Dhaba feel in bandra

The older eating plaza of Bandra, Pali Naka has several multi-cuisine restaurants, most are Italian or continental servers. Among the few Indian food eateries is Papa Pancho, DA Dhaba. Located opposite gold's gym the Punjabi joint which i am told is run by a popular city celebrity.

Papa Pancho

 The interiors are old rustic somewhat made to feel also but it does give you a dhaba feel. With tiffin boxes made of aluminium put on with lamps to give a Punjabi style look works well. The non air-conditioned sections have a section with khatiya type tables and with chairs having cushions with bright coloured sheets. I have visited the place several times, yesterday i went there after a long tiring day. More importantly i wanted to eat good non-veg food.

rustic decor

Pancho serves a form of meal which includes, the dish you order (i called for chicken bhuna) along with a bowl of masoor daal and bowl of curd. Paratha or rice is optional. The food takes some time to come but its cooked well and more importantly the parathas are warm when served. As i munched into the chicken it was soft and juicy while my partner had daal khichdi. The servings are done in copper coated plates and bowl.

Food served in brass coated plate and bowl

The quantity is huge and sufficient technically for two urban eaters with average appetite. lassi. As for the cost a meal for two could cost Rs 1,000 but you would not be disappointed.     
The only discouraging thing is that leg room between the tables is very less. Don't forget to have the glass of lassi.

old charm table/chairs with bright decor giving a dhaba feel 

Birdsong Cafe

Waroda road in bandra has been the residential for Christians with their small row houses and buildings. The road that leads out to the St Andrews Church is a thoroughfare for traffic, vehicles popping out from small by lanes. In this traffic busy street is the quaint Birdsong Cafe which boats of being completely organic. As we enter the cafe we are greeted by our attendant Deepak. The cafe is very simple on decor, with not much paintings or antiques in place, bulps hanging from the ceiling and wooden tables with steel chairs, gives it a good feel. There is a mezzanine floor also if you don't find a table downstairs, but for that you have to climb a steep ladder with the help of a rope hanging by the side.
As we scan through the menu card which you either see it on the black board wall behind the counter or they hand out a small menu card. I wanted to eat a Chicken Mayo sandwich between two of us but it would have been much less so i requested to add an omelet to it and convert it into a club sandwich. Deepak readily agreed to it with the reply that it would be charged extra.

Cookies at the cafe

As the sandwich came in multi-grain bread it looked superb and tasted also, but the spraying of chocolate syrup on the side of the plate was complete no no. The ketchup also tasted as the ones you get in Zaveri Bazaar at the road side sandwich stalls but it went well.
The deserts i was told are the USP of the place, so we tried to order their walnut cake but unfortunately it was over so we ordered a banana walnut cake, it was OK. So was the coffee and Assam Tea. Idling around for over an hour, we see through the large glass windows, is a man standing outside his house, wearing a blue shirt and bermudas, some youngsters with fishing rods, woman going to the market. When the bill arrives we are charged Rs 425, for the club sandwich, does it cost that much at Tea Centre in Churchgate i don't think so. Rest of the beverages and desert were reasonably priced. Over all it was an experience to have, the Birdsong cafe is surely a visit once without fail.