needless to say China Gate Global Fusion is highly recommended for South East Asian food with a largely Japanese influence. The only blemish from a food perspective would have to be the absence of pork from a single dish which is not served for religious reasons.

A meal for two at Global Fusion without hard drinks would cost you approximately Rs 1700/- on weekdays and Saturdays and Rs 2200/- on Sundays. I have lately visited on Sundays but am given to understand that the spread remains the same.

How to get there: China Gate Global Fusion is just off Linking Road, Bandra West. Its on the lane right beside KFC. Its on the 4th floor above Mumbai Times Cafe.

Red Box Cafe, Bandra

The best thing about Red Box Cafe is the atmosphere that the restaurant exudes and inculcates. The lights are bright, the overwhelming colour of the decor is bright red interspersed with clear white patches. The music in largely rock and roll from the halycon days on the late eighties and the early nineties, and the moods of ninety percent of the patrons you see seated in tables around you in unmistakably happy. Red Box Cafe is easily one of the "happiest" restaurants I have visited, and is definitely in contention if you are wanting to spend an enjoyable evening with friends and family in Mumbai and are deciding where to go.

Red Box offers continental cuisine and the menu card contains the usual offering of steaks, sizzlers and other English favourites. They have also added the usual Italian and Mexican specialities which is increasingly becoming must haves in most restaurants in Mumbai today. The food though passable is however not the main draw and it would be best to tone down the expectations of the palate at least in terms of authenticity.

The last time we were at Red Box I had the opportunity to sample the Chicken - Lemon Thyme, The Penne Machelleria and one of my Old Favourites - The Lobster Thermedor. The chicken - lemon thyme was expectedly very good, lemon and thyme go very well together and served as excellent flavour on the mildly grilled chicken. The Penne Machelleria (Machelleria is Italian for Butcher Shop) - essentially Penne tossed with chicken sausages in a meat sauce was Ok, while the sausages were good on their own, I guess the meat sauce suffered and largely tasted of tomato without the juices of minced meat. The lobster thermedor was excellently presented with the flesh kept inside the beasts outer shell.

The taste was however slightly overwhelmed by the excessively cheesy white sauce served with the dish. Disappointing after the really great presentation. The other slight downer was the service which was really slow. The saving grace remains the great ambiance and atmosphere, we did not really mind spending a little extra time in the restaurant - even though it meant waiting for the food. Go to Red Box Cafe to have a nice time and decent food with friends and family.

A meal for two at Red Box Cafe without drinks will cost you approximately Rs 1000/-

How to get there: Red Box Cafe is on Waterfield Road in Bandra at the corner of the junction which also houses China Gate and Caravan Serai.

Out of the Blue, Pali Hill, Mumbai

Out of the Blue is arguably one of Suburban Mumbai’s best places to eat, but is definitely one of the best places to hang out. This is a restaurant that appeals to your senses because of the ambiance and the décor. The food is quite good but is not the highlight. The atmosphere at the restaurant is what keeps me going back to Out of the Blue and will doubtless make you want more of the same. Out of the Blue offers its visitors four different options in terms of seating. There is a brightly lit café like option as soon as you enter the restaurant to your left. There is an indoor section on your right. The main seating area is further up which appears like an outdoors option but you realize that is a really high asbestos roof. The outdoor eating area offers two types of seating. The main area is regular tables and chairs, slightly erring on the side of being over crowded. The other option is the table on the sides which are slightly elevated having floor cushions where you will see a whole horde of people whiling away time, drinking and nibbling at very well cooked food – essentially capturing the value proposition of the restaurant. Out of the Blue did have a 5^th option which was actually outdoors on the terrace which was my favorite but they seem to have done away with the same a couple of years back.

