Only Paratha, R-City Mall, Ghatkopar

Only Paratha is probably the second entry of a pure vegetarian restaurant in this blog, that fact complimented by my going there more than once and my intent to do so again as testament to the quality of the fare served up by the outlet. If you are vegetarian and even if you are not you must go there pretty soon and its my word that you will not be disappointed.

Only Paratha serves its Parathas with two servings of Daal, some onions and some Boondi Raita. This time luckily for me they gave me the option of taking some Rajma instead of the yellow daal. There is no guarantee that they will do this for you too, but go ahead and ask... If there is any milk at all to be had... it will go to the baby that cries! I am not very adventurous at ordering veg food and therefore stuck to a Aloo and Gobi Parathas. Only Paratha serves more than 50 varieties so all you veggies can really freak out. You will not be disappointed, more than the Parathas I think what they really do well is the combination they serve. The rajma and the kaali daal were both very very good. Must do when in the mood for some really good vegetarian Punjabi food.

A meal for two at Only Paratha will cost you approximately Rs 300/-

How to get there: Only Paratha is in the food court in R-City Mall

Don Giovanni, Juhu

The same upmarket hotel which has forced the relocation of Bistro Grill has also forced the relocation of Don Giovanni in Juhu. Though in this case, paradise has not been lost as the food remains as good as it ever was. I say that with a pinch of salt as their signature dish - the Risotto - a - la - Don Giovanni, an outstanding preparation of a cheese, and bacon risotto with a dash of vodka has lost the mind blowing quality that it had the first time. But I would attribute that to the high expectation that we place of the dish.
Don Giovanni has moved from opposite the JW Marriott hotel to the lane on which Prithvi theatre is located. It is on a semi complex on the left, you have to to drive in a bit before the valet parking gets into action. The interiors are quite large and seating 50 plus people comfortably does not seem to be an issue. We sat on a table near the bar, there are two other sections in the restaurant. The decor is apt, paintings adorn the walls and there is far more space than at the previous outlet. The only thing I missed was the Azzuri football shirt, present at the previous outlet which I could not locate here. Music, I presume Italian is played at just the right volume which provides a perfect ambience for a great lunch/ dinner. I have made several visits to Don G's in Mumbai but to my mind three dishes stand out.
1) The Risotto - a - la - Don Giovanni : When you put cheese, vodka, bacon and arborio rice in just the right combination you come up with this dish that causes me to salivate as I am writing this. The risotto is the best I have ever had, although they have increased the size of the bacon pieces which according to me does not taste as good as it used to the smaller pieces of crispy bacon.
2) Chicken Involtini - The Involtini is an outstanding starter of chicken stuffed with Mozzarella cheese. The cheese is folded into chicken breasts which are supported by a toothpick and then cooked. The cheese is just right and tastes brilliant when the dish is served. The only tricky part of the preparation is dealing with the tooth pick elegantly which is sometimes difficult to execute.
3) Lasagna - I tasted the chicken lasagna at Don Gs and it was exceptional. I can only imagine how good the beef lasagna must be. It is not too crisp as is the case in certain restaurants. It is just hard enough for the multiple layers of pasta, tomato, cheese and meat to stick together in perfect proportion
These are the top three dishes but it would be a great injustice to not talk about the Tiramisu and the coffee. Problem is that it would be difficult to fit both into the menu in the same meal. Both are outstanding, I urge you to go twice, or better still before the meal have a chat over some coffee and end with the Tiramisu. Only thing, you have to pre-book the Tiramisu as it runs out very quickly. So coffee for a pre meal conversation, Chicken Involtini for starters, if there are two of you order the Lasagna and the Risotto ala Don Giovanni, and end with the heavenly Tiramisu. You will fall in love with Italy right in the heart of Mumbai.
Good Italian food does not come cheap and a meal for two, with starters and dessert but without drinks at Don Giovanni will cost you Rs 2500/-
How to get there: Don Giovanni is in Juhu, at the signal between Juhu and Andheri, instead of proceeding on Juhu Tara Road toward JW Marriot. Turn right at the signal to go toward Prithvi, there will be a semi market complex on your left. Don Giovanni is one of the many restaurants/ shops. It is visible from the outside.

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.

