Has diwali lost its charm

Political parties holding food fares offering subsidised faral, famous marathi food stores running out of faral as soon as it is kept on the stands. Locals taking orders to make faral. Where are we heading to in Mumbai. The entire Diwali being outsourced it will be soon that people will even outsource lighting of lamps outside their houses and bringing torans for their doors. The Diwali that i have grown up seeing has changed, then it was a family or building function but now it is more about showing or making it show that you care about your extended family. The advertorials also preach about meeting those whom you haven't meet or called even once a year.
In my childhood my neighbours all mahrashtrians (In my bandra building there are only two muslim families), pre-diwali days the air would be filled with aromas of faral being made in the neighbours houses. Then the women would do the entire household stuff and also be able to finish the faral cooking. Since my building has around 20 houses each houses used to make faral for at least 30 houses, as it is by tradition that first faral has to be distributed among neighbours.
When we were children the boys used to make kandeels for the entire building for a minimal cost add profit of Rs 5 or Rs 10 to it which was our diwali and money earned went into buying fire crackers. Now the kandeel making has gone but its more convenient to outsource it.
Old days on diwali day all friends would meet up at a common place and greet each other and discuss clothes, shoes and fire crackers and who would be bursting the big laddi. Now msgs on whats app and BBM rule the market. Have people lost connect with the festival or are people lazy to meet people living next door but want to connect with people staying in the US and UK by exporting them faral at double the cost which is a new emerging business.
   

have you eaten at cooper

ITS one of my favourite places not frequented by me but always been there to lift my spirits after a long inning at work. Cooper Chimney is the restaurant which i am talking about. It has been spread in the city at different locations my favourite is the one at Kala Ghoda. The place is small with good crowd and an ambiance which is inviting and soothing.
I visit there always when the Bombay high court is going to break for a long recess say like diwali vacation. The open kitchen is a full time pass while waiting for the order to come. The way the cook rolls the romali roti and throws it in the air is a sight then on the big tawa.
My favourite food there is the chicken seek kebab which comes in six small pieces and eating it with their chutney is like being in heaven. Then on the main course is enjoy the Butter chicken in their heavy menu they themselves have mentioned it to be their speciality and all time favourite of everyone. Seriously its very good the chicken is soft and the tomato gravy is smooth and as at other places butter is put on the gravy here while cooking it is mixed. Due to which the taste is awesome. Try the roomali roti and butter naan.
frankly i haven't had desserts as by the time i finish my main course am so full that i don't want to eat anything more but search for a bed to lie down but that is not available.
Cooper Chimney has several joints i have been to my like Kala Ghoda but there is one at Phoneix also and i don't like it much as people celebrate birthdays there. Its not that kind of a place.

Avoid pali village cafe

OLD bungalows of bandra have been either brought down to bring up high rises or some have been made into restaurants and one such horrible place is Pali Village cafe. The run down place in the name of old world charm can be easily avoided. The food is in small portions and has a very firangi collection of beverages. The place is highly over prized for the decor and food you get.
I was forced to be there to meet a good friend by an acquaintance who did not want to leave the friend and is a wannabe teacher living in High society Union park area. The girl ordered weird food and the worst is the pizza are thin crust and only two pieces for 120 or 200. In times of domino's and pizza hut offering four pizzas for the same amount you feel cheated. The variety on the menu card is too less. In pizzas they have only two chicken pizzas.
The crowd is either firangi struggle rs whom you see in bollywood films or Indian's who discuss their stays in foreign countries and trust me none of them know the difference between tedso rupee and dhaisao rupaiya...The place doesn't offer any grace or old world charm with unpainted walls and chor bazaar lamps. A little girl who was with us for the dinner shouted as soon as we entered is this a restaurant it does not even have a food floor and also does not have proper rooms.

PS: Avoid if you are not forced to be there. 