The staff is friendly and smart if slightly slow. The lighting is dim, apart from the café seating on the left and they believe in candle light which are covered in some very nice wooden lanterns placed at your tables. The music is not too loud and during times I have visited have been selections from Dire Straits, Clapton and other artists of the 1980’s. The combination of the décor, the lights, the music and the non-interfering casual service make the restaurant a great place to visit someone you love as well as the perfect setting to catch up with a bunch of old friends. The food? It is good without being spectacular. The last time I was there, we ordered the leafy spinach and mushroom soup, the ham and chicken fondue and the Spaghetti Bolognese. The leafy spinach and mushroom soup is a definite re-order in my book. The soup is based in cream and there is a very obvious stock of mushroom used. The leafy spinach add a great texture to the soup and went excellently well with the mushrooms which were cooked just right. The fondue was a disappointment. The chicken and the ham which are pieces served on the side as an alternative to the bread were the savior as the cheese sauce was just not up to the mark and was quite flavorless and tasted of flour more than anything else. We ended up wasting half the bread that was served although the diced meat was juicy and tender. I would recommend that you order the fondue only if you are in a group of 8 or more which would leave two to three pieces of bread for everybody to dip their skewers into the cheese sauce which would be the maximum that one can take before starting to hate the taste. The Spaghetti Bolognese was ok. The sauce was tasty but had a bit too much of an overdose of basil for my liking, there was also too much meat sauce for the amount of spaghetti in the preparation. We rounded off the dinner with some chocolate mud pie which was a highlight but then dessert is one of the specialties of Out of the Blue and you must save space for it if you visit.

Overall a definite recommended for the overall experience. Go there and have a really great evening.

A meal for two at Out of the Blue without drinks would cost you approximately Rs 1600/-. I would usually crib slightly at the expense given the food quality but the ambiance makes it worthwhile.

How to get there: Out of the Blue is at Union Park, Pali Hill. It is located right next to Olive Bar & Kitchen. If you are unfamiliar with Bandra, the easiest way to reach is to take the right at the Café Coffee Day on Carter Road and keep going up the road. The restaurant will fall on your left.

Cafe Goa, Bandra

I love pork. I love spicy food. I therefore totally love Goan food. Goans and I have heard the North East people know and cook pork the best and the Goan Pork sausage is I think one of the all time greatest preparations mankind has ever conceived of.
When I heard of Cafe Goa, I though my prayers of having a decent Goan food restaurant closer than Goa Portuguesa had been answered but I came back, happy because Goan food can never be bad but disappointed as the search for a really good quality Value for Money restaurant had still to be answered.
Cafe Goa is located where Trafalgar Chowk used to be. It is really out of the way, so much so that the claim to be Bandra's best kept secret. I hope the place does well in the evening because we went on a Saturday afternoon, peak lunch hour and there were hardly any people in the restaurant. Throughout the time we were there we only saw one couple enter and sit down for food and that is a clear signal that something was amiss. That something is Value for money, the food is not bad but it is too expensively priced and just not worth it.
We sampled the Goan Pork Sausages and some Pork Vindaloo with rice. The Goan Pork sausages were good. There were nice cubes of potato and the pork was cooked well - potato is a key component of Pork sausages according to me and thankfully the potatoes were present in the Cafe Goa version. The Vindaloo was also nice without being outstanding. It was a bit too sweet for my liking. Overall decent food but not a secret than Bandra is dying to reveal.
A meal for two at Cafe Goa will cost you Rs 650/-
How to get there: You have to go up the lane past the ICICI Bank at the Mehboob Studio circle and ask people as to where the restaurant is. The address says it is off St. John Baptist road but you really have to do a lot of asking.

Masalacraft, Bandra

Masalacraft is an out of the way restaurant. The place where is it located implies that it will have traffic from its regular patrons and the only time I went, it was full which is ample proof that the fare is decent.
Masalacraft has tried to give an upmarket feel about its restaurant and has been reasonably successful in the attempt. There is a lot of polished bare wood. Long tables, large rows of wood over head and pretty neat and innovative seating spaces. The light is a bit too dim for my linking but I guess it adds to the slightly upmarket feel about the restaurant. The other really good aspect is that there is load of space around and absolutely no chance of your table conversations being heard.
The food at Masalacraft is decent without being outstanding. I have sampled their Biriyani which is better that the usual variety available at Mumbai. Tasty without too much oil. We also ordered their house special, the lemon chicken. The first time they served the lemon chicken was a touch too burnt. We asked them to change the same which they agreed to do after a good deal of convincing. The second time of serving they got it right and it was good to eat although the initial reluctance to change left a bad taste in the mouth.
A meal for two at Masalacraft without drinks will cost you Rs 450/-
How to get there: Masalacraft is in Reclamation, close to Lilavati hospital. If you are coming towards Lilavati from Bandstand, you have to cross the hospital and take a right towards the Western Express. However immediately on taking a right you will see a left turn which you need to take. The left term leads to a T junction and you will see Masalacraft immediately on taking another left.