Kebab Corner, Andheri East

After many a relocation in the Andheri area, Kebab Corner has relocated to a really nice location in a rather out of the way area. It is located on Mahakali Caves road, at one of the slightly sharp turns that are present on the winding stretch of road. The problem that compounds the location is that the frontage of the shop is half hidden by trees. This makes it so difficult to spot that you will take some time to figure out the location even if you know the exact spot. I will try to tackle that challenge in the "How to get there" section. If you do however you will find a great layout with an outdoor and an indoor option. We sat indoors but I liked the outdoor layout which can give a feeling of eating on a verandah with a large tree as a natural curtain overlooking the traffic.
The food was great and because we went in a largish group, we ended up sampling quite a few dishes. We tried the Amritsari Paneer, Pind-da-Chana, Chicken Reshmi Kebab, Chicken Kalimiri and Garlic Naan. The chicken dishes were good without being exceptional - tasty, value for money food, the Kalimiri was a decently mild version and avoids scalding sensitive tongues and lips. The paneer was sweet and tasty, could be a problem for those who do not like sweet food but not a problem for my palate. The Pind-da-Chana was almost as good as the name of the dish, the preparation was delicious without being accompanied by the excessive oil which usually accompanies Chana dishes in most standard restaurants. The highight of the meal according to me was a tasty, but slightly over the top garlic naan. I either have never ordered Garlic Naan or this was a rather special version, it sort of freaked me out. It was like at least 40 (and i am not exaggerating) pieces of chopped garlic on top of the Naan, not that it tasted bad, according to me garlic always does, but I happily reverted to plain Naan for the next round of order. I would actually order a piece next time from the sheer novelty of the experience but order a regular Naan also alongside.
A meal for 2 at Kebab Corner, Andheri East will cost you approximately Rs 250/-
How to get there: You have to drive down the Mahakali Caves road from Andheri Kural road towards JVLR. Kebab corner will fall on the right. It is right on a sharpish right turn, which serves as a mini round about with a tree bang on the middle of the road and tree on the right and the left as well. That should serve as the landmark. You could alternatively stop at all mini round abouts and ask people who are usually helpful in Mumbai.

Bistro Grill, Hiranandani, Powai - Paradise Lost

Bistro Grill was till a year back one of my favorite Mumbai restaurants. It was in Juhu where a fancy upmarket hotel now stands and it was no more than a shack. It was easily one of the most hard core food joints in Mumbai. No more than 7 or 8 plastic chairs in front of an oven where you could see that around 4 or 5 whole chickens being roasted. To me that presented a surreal sight. The chickens were tasty and the fact that you got the same on the road added to the taste-buds delight. One could order whole barbecued chickens for Rs 250 ans it was right up there with the more Value for Money non veg food options in Mumbai. At that point of time I also was not a Shawarma fan (which I am now big time), and they had a pretty decent Shawarma option as well.

Then one fine day we found the 4 seasons and we mourned the fact that Bistro Grill was no more. The mourning was over once we saw take aways ads in Powai. The Bistro was back with Shawarmas being ordered regularly, though the chickens were not being barbequed in full view, we were still happy.

Then the Bistro moved upmarket, we saw that they had moved from Powai and had opened a restaurant. I fell out of love with Bistro Grill, the day we had dinner there. No plastic chairs, No live oven, the Bistro Grill was a plush lounge. Quite frankly, I really do not care about the food which I guess is and would still be quite good. It would definitely be more comfortable, great for a romantic evening and I am sure they will do well with higher margins. Maybe those who have not visited the outlet in Juhu will rave and rant and salivate...but I wont. Not unless the same format as what was there in Juhu is back. Maybe a Bistro Cattle Class? I hope so but unlikely... You don't advertise in bus backs if you are opening a VFM format. Go there... As the Bus Back Ad says "Sheesh Taouk tastes like Shees Taouk" but I won't. I will continue to miss the food and yes, even the ambiance of the Juhu outlet.

A meal for two at the High End Bistro Grill will cost you Rs 450 without drinks.

How to get there: Bistro Grill is in Hiranandani Gardens Powai. If you are going towards D-Mart from Hirco. Take the right from the circle. Bistro Grill will be on your left.

Gajalee, MIDC

We Bengali's usually have an attitude to fish. Do not get me wrong. We love fish - but we usually turn up our noses at any preparation which is not Bengali. We are completely enamoured with European preparations, the grill, the Muniyar we are in love with but usually we feel that if it is Indian cooking we are talking about, no one cooks the fish as well as the Bengali. This is where Gajalee proves a point for Konkan cuisine with outstanding fried and Tandoor preparation of the Bangda and the Pomfret. However they have reached culinary nirvana with their version of the Bombvil or the Bombay Duck. If you can stand the smell of fish, you must... try the Bombvil fry at Gajalee and I will insist... Do squeeze some lemon on top before devouring the fry.
Gajalee also serves some great Crab Butter Garlic and Squid but I think the last visit was one of our most focused and hardcore. There were three of us and between us we polished off 4 plates of Bombvil Fry and 2 plates of Bharwa Bombvil (Bombvil stuffed with prawns). The Bharwa Bombvil is great on its own but I do not rate it as the sum of its parts separate servings of prawns ans Bombvil fry is far greater than the whole. Overall a fantastic option and I can declare that if I ever had time for one meal in Mumbai, I would go to Gajalee and order the Bombay Duck.
Gajalee can burn a hole in your wallet if you freak out on the large crabs and prawns which are priced as per catch. Standard meals involving Bombvil fry, Neer Dosa and Prawn Gassi/ Mutton Masala should cost two people without drinks approximately Rs 750/-
How to get there: Gajalee has multiple branches in Mumbai. Phoenix Mills would be easiest to reach, we last went to the one in Andheri East, MIDC. It falls on the lane to the right if you are on the MIDC road going from Chakala towards JVLR (look out for the sign on the right that is visible from the road).

