Reviews by gitanjalib
Apr 29, 2008
2/A Elco Market, 46 Hill Road, Bandra (W), Mumbai
Rated: Excellent
Outstanding!
Elco's panipuri is the definitive word in pani puri and chaat! I am grateful to the kind friend who introduced me to Elco's- if I lived closer to Elco's, I would be a permanent fixture here. The pani puri is absolutely outstanding! It beats every other pani puri I have ever sampled. The puris are light and super crisp with the right amount of crunch even after being filled to the brim with chutney. A reliable source tells me that the puris are fried in desi ghee. The panipuri-wala stands outside on the footpath and is ALWAYS surrounded by a swarm of pani puri lovers. The chutneys(paani) that fill the pani puri's are chilled to the perfect temperature and the holistic experience of crisp puri, warm aloo + chana mix +chilled paani is out of this world. Their pani puri's are modelled along the lines of kolkata's legendary "phuchka's" and they do great justice to them too!
Try their bhelpuri and their dahi puri which is to die for. The kulfi with falooda is also brilliant. There is something decadent about sitting outside on plastic stools on a Bandra footpath and eating something so sinfully delicious (or standing by the pani puri wala!) Having never tried sugarcane juice before, I gave into the temptation to try a glass at the stall in front of elco. Heaven...need I say more?!
Apr 29, 2008
3/4, Dheeraj Pali Arcade, Dr Ambedkar Road, Pali Naka, Bandra (W), Mumbai
Rated: Excellent
Superb Indo-chinese!
5 Spice is an immensely popular indo chinese retaurant-the queues are interminable outside the restaurant but the food is well worth the wait. They serve ENORMOUS portion sizes and one dish + I rice/noodles is often enough to feed a starving family of four! Try the chicken in burnt garlic as starters followed by a vegetable fried rice in the fish in chilli sauce...always makes for a satisfying meal. The vegetarian fare is also brilliant!
Apr 29, 2008
8-B, Cawasji Patel Street, Fort, Mumbai
Rated: Good
A foodie's delight!
Mahesh Lunch Home is a food lovers paradise! Tucked away in a quiet corner of fort next to the legendary Yezdani Bakery and close to the Bombay Store, this little gem is well known for its Mangalorean dishes. This restaurant is most famed for its seafood dishes but vegetarians wont be disappointed either. The maitre d' comes and displays lobsters, crabs and prawns with great finesse at the tables and suggests preparations with each of them. It is a great way to show children what their food looks like before it is cooked! The staff are friendly and the service is reasonably prompt.
We ordered the solkadi as refreshments which was absolutely delectable. I didnt know what Kokum was so the maitre d asked someone to bring me some in a bowl to show me what it was- a lovely touch, I thought! The vegetarians amongst our group ordered tandoori mushrooms which were cooked to perfection. The grilled veggie starter was a bit of a damp squib with large chunks of potatoes and extra large florets of cauliflower. I had the fish tikka (made with Rawas) which was absolutely delectable! For the main course, we ordered prawn gassi and vegetable gassi with appams. Fabulous food and generous portions too. Since they didnt have fresh mango which we would have liked to have for dessert, we settled for caramel custard which reminded me of the comfort food we used to make in my childhood. A meal at Mahesh must be followed up with a magahi paan from the paanwala around the corner who tells a fabulous story about the paan he makes and makes the paan with a fine flourish!
Apr 24, 2008
Hotel Pali Hills, 14 Union Park, Off Carter Rd, Khar (W), Mumbai
Rated: Good
Stunning ambience
Out of the blue is a regular hang out with friends and family when they visit me in Mumbai. I love the outdoor seating under the shade of the canvas awning and fans that spray mist and add to the great atmosphere in addition to making up for air conditioning. The tables are lit by candle light and dim lighting and it makes for a very relaxing evening out. They have a wonderful musician, Siegfrid who adds to the magic of dinner with his soulful ballads- He is a regular feature on the weekends, I believe.
The sizzlers served on a bed with mashed potatoes or rice along with steamed veggies or fries are my eternal favourite. The seafood festival also had some great dishes...The fondues are unremarkable and best avoided-especially the ones with the Indianized twist. The wine list is impressive! Definitely worth a visit when one is looking for a relaxing evening out with family or friends. Try their desserts- it would be sin to bypass them. They are truly out of the world!
Apr 24, 2008
Silver Craft, Pali Mala Road, Opposite Pali Market, Bandra (W), Mumbai
Rated: Good
A rare find!
Great ambience and fantastic food! This is the place to choose when one wants to sample some authentic goan fare. A dear friend brought me here on one of my first weekends in Mumbai and I have returned often to this gem in Pali Naka. My eternal favourites are the prawn gassi and crab curry with steamed rice. For starters, I never waver from the fried Bombil...always makes for a satisfying meal. Only once was the Bombil so full of bones that it made for a huge disappointment but its been great on other occassions. I love the outdoor seating as well as the cosier seating indoors even though it is a tight squeeze.