Lemon Grass, Bandra

I am a huge fan of South East Asian food. Thai, Singapore, Indonesia - I love the fare that you get... Lime leaves, galangal and coconut milk according to me add a different dimension to chicken and prawn. Lemon Grass, Bandra is my favourite restaurant in Mumbai for South East Asian food. The restaurant compliments great food with the typical casual Bandraesque decor which I love. I was devastated when they closed down their Bandra branch and was equally overjoyed when they returned to Bandra.
The food? They have added a stir fry section to their menu which was not there previously. The stir fry preparations are served on a base of rice or noodles as per your choice and are nice hot and spicy. The other section on the menu is the main dish section which I recommend you order with a serving of plain steamed rice. I am not a Phad Thai fan and believe that steamed rice brings out the flavours of South East Asian food better than anything else.
The last time I was at Lemon Grass, we ordered a Thai Green Chicken and some Malaysian Satay chicken to accompany our stir fry. The food was great as usual, with the Thai Green chicken deserving a special mention because of the brilliant lemon grass flavour. The one think i have not found out in the menu so far is the brilliant chicken and mushroom gravy in yellow sauce which used to be my favorite dish in the restaurants older avatar. If you do figure out that the dish exists with some other name, please do comment and give me the new name.
The new restaurant has opened where Pot Pourri used to be located. The good part is that they have retained the confectionery section of Pot Pourri. So do not forget to leave some space aside for a sweet dish if you do happen to visit.
A meal for two, without drinks, at Lemon Grass will cost you approximately Rs 500/-
How to get there: Lemon Grass in on Turner Road Bandra. If you are driving via Turner Road towards Carter Road. Lemon Grass will fall at the signal after the Moti Mahal, Popleys outlets. It is at the signal from which you have to turn right towards Pali Naka.

Candies, Bandra

Candies is one of my most favourite Mumbai restaurants. Its not a standard restaurant, as in its pretty much an evolved cake/ snack shop with some seating arrangements. What you get is however a lot more than just snacks and cakes (both of which are very good at Candies). You get everything from salads, Chinese food to chicken - a - la - Kiev. Quite an assortment but what really works for Candies is not just the food. Its the buzz, it is the bad service, it is the ambiance.
The place is great, an old Bungalow which has been converted. The restaurant is near the entrance and there is seating on the ground floor, but if you have the time and the weather is good, taking your food and going up the stairs will lead you to a number of quaint and well made terrace gardens. The terrace gardens are numerous and the semi -outdoor experience of chilling out and having good food with your relatives and friends is pretty much a one - of - a -

kind experience in Mumbai. The crowd at Candies is young and there is always a queue at the counter where you have to place the order for food. The queue is large and the service slow and confused at most times. To me however, it adds to the overall casualness of the atmosphere and it adds to the charm.
The food? Good and ok, depending on what you order. Among the snack variety I totally love the chicken and mushroom quiche - outstanding in one word, the understated slice of pineapple at the top really rounds of the snack. The other item on the menu I freak out on is the Mutton and Potato chop which is also very tasty and well made. Among the food items I really like the chicken preparations - the a-la-kiev and the steaks.
Overall a great place to hang out and spend time. You can hang out for hours - no rush and relatively lesser sense of guilt. Highly recommended.
A meal for two at Candies excluding drinks will cost you Rs 250/-
How to get there: There are a number of outlets but I recommend you go to the one at Pali Naka Bandra. After taking the right from Turner Road to go towards Pali Naka you have to take the left past Papa Pancho. The road goes straight and you have to take the natural left. Candies will be on your right. Parking may be difficult but you do find space eventually. If you are going there for the first time and it is not unreasonably hot or rainy. Do go and sit in the Terrace garden.