Kobe Sizzlers

When I think of sizzlers, it invariably brings back memories of Calcutta's Peter Cat. When the dish was served it invariably meant that your table was the cynosure of all eyes in the restaurant. The hissing noise ensuring that all small talk at tables were temporarily suspended as the dish descended on your table. With the steak houses in Mumbai however, that bit of having a sizzler is extinct as everyone around you is having the same dish. The taste is however as good as it tasted in Peter Cat and the variety is a lot more, although you have to order the right one. Kobe's incidentally is in my opinion one of the best the city has to offer.

For the uninitiated, having a sizzler in Mumbai might be a harrowing experience. A fancy sounding order might have you floundering in the smoke to find your plate overloaded with rice, sauce and cheese. Yes... You do get these disasters and some people actually like them. Be sure to follow these Golden rules

1. Always ask what will be served along with the meat

2. In case they venture rice or noodles, always insist on replacing the same with french fries or mashed potatoes (they usually comply, if they refuse please ask them to leave out the rice in any case)

If you do the above, you will be served a pretty well made sizzler. The preparation is usually well done by default (i think they allow you to ask for rare/ medium rare but I have not really asked). I usually choose the satellite without cheese and sour cream as I am very fond of mushrooms. The shashlik, garlic and pepper sauce versions however are all very good. Last time we went we also sampled a steak bun. The steak bun is actually a mini burger (non sizzler) and is pretty tasty, I would recommend it if you fancy something light or want to share the same as a starter. I would also ask you to order the Ice Tea at Kobe's which goes very well with the sizzler.

Overall a good meal, with large quantities of meat. You will need effort to get back to work after this!

A meal for two at Kobe's without drinks, will cost you approximately Rs 650/-

How to get there: Kobe's is on Andheri Kurla Road, near the Saki Naka signal. It is on the right if you are travelling from the Western Express to Saki Naka.

City Kitchen, Colaba, Mumbai

I had first heard of City kitchen in an episode of the foodie (on Times Now) and the episode had focused on Mumbai food. City Kitchen was one of the first outlets highlighted and was said to be the place for the most authentic Goan cuisine in Mumbai.
Unfortunately closed on Sundays, and the fact that it is located in Ballard Estate makes a visit to City Kitchen require some planning but as I found out the planning is worth its while especially for lovers of Goan food.

The decor is very sparse, at the entrance is the counter where the owner sits and there are approximately 8 small tables each seating 4 people. The place is decently clean but has the feel of a low end restaurant and is not the place you would want to have a romantic dinner, fortunately however, they pass a bit of the save to the customer :P.

Now about the food. Undoubtedly the highlight has to be the Goan Pork suasages which are always good anyway. At City Kitchen they cook it exactly the way I like it, with the sweet, the spice and the vinegar combining well and most importantly, with a decent quantity of potatoes which i feel adds a lot to Goan sausages. The pork pieces are chunky and quite substantial. The dishes are served with Pao which is kept at the centre of the table. They did not seem to have or offer rice portions although to be fair we did not really ask.

We also had Pork Chilli fry which was great and the Prawns Chill Fry which was a big disappointment and smelled slightly. We rounded off the meal with the obvious order in a Goan restaurant, the Pork Vindaloo which did not disappoint and made up for the Prawns Chilll Fry. There has to be something to do with pigs and Goans, I really think the Goans, atleast within India understand how to best cook pork (atleast whatever little I have tasted)... Overall an excellent meal and I would rate this above Goa Portuguesa as THE place in Mumbai to sample some Vindaloo and Pork sausages and bring back memories of Baga beach and Brittos... Sigh!

A meal for two at City Kitchen will cost you around Rs 300/-, that is if you hog. If you eat right you can get a great meal for 2 for Rs 200/-

How to get there: City Kitchen is just before entering Ballard Estate. Take the left past CST and drive towards Ballard Estate. Take the right just after crossing the post office. City kitchen will be to your left quite a bit down the road after around 4 lanes. A tip - Chances are you will find it difficult to reach and need to ask people. Do not ask passersby, you will find it easier to ask a regular shopkeeper or a generous restaurant owner.

