Although I have always been a firm believer of supporting Delhi’s food, my travails to Mumbai have also made me sit up and notice the plethora of cuisines that you can find around Mumbai. So, whenever you are travelling to Mumbai check out this guide and you’ll be all set on your trip.
Farzi Cafe, Mumbai
After their mishti doi spheres with berry sauce as amuse-bouche, first up were the cocktails, Farzi Apple Foamatini, Farzi Tina, 3 Musketeers, and My Girlfriend. The last one was amusing. Served in a female figurine glass, rum infused with watermelon juice and probably coconut water, it made for a beautiful summer drink. For starters we had the popular raj kachori (from Delhi days), the famed dal chawal arancini, tempura fried prawns, goat cheese stuffed tangdi kabab, and Delhi belly (pork belly) tikka. A special shout out to the tempura fried prawns for it’s subtle hint of tobasco on the perfect tempura coating. And the pork belly was one of the best quality meat I have tasted in a long time. Raj kachori was delicious, as always, especially with the crispy okra on the side and the tamarind chutney foam.
Gurukripa, Powai
It may be easy to miss this restaurant for people not from around Powai. However, one must not miss it, and the word should be spread for people to know. The food here is surprisingly good, sometimes great! And the staff hospitable, welcoming and attentive. The ambiance is nice, not too ornamental but clean and comfortable. Good mix of crowd – office goers, families (being a weekend), groups of friends, and couples. They have a bar, 2 private rooms and good parking facilities for large parties as well. For starters, we had chicken ghee roast, as suggested by the manager, Mr. Vinod Gupte. It was one of the best dishes of the meal and something I have never tasted before. Very well marinated and flavors superbly carried by the perfect amount of ghee. Chicken pieces cooked right.
Masala Library, BKC, Mumbai
Masala library is a fiesta of flavours. Jiggs Kalra’s promise of not just serving food but memories holds true as Indian cuisine marries molecular gastronomy in a match made in heaven. Drawing from techniques like spherification and quick freezing with liquid nitrogen, the Chefs at one of India’s topmost restaurants are pushing Indian dishes to the extreme. In a country on a fasttrack to westernisation, the invasion of foreign cuisines has been taking the spotlight away from the good old Indian cuisine. But these experiments are correcting that, albeit with a whiff of fresh air. The salad is a conglomerate of textures. Crispy spicy banana with a cold sour curd rice and offset with the heat from either the asparagus or the pepper prawns.
The Yellow Chili
Only his food could supersede his charm! Servers kept an array of bite sized appetizers coming. From Misal Bruschetta to Curried Lemongrass Paneer, the food offered both familiarity and a little something new for the taste buds. It’s the kind of creativity that makes you feel warm and welcomed. Take their Kolhapuri Mini Pizza for instance. Its flavor beautifully juxtaposes the Kolhapuri masala on a mini pizza bread. Not what you’d except in an everyday pizza, but not so far-out so as to become unsavory.
Copper Chimney, Worli
True to its name, the NH1 festival menu offers a curated selection of dishes you would expect to be eating at pit-stops enroute Delhi to Amritsar. What I especially love about the menu is that it isn’t painfully elaborate, and yet expertly offers enough to suit all palates. From Langarwali Daal to Tangdi Kebab Masala, the festival has managed to get the NH1 dhaba essence right.
The restaurant manager suggested I try their signature mixed vegetable soup Ab-E-Hayat while waiting for the first course, and I’m glad I let him make this decision for me. Mildly flavored, the soup has tender coconut chunks along with steamed vegetables, and a dash of coconut water that adds lightness to the broth. A platter of their signature kebabs and cocktail Chilli Cheese Naans made for perfect starters. The deliciously soft but crisp-on-the-edges cocktail naans are a tastier replacement for conventional papads before every Indian meal.
Saffron, JW Marriott Juhu
The journey started with their signature Seekh Kebab. This tender minced lamb is mixed with array of spices consisting of dominantly ginger,green chilli’s and Coriander. It is skewered and then grilled over charcoal fire and the fine outcome is juicy, smokey and lip smacking. Nimona tikkiya was one of the major star of the night for me. It is a tikka made of green peas which is cooked to perfection and is consisting of tumeric, ginger, cumin and green chillis.
Main course made the journey further more interesting with some unique vegetarian delights such as Dahi ka Bharta and natru ki chap. Gosht dum biryani is a great combination of basmati rice layered with braised lamb, topped with green chilli’s, ginger ,onions and lot more. It is sealed in a handi and finished on dum. I must also mention the sides such as the garlic chutney and raw papaya pickle. It was impossible for me to know that is was a papaya without chef informing me about it. Saffron at JW Marriott Mumbai is one of my favorite places to have Indian food.
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Skky, Ramada Powai
The Skky at Ramada is one of my favourite places to try out Pan Asian in Mumbai. The restaurant retains the typical low lighted charm of Asian restaurants. But the masterpiece here is the food itself. The succulent pork ribs glazed with an Expresso sauce which combines a cloy sweetness from the pork with the bitterness of the coffee. The second one being the Oat crumbed prawns. The Oats incorporated with flavours of sweet and chili along with its flaky texture is perfectly complimented by the fresh juiciness from the prawns.
Tell us your favorite place to eat out in Mumbai.