Salt Water Cafe, Bandra

Salt Water Cafe Bandra is well...very very Bandra...atleast for the common suburban Mumbai resident. Chic interiors, casual decor, uncovered wooden benches and tables which I have seen to be a common feature in most Bandra restaurants and of course the upmarket, trendy crowd creating a rather casual, typically Bandra ambience.
The food is good without being really memorable which is fine really as the food is not the prime reason for going to Salt Water Cafe. Salt Water Cafe lives up to the promise of giving you the right ambience for an evening out with friends. We were a largish group of eleven people and were able to sample a decent variety of the fare. The Cafe has a set menu with not too many food options. The wine list easily outdoes the food menu. There was a decent vegetarian population among us and we had a lot of veg food on the table, both starters and main course. The highlight of the starters was the Feta Cheese with Olives and the Sea Food Crab Cakes. The cheese is served in a smallish jar and is really nice - it serves as a great accompaniment to your drink. The crab cakes were pretty tasty even though the quantity served was pretty small. For mains we had ordered among us Risottos, Pasta and servings of Salmon. I ordered a serving of salmon which was good but the quantity was too small to act as a main course. Luckily for me the risottos were actually too much for a single person and I could have my fill. The risottos were a little bit too creamy and cheesy for my liking. I also sampled some traditional pasta with tomatoes and olives, which my vegetarian friend claimed to be the best amongst Italian joints in Mumbai but I cannot corroborate that as I did not want to have seconds. While the vegetarians are a rather under privileged lot - I am sure they can do better.:)
I just realised that the blog has been rather harsh but seriously the food is fine. It is just not a patch on the Italian cuisine you get in other places in Mumbai. So do go to Salt Water Cafe. Go there to have reasonable food in a great ambience. Go there with lots of good company. Go there to get some typically Bandra eye - candy. The only sour point in terms of ambience was that our table was close to the door and due to the crowd, it was getting slightly hot, but I guess were just slightly unlucky.
A meal for two at Salt Water Cafe without drinks will cost you Rs 2000/-
How to get there: If you are coming from the eastern suburbs, take the Western Express highway and use the Lilavati Hospital exit. Go right around the hospital and keep following the road. You will see a natural right which the cars going towards Bandra take. The Salt Water Cafe will fall on your left soon enough.

Shalimaar, Bandra

The name Shalimar is the name of one of the more famous Mumbai restaurants, not this outlet in Bandra but the more famous one in Mohammad Ali Road, with its highly renowned Raan Biriyani - a pleasure that I have yet to experience... but more on that if and when that treat befalls me. I have had the regular Biriyani there but it has not really set me salivating. Anyways more on that later.

Shalimar, on Linking Road Bandra, although having the same name does not proclaim to be part of the same chain. The rather guarded waiter when asked curtly replied that it was owned by a cousin of the more famous Muhammad Ali road outlet. I was there with a colleague of mine - a meat lover and we ordered two dishes I do not usually choose. First (and don't think I have gone mad) Chilli Garlic Prawns as starters, and the second Nalli Gosht. Both were rather surprising in their own ways.

Chilli Garlic Prawns - Although an incredibly strange order in a Muslim restaurant. The same is almost blasphemy (like ordering curd in a chinese joint), however for the second time running - I had also had the same at Persian Durbar, pretty good and the best value for money for the same dish in Mumbai. I have to write here that I have yet to bring myself to order the same as it is still just to blasphemous but if by chance you chance upon it - it will be one of the most value for money prawn items you have ever had.

Nalli Gosht - The dish was fantastic and is easliy one of the better regular mutton preparations, non - Kebab that I have had at restaurants. Not too spicy, and very very tasty. The dish went a long way to dispelling my abhorrence of ordering regular mutton curries at restaurants. Definitely a must have if you are yearning for a good mutton curry in and around Bandra.