Nice Fast Food Corner, Santacruz West, Mumbai

Mumbai! The city never stops surprising (I am talking positive surprises here) you, and fortunately neither does its cuisine. I have to admit I have been a big critic of Mughali food options in Mumbai... The city unlike Delhi does not have outstanding Galouti kebab in all localities. Mumbai biriyani is not liked by my palate and the aroma is not as appetising as the ubiquitous Shiraz, Aminia, Zeeshan biriyanis all across Kolkata. Not often can one afford to sample the heavenly servings of Dumpukht at the ITC Grand Maratha and other 5 star restaurants of similar ilk.
However, as I have found out, the city DOES have its share of outstanding Mughlai food joints and Nice Fast food corner is just one of those joints. Nice is a shack - closed by day and open only in the evenings like the more famous Bade Miyan in Colaba. My theory is that it is a guarded secret of the hard core Mumbaikar foodie (like my friend Khusru) who only share the information with fellow club members.
The place does not reek of hygiene - it is a roadside shack. There is no seating. You can either have the food in your car or use the bonnet as a table. You can stand and hog or as I did, you can get the food home. I ordered Baida Paratha, Sheekh Kebabs, Mutton Tikka and Khiri. The Baida Paratha is the Mumbaiya Moghlai Paratha and was very good at Nice. A decent quantity of mutton and not too oily. The Sheekh was good, though I have never really been a Sheek fan... What blew me out of my mind was however the Mutton Tikka and the Khiri. The Mutton Tikka was as good a Tikka as I have ever tasted (no hyperbole). The Khiri, which I was tasting for the first time was soft and tender and absolutely delicious though obviously it is a dish not for the faint of heart for obvious reasons. I wish I could have sampled the Chicken Tangdi and other servings but that was all my appetite could permit. Overall I would put Nice right up there with Bade Miyan on the list of Mughlai non-veg options in Mumbai, it does not have the Bheja which will make ravenous trips to Colaba still worth my while but the Mutton Tikka is outstanding and that is something that Bade Miyan just does not have... Nice Fast Food Corner is definitely a jewel in Mumbai's culinary crown. Here is hoping that I manage to discover a lot more.
A meal for two at Nice will cost you either Rs 120 to Rs 160. Two plates of Baida Paratha and one plate of Mutton Tikka should make for a quick dinner. If you are hungry order two plates. Almost every item at Nice is priced at Rs 40.
How to get there: Nice fast food corner is open only in the evenings and is on S V Road. If you are driving from Parle to Bandra the shack will fall to your left. It is right beside Five- the more famous continental restaurant.

Mumbai Mirchi, Andheri East, Mumbai

How one of the most populated and booming office areas in Mumbai continues to lack really out standing lunch time eateries remains a mystery to me and unfortunately still remains so after my visit to Mumbai Mirchi.
Mumbai Mirchi is a Punjabi restaurant with meal and a-la-carte options. The meals selling for Rs 150 is quite a serving - a bit too much for our appetite given that we had to return to work and we chose the a-la-carte option. We ordered rotis and two dishes - the standard Chicken Tikka Masala and the Chicken Mumbai Mirchi. The Mumbai Mirchi is the signature dish of the restaurant and while it is not bad - it is quite possibly the least creative dish ever conceptualized by anyone. The dish is very simply half a plate of Saag Chicken and half a plate of a dry butter chicken served in one platter. The result is a half green and half red dish containing two different preparations of chicken and unless the same is a philosophical play on how Green Muslim and Saffron Hindu combine to give a unique taste of Mumbai (which is highly doubtful :P), I am sure you agree with my comment on the chefs creativity. However the dish does not taste bad at all because one cannot go too much wrong with Saag and Butter Chicken as well. So that was that - a decent office lunch for three people, we ordered naan to accompany the dishes. The price? Reasonable but not value for money.
A meal for two at Mumbai Mirchi would cost you Rs 300/-
How to get there: Mumbai Mirchi is located just off the Western Express highway. If you are travelling from Bandra to Goregaon. Do not get on the Andheri flyover. Take the 3rd right under the flyover towards Ghatkopar. Mumbai Mirchi is on your right 20 metres from the highway.

Bhubaneshwar - The city of temples

Retail Banking does not pay a great deal. What it does however is give you great experiences, different job roles, different people to meet and my favorite part - lot of different places to travel to and experience. My latest travel program took me to Bhubaneshwar...The city of temples. Puri has always been a favorite haunt for the Bengali, and Bhubaneshwar - 60 km away is a favorite haunt for most travellers. However somehow it had not featured in the 4 - 5 trips i have made to Puri as a kid and it was my first visit to Bhubaneshwar.
I landed at 12.30 in the afternoon, the air connectivity is not great to Orissa yet with not too many morning flights from Mumbai. The plan for the day was to spend time at the Orissa state office and in the evening go to Cuttack. As is my wont I insisted on a traditional lunch and we went to Dalma - possibly the only national Odiya food chain - they have an outlet in Bangalore.
I went for the Prawn meal at Dalma. The meal consists of rice, a prawn curry which was a bit like the traditional Malai chingri - only redder than the Bengali version and quite tasty. You also get Dalma - which is quite simply Dal cooked Odiya style - with lots of vegetables and is a traditional Odiya preparation, decent but not outstandingly good. The highlight of the meal was the sweet dish we had - Rasaballi which is fried sweets soaked in Kheer. I am not a fan of sweets but the Rasaballi was really really nice.
We then left for Cuttack at around 5 PM, Cuttack is a twin city and is around 20 km from Bhubaneshwar. The route also contains one of the highest per capita sweetmeat shops in a 400 m stretch that you will ever pass through. The 400 m stretch is lined on both sides by shops selling sweets. We stopped and sampled the most famous Pahado Rasogulla. The Pahado Rasogulla is a browning Rasogulla made of Chhana. More than the taste which is quite good, what does stand out is the area with the lines of shops.
I spent the night at Hotel Crown back in Bhubaneshwar, ferreted in by my injured foot, ordering room service and watching some Ollywood - the odiya film industry. Next morning was the time of the 2 hours i allow myslef to sight see in the travels that work takes me on. The same is done from 7 to 9 AM before office starts. In Bhubaneshwar the most famous tourist sight is the Lingaraja temple. The temple however was skipped because of my dicey foot. I instead spent the two hours going to see two of Bhubaneshwars other landmarks. The Udaygiri/ Khandigiri caves - Jain caves built into hills which are heritage monuments and the more historical and land-mark-ish Dhualigiri Stupa which is built on the sight where Ashoka the great Maurya king saw the river soaked in blood and embraced Ahimsa. It was pretty cool going on top of the small hill where the stupa is placed, overlooking the river from the spot where Indian history took an entirely different course. Incidentally the river is also where Shahrukh and Kareena were romancing during the famous movie.
The rest of the day was work which took me to all parts of the city. The city is really rather well planned. The most impressive thing were the vending zones created by the government. These are places where hawkers have been relocated to, green in colour and having the feel of a bistro, the zones have resulted in the city being neat, and as evidenced by the business the hawkers doing good business as well. In the afternoon I had a chance to also sample the famous drink the Lingaraaja Lassi, which was unlike most Lassis brownish in colour possibly due to jaggery I am not quite sure, it is very heavy, though taste wise does not really come close to the Original Lassiwala in Jaipur.
The other really striking aspect I will always remember about my visit was how Orissa appeared to be a classic link between North and South India. The script was very like the script followed by the South of the country, the dialect however was similar to the North.
Overall - a very productive and enriching trip. I left with a far higher opinion about the state and the government than I had come with. It just goes with show that dynastic politics and a long uninterrupted party rule in a state need not necessarily lead to decay or slow progress. One just needs the right people for the job.

Glory Glory Man United?

Well not really, you Red Devils... and I know that there are a lot of you out there... The club for me is Barcelona... But you do have a great Cafe. Went there on IPL day, the match between Rajasthan Royals and Deccan Chargers. Was there for the first half of the game, for a drink and some snacks... Had some Satay which was very good, and some Onion Rings - which were also rather good... but hey you can only go so much wrong with Onion Rings.
The ambience was rather good, large screens everywhere with a particularly large one opposite the bar. The service was rather poor but not their fault as the commentary volume was so loud everyone was reduced to trying out their dumb charade skills. But all said and done it must be great fun watching a Man U game with a couple of beers and a house full of fans. Would have done that if I was a fan... Unfortunately I am not... I am just a grudging acknowledger.

How to get there: 4th Floor, Palladium, Phoenix Mills, Parel.

The Mumbai Cave Trail

Sometime last month... The exact date is lost due to the late consistency of my blogging, we embarked on the Mumbai Cave trail. Elephanta was done and dusted... It was time for the other two.

One right in the heart of the suburbs of maximum city, right in the middle of the urban jungle, easily accessible through bus routes, infact it acts as a bus stop but so non descript, so un-marketed that you have to see it twice to confirm the actual existence. I am talking about Mahakali Caves. The place everyone seems to know and pass but hardly anyone actually visits. Well we did, for a moment because there is little to see - uncared for, without proper space for parking a car and taking a good view. I actually did not even get out of the car. You can see from the pic that the caves are actually their. Do go and visit, take some pictures, exclaim a little... Maybe the Mumbai authorities will do something about it. Its a cave! for God's sake...maybe they could lease the same out to a restaurant chain for some fancy cave food? Yum!

The other, less famous but more visited and equally badly marketed are the Kanheri Caves...where are they located? Right in the middle of Sanjay Gandhi national park... Where is Sanjay Gandhi National Park? Its a bit off Borivali and completely worth a days visit. Only please do go there during the monsoons or winter as the place would seem quite brilliant. The caves are quite a bit inside the forest, around a 20 minute drive and are in one word breathtaking. Easily one of the most awe inspiring sights I have seen and completely unbelievable when you think of the fact that it is completely within Mumbai. Too bad that the place is hardly talked about. Kanheri Caves actually count 108 distinct caves, though we visited only 3, as it was very very hot. The caves have various Buddhist carvings and it is actually quite stunning to think of the effort that must have gone into the construction. I am sure that if Mumbai could market Elephanta and Kanheri to South East Asia better, you would have the MNS bringing out processions against speaking in Mandarin :)

Maroosh, Phoenix Mills, Lower Parel

I fell in love with Shawarma after i went to Greece. The Greeks call their version the Souvlaki but I suspect that the same has its root in Turkey and the Arabian heartland. As much as the taste I think what gets you going is the feel at the restaurants. Chunks of meat, in India - unfortunately only chicken, being skewered and roasted in an open oven.
The Shawarma for the uninitiated is pieces of cooked chicken slow roasted in an oven, rolled in Pita bread along with some fries and various sauces merging brilliantly with each other and with the chicken. At Maroosh, which is basically a walk-side shack at Phoenix Mills, the Shawarma is served with some salad that is salted and soaked in venegar, mint sauce and some white sour cream. I personally feel that the sour cream goes very well with the Chicken Shawarma and I would strongly advise you to be generous with your dips. Be advised you may need to overcome etiquette demons as Maroosh is an open walk-side cafe without organised seating!
I strongly advise you to stick to Shawarmas at Maroosh though you may need two if you are going for lunch or dinner. I had also tried the Chicken Bhuna and rotis there which were also good without being really exceptional.
A meal for two at Maroosh would cost you approximately Rs 450/-
How to get there: Maroosh is on the ground floor at Phoenix Mills.