A meal for two at Shalimar, Bandra will cost you approximatey Rs 250/-

How to get there: Shalimar is on Linking Road Bandra, very near the Shoppers Stop. It is on the opposite side of the road. If you are traveling from Khar to Bandra you have to cross Shoppers Stop. The restaurant falls on the other footpath of Linking Road on your right. It falls before Persian Durbar which is on your left.

Sadichha, Bandra East

Sadichha keeps to the tradition of outstanding, value for money food options in Maximum City. The decor is neat and hygienic without being lavish in the least. Focus is on utilisation of space and the chairs are just prevented from being top of each other. The message is clear, have outstanding food, pay and leave, please do not stretch your arms and relax... This is a hard core place for hard core foodies.
The food is coastal, there are meal options, masala and fry for prawn, pomfret, mutton and chicken. The meals come with rice and a chapattis with soul curry to be added. Strongly advise all to have at least one plate and share fish fry, Bombvil, Pomfret, Bangda or prawns all four of which are really nice, though prawns would just steal it if given a choice. After being gastronomically drowned with the meal one is strongly advised to cap off the same with some Aamras which is as good as God made mangoes and I think he made them really special.
Overall a fantastic meal. Long live the Konkan Coast!
A meal for two at Sadichha would cost you Rs 550/-
How to get there: Sadichha is right opposite the MIG ground in Bandra East. If you are driving on the WE highway from Andheri towards Bandra take the left exit just before the Bandra fly over. Take the first right at the circle. Sadichha would be on your left.

Jai Hind, Bandra West

I am not a fan of having fish (with bones in it) and crabs (with the shell still on) at restaurants - at least definitely not in fancy ones. The reason is simple. You simply cannot do justice to the dish. Crabs should be had with both hands holding the two ends of the claws and with ones molars biting the centre. A loud crack should then follow with the sweet taste of the meat and the juice seconds after. Similarly fish when had should be ideally had mostly without hands. After the reasonably fleshy portions are polished off. The entire bony mass should be entered into ones mouth and chewed in all glory till until the bones are taken out one by one.

Therefore when I had gone to Jai Hind for the first time and my colleague ordered the Pomfret Gassi I actually thought it was a waste of good money. The first bite however made me regret the Bharwa Bombvil and the prawns in green curry that i had just had - it was amazing, the best Konkani fish preparation I had ever had.

We were fortunate enough to frequent the place again on Friday. Samit Basu - my childhood friend and soon to be internationally famous writer was in town to attend the Kala Ghoda festival and we went there after catching up at Sunays house. Much to my pleasure, as Jai Hind was my suggestion, the food, specially the Pomfret Gassi did not disappoint in the very least.

Jai Hind is a nice homely restaurant which looks slightly out of place in the upmarket Hill road area. The restaurant retains the look and feel of the main branch near Phoenix Mills Parel and quite honestly I like it that way, it is neat, air conditioned and clean without the unnecessary frill of Chinese lanterns and glass statues and dividers. The focus clearly is on hygiene and taste although the place is a bit small and may seem slightly cramped.

We ordered Bharwa Bombvil which is Bombay Duck stuffed with prawns, Pomfret Gassi, Prawns Ambotik and a mix of Neer Dosas and steamed rice. The Bharwa Bombvil though quite good, unfortunately tastes much better imagining a mix of the Gajalee Bombvil fry and prawns, it is actually a fish chop made with prawns with the Bombvil instead of the potato mash acting as the crust. The Pomfret Gassi was as good as it was last time, which is saying a lot as this time it carried the not inconsiderate weight of expectation. The Ambotik which is a vinegar based Goan preparation of a red gravy was different and tasty though apparently one gets a far more concentrated and better tasting version in Goa (Rapti - will confirm that once i taste the same myself). The meal cost us Rs 1500 for five people which according to me is damn good value for money as well.

So if you like fish, are hungry and around Bandra or Khar you know the place to go for some value for money, lovely steamed rice and Pomfret Gassi from the Konkan coast.

How to Get There: Take the turn past Lucky Biriyani and go up Hill Road in Bandra. Jai Hind is on the right just beside Bandra police station.