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.

Yellow Chilli, Powai

The restaurant has a lot of hype. The location is on top of Mainland China, Powai. The restaurant is owned by Sanjeev Kapoor - probably the most famous culinary personality in India - at least on popular TV. The offering is quite creative, having an option of having Chilli-Q or unlimited mouth watering offerings or so they say (to be fair we actually chose a-la-carte).
On the whole however i would have to rate the restaurant as rather disappointing and is easily out done by any of the other fine dining options in Powai. The food is just about ok; eatable but none of the dishes that we had left us wanting for more and given that we ordered a kebab platter and two other non - veg curries that was a really bad return for a place with hype. The decor was neat without really leaving a lasting impression and sort of added to the damp squib dinner experience on the whole. Overall, it was rather uninspiring and is not recommended which is saying a lot as it is probably the first such instance in this rather kind blog.
Oh! forgot to mention the onion pickle which was served along with the Indian fare was the highlight of the meal (meant to be sincere and not sarcastic!).
A meal for two at Yellow Chilli without drinks would cost you approximately Rs 1100/-
How to get there: Yellow Chilli is on the left if you are driving towards Chandivali from the main Hiranandani circle after passing Haiko on your right.

Urban Tadka, R-City Mall, Ghatkopar

Urban Tadka has always been one of my favorite Mumbai restaurants with one big problem - getting a place to sit. Though they have increased their network of late, but as we recently found out, getting space to sit still remains a huge problem.

The food at Urban Tadka is to die for, none more so than the Nimbu Chicken, the same is present in there starters section as says that it is not to be missed. The point I believe needs to be highlighted far more that it currently is. The Nimbu Chicken is one of the best dishes I have ever had in Mumbai and i have found the offering only at Urban Tadka. Cooked with generous helpings of butter, ginger and lime, the dish is so good that it is often the only thing I eat at Urban Tadka... I would like to add that it goes very well with the Rumali Roti.

Other dishes you can try if you can get away from Nimbu Chicken are the Rajma, Methi Paneer and Mutton Rahrah which are really good also. The Mutton Rahrah which consists of pieces of mutton is cooked with kheema acting as gravy - this deserves a special mention. Do not forget to cap off the meal by keeping some stomach space for some Rabri and Garam Jalebi. Though keeping space might prove to be a challenge I would recommend the same as a perfect dessert for the Nimbu Chicken and Mutton Rahrah.

The decor of Urban Tadka is very Punjabi with a decent sprinklings of wall frescoes depicting country side scenes, though recently I thought that they have gone slightly over the top with dholaks and the like. Though going by the crowd reaction and the dancing customers it seems that it is very much here to stay. Oldies like me I guess always have the option for ordering in!

A meal for two at Urban Tadka without drinks would cost Rs 500/-

How to get there: Urban Tadka is on the 3rd floor at R-City Mall next to the food court.

Malgudi, R-City Mall, Ghatkopar

Great Coffee! Fantastic size of the Dosas! but rather ordinary taste - would be a one line description of Malgudi at R-City Mall... The same is to be taken with a pinch of salt however as

1) I am not really a fan of Veg food and as for Dosas even less so.

2) My better half consistently orders the Rava Masala Dosa from the joint and claims it is rather good.

Anyways, last time we were there at the R-City food court, I had ordered a Paper Masala Dosa and a Filter Coffee. This was one of the days when i was just feeling like a dosa and I was almost over the moon at seeing the size - which was about 2 and a half feet long. The Dosa came with the Masala served separately, sambhar and two chutneys instead of the usual one. The additional chutney was slightly reddish and actually rather nice - a sort of tangier version of the standard coconut chutney that you get. The Dosa was rather sad as it seemed tasteless, maybe in part due to the humungous amount that was served but was not a patch on what is served at say... Madras Cafe. The masala was decent but unfortunately did not make up for the Dosa. The coffee however was really very nice as filter coffee always seems to be and did not disappoint in the least.

Overall I would rate this as ok and one of the more viable options in the food court... only do not be greedy like I was and steer clear of Paper Dosas.

A meal for 2 at Malgudi would cost you approximately Rs 250/-

How To get there: Malgudi is on the food court of R-City Mall.

Bowl House, R-City Mall, Ghatkopar

Bowl House is a restaurant that I have been eyeing for a long time, but given the glut of competition from Urban Tadka and the food court - Malgudi and KFC, we had not been able to zero down on the outlet. The opportunity finally presented itself when we felt like having east Asian food, and did not want to travel too far... Bowl House was not a disappointment.
Bowl House introduces itself as serving cuisine from South East Asia and has a menu containing dishes from quite a few countries of the regions, Tibetan Momos, Burmese Fish Cakes and a smattering of dishes from Japan, Thailand, Vietnam and China. The decor I felt was reasonably tasteful although slightly overdone with Chinese Dragon wall painitings vying for attention with the ubiquitous Thai Buddhas. The circular iron bars constructed on the outside having circular cut glass was one feature that stood out in particular.
We were to see a movie after lunch and so did not order heavily. We ordered a plate of steamed rice, Thai Prawns as starters and Vietnamese Orange Chicken. The Thai prawns were very good, with the sauce especially standing out, i think hint of ginger makes silghtly hot east Asian food taste better and the combination was very nice in the Thai prawns. The Vietnamese Orange chicken was however easily the highlight of the meal. Completely non - spicy and almost sweet, the chicken cooked in Orange juice was really tasty and is highly recommended. The little pieces of zuchinni and orange pieces really added to the overall taste. Lastly the steamed rice, I felt was perfect and went very well with both the dishes corroborating my theory that it is easily the best carbohydrate to accompany East Asian food unless one is in the mood for some old fashioned Bengali chinese.
We rounded off the meal with some Vanilla and Honey noodles to round off a really good lunch!

A meal for two at the bowl house without drinks would cost you approximately Rs 800/-
How to get there: Its on the food court floor at R-City Mall, opposite Rajdhani.

Parsi Bungalows, Strawberry Fields, Pandavas Vanavaas Haunts, Driving to PratapGarh - Well almost...that is not to mention ParaGliding!!

We had a day off on Friday, 19th February due to Shivaji Jayanti. Slightly lesser known event but what the hell, that made it 3 days off and we decided to embark on our much awaited and anticipated road trip to Panchgani, Mahabaleshwar, Wai and Pratapgarh.

We had planned a 2 nights - 3 day trip but the unfortunate demise of my cousin Soumik caused us to shorten the trip by a night. However as it is the rule of the blog to focus on life's positives we will not dwell on that. Thank you Soumikda for all the good times that we have shared and may your soul rest in peace!

Day 1: Arriving at Panchgani, Visiting the Mapro farm, Driving through the Ghats almost to Pratapagarh Fort, Strawberry Fields, Falling in love with Il Palazzo

We left Mumbai at 8.30 AM after the usual late-to-rise syndrome. We picked up Dripto (who was to go to Pune) and set off all geared up for the longish drive (approx 375 km one way). The route we had planned was the express way to Pune and then on to NH4 to Shirval (on the way to Satara). We were then to take the exit to Wai and drive on to Panchgani. We dropped Dripto off at Pune and continued on NH4 towards Satara. After asking a few people as to whether we were going the right way we proceeded on to Shirwal for the exit to Wai. The exit is pretty easily identifiable and is basically under a flyover towards the right, there is a clear indication of Wai, Panchgani and Mahabaleshwar. After taking the right one needs to drive a further one and a half hours uphill towards Panchgani. The Ghats are pretty easily negotiable, one only needs to take care to overtake only when safe and absolutely necessary. We reached our hotel, Il Palazzo at around 12.45 PM. After checking in and being pleasantly surprised at the quality of the room we were on our way again to our first stop - the Mapro farm.

Mapro farm is located on the Mahabaleshwar Panchgani road. It is easily the most easily locatable place in the area which Mapro has inundated with sign boards. The farm basically constitutes

1. A chocolate factory - where you can see chocolate coated cashews and almonds being made
2. A flower nursery

3. Some plots of land where strawberrys are being grown

4. A food court

5. A mini market when one can taste Mapro product for free and buy Mapro products at a 10% discount

We spent around an hour and a half at the farm looking around and had lunch at the food court. They serve decent vegetarian sandwiches, though i was slightly put off by a group beside us finding an insect inside their sandwich. Guess that makes it Non Veg but i am not chinese!!! The highlight of the meal was the strawberry juice which they make right in front of you. Very nice and very strawberry. We the left the farm after stopping at the market for tasting and buying some goodies.

The plan was to proceed to Pratapgarh which I had read was a steep drive of close to 35 km. What i did not know was that the drive was through a very curvy and winding ghat. Ghat driving always has an element of danger to it and one needs to be completely concentrating on the road and maintaining lane discipline. One also needs a prayer as there really is very little one can do if there is a rogue driver coming from the other side.

The drive to Pratapgarh fort took us about an hour and a half and we were met with disappointment as we could not actually go up to the fort due to a bus that was not working and was clogging up the entire traffic around a kilometer from the fort. The mess we found would take atleast half an hour to clear, that information and the unwillingness to negotiate the road in front of us after sunset made us decide, i believe wisely, to turn back. The drive back for some reason seemed to be much quicker and on reaching Mahabaleshwar we drove towards Arthurs Seat - which is supposedly Mahabaleshwars premiere sight seeing highlight. Half way to Arthurs Seat we aborted the drive on finding out that it was still a 15 Km drive on a road that was pretty curvy.

We were proceeding back to Panchgani a bit underwhelmed before the day was saved and how! by the visit to Vrundavan Vaug which is a strawberry farm on the Mahabaleshwar - Panchgani road. We just entered the farm and had a ball there after picking ripe strawberrys by hand and then buying them. It was the first time we had seen strawberry thickets let alone ripe strawberrys and we had a blast plucking the best ripe ones ourselves. Thrilled by the visit to the strawberry farm we reached Il Palazzo tired and drained at around 6.45PM.

Il Palazzo is a heritage boutique hotel and is easily one of the best at Panchgani. It is very clean has spacious rooms augmented by the high ceilings, the service is prompt, polite and the entire set up gives on a feeling of it being a home away from home. The hotel is maintained by a Parsee family who actually stay there, they are actually the third generation of residents who take care and let out the hotel. We were staying in one of the rooms in the main wing, which has around 9 rooms. There are also cottages which are let out to larger groups of people. We were liking the place already but fell in love when dinner was served. They have small dining tables right outside you room where you are served. The have veg and non veg options of a set home cooked menu which is what is decided by the owners. I do not think one can ask for helpings but we really could not ask for anything more. We were served carrot soup, bread rolls, rice, baked chicken in cheese, chicken cutlets, roti, aloo - gobi subzi and mutton curry. This was capped by chocolate souffle. The food was actually home made and very tasty - the parsee family have the same meal, and it cost us only Rs 400 per head. Il Palazzo also has a buffet option for guests but I think you have to pre book. We then retired to our bed, tired after a long drive and totally satisfied by the excellent meal that we just had.

Day 2: Parsi Breakfast, Sight seeing at Mahabaleshwar, Paragliding, Quaint Wai, Driving at 140 kmph

We had quite a few things to do when we woke up the next day. We had to do our Mahabalehswar sight seeing, paragliding and visit Wai on our way back to Mumbai. Our relatively full plate (of things to do) was however nothing in comparison to the breakfast that we were served. It was easily the largest breakfast outside of a 5 star that i have ever had. We had (and believe you me, this was one meal only) mutton kheema, pao, a very large omelette (at least 3 eggs), poha, bread and home made strawberry jam. We were so full that we almost felt like going nowhere. We just about managed to get up and check out (after ensuring that we bring some of the home made strawberry jam with us to Mumbai).

We drove straight to Arthurs Seat retracing the route that we had driven the day before and further on. A lot of sight seeing points are on the way to Arthurs seat. Basically each and every valley view with the Krishna has undergone some branding - you find Parsee Point, Kates Point, Echo Point etc all through. The view at Arthurs seat was indeed special but I would recommend the view at Marjorie point.

The view that we were privy to, of the western ghats half submerged in cloud and mist was truly breathtaking.

We then proceeded back to Mahabaleshwar and were almost driving out of Panchgani, when we saw the paragliding point and stopped in the nick of time. Ritwikas feet are still recovering from the nail operation and she was not ready for paragliding healthwise but I went ahead and enjoyed the experience of feeling like a bird for ten minutes that they allow you. To be honest, I did not enjoy the experience as much as I had parasailing in Pattaya for two reasons. One, I was slightly worried about the landing, landing in sea is much safer. Secondly, I was pretty scared, one comment that the handlers had made about my weight had made me almost back out. It was not very windy and right before take off they tell me not to sit down too fast while take off, as otherwise there was a chance that me, the main paraglider (I was obviously taken as a co pilot) and the two helpers might all fall down off the cliff!! Add to that there was one aborted take off attempt because the wind was not strong enough. Anyway after one scare off an aborted landing, we finally managed to land safely without any broken bones. I consider myself richer for the experience, and poorer walletwise given that those ten minutes cost me Rs 1500/-.

After taking a break, we then proceeded downwards to Wai which is quaint town, and apparently hosted the Pandavas during their Vanvaas. We visited the two main temples in Wai, the Ganesh temple and the Shiv temple. The Shiv temple in particular was very nice. Made of black stone, the inner sanctum was cool and gave that feeling of peace which makes one wish one can stay longer. The architecture was also quite noteworthy.

The breakfast ensured that we did not need lunch, in fact we did not need much of a dinner either...We proceeded to drive straight to Mumbai with one stop for a toilet break at the food mall after the final toll naka. The road from Shirwal to Panvel is phenomenal - a four lane highway all through. The highlight here was hitting the 140 Kmph mark for the first time in my life. My highest previous mark was 100 on the Eastern Express higway. This however came with the learning at how easily the car reaches 120 kmph when machine and man are used to those speeds. It required a slightly wobbly turn on the Pune expressway for sanity to pull momentum back to 80 - 100 kmph.

We managed to reach Mumbai well before dark and were back in Powai by 7 PM.

Overall the trip was extremely memorable, though will always be remembered and tempered by the news of Soumikdas death. I would rate Panchgani, provided you get the stay option at Il Palazzo as the ultimate one night getaway from Mumbai. Go there for a complete weekend of rest and relaxation. Go there for picking strawberrys from the farms and having the fruit in all forms the juice, the jam, the crush and just plain and simple. The only side effect is that you will not feel like buying strawberrys off the shelf at the malls ever again.