Mexico in Khar

IT was a birthday party that took me to the hip hop and sort after Sunday brunch place in khar which serves Mexican cuisine. Sanchos is off Khar Gymkhana in the new fine dinning lane where uber kewl socialites and resident bandraites spend their evenings and morning time.
Sancho as friends at the party told me is a very famous place. Previously it was in a residential colony at Delhi, where it was doing brisk business later it shifted to Conaught Palace, that did not work out well for them. Leading them to shut shop and re-locate to Mumbai.
The place is divided into three sections, a lounge area, bar section and sit down eating place. On Sundays, since the place has a high foot fall the patrons are directed to the lounge area.If the choice of your table or the one accommodating the size of the guest is available then your shifted inside.
The menu card is one long book but made in small folds and looks like a compact one until you open it. To start of with appetizers don't miss the nachos. It's super large quantity and made fantastically. As for the drinks they have good collection of foreign beers and sangria wine...One of the members of the group was a school going kid and she asked the person drinking sangria, why was it having the toppings. To which she said to make it look like a kiddi drink, would you like to try it...
To start with try we ordered don't remember the name but the chicken was really cooked well in red sauce which was typically like a Mexican girl, hot and sweet. If your with friends then you might overeat the starters but do move on to the main course, they have very good combination stuff.  I will admit i did not because my wife had an appointment at the beauty parlor.
Looking forward to few more visits here.
PS: It is a bit on the higher side when it comes to money. Go with credit cards you might need it. Friends said the place was reasonable in Delhi and they could hog but not here. 
       

Banana Flambe

A visit to tharagambadi (tranquebar) in Nagapattanam district of chennai is where i was treated to this awesome dish called Banana flambe, it actually is not a dish but a dessert which we had called after eating a heavy mix meal of Masala Dossa, Mutton Curry and chappati. After downing the heavy stuff we thought of bringing in some desserts and since a day before we had the usual caramel custard we experimented with it.
The attendant did recommend it to us the previous day also but we were conservative. However, left with only icecreams for desserts we did order it. The dish when served was on flames it had two bannana pieces, soaked in rum and hard sugar on it and the chef had put the bannanas on fire.
The site of the dish was awwww immediately me and my wife were like how do we eat this. The flame kept on burning and it did not seem it would douse. As we moved the bannana piece the flame spread in the plate as it does on the gas when lot of air is there. Thoughts passed our mind that is this the correct dish. Leaving it behind we somehow managed to douse the flame and slowly cut the bannana piece and soaked it in rum and wow the best dessert was in our mouth. The rum and the hard sugar did the trick for the bannana flambe and we were superbly thrill with the dish.
After finnishing the bannana we drank the rum in spoons quiet an unheard way of drinking but we managed it.   

Funny things which South India has to offer

 

1: At Mahabalipuram beach visitors shower water on themselves before entering the sea and then take water home in bottles.

2: Best way of bonding on the go. Motorist on two wheelers are seen pulling their friend on bicycles and chatting along the way even on highways.

3: Promenade, Rendezvous, Ajanta,Madame Shante’s, Le Club, Le Dupleix, Asian these are hotel names in Puducherry originally known as Pondicherry.

4: Ganpati’s immersion procession which had more than 30 idols of different sizes are told to line up on the promenade and paraded off by the police to the shore, where they are instead of immersing thrown from a height.

5: Home Ganpati idols are brought for immersion in plastic or cloth bags, small prayer is said and the idol is thrown in water with all the flowers.

6: Danish people went bankrupt time and again trying to set up their business bases in Tranquebar and thus had to sell their properties including a fort to the British Raj. The locals still favour the Danes over everyone else.

7: No Idli-Dossa or snack items served in traditional south Indian hotels once it is lunch or dinner time because, ‘Meals are ready’.  

8: Locals walk bare foot during their visit to monuments in Mahablipurram and god only saves them from cuts as glass pieces scattered around the heritage structures after boozing.

9: Auroville which is soon going to be an international city does not have electric poles on its pathways, thus all activities have to compulsorily stop by sunset.

10: You know you are near a ‘Spiritual place’ if you spot rows of stalls selling ultra-loose pyjama’s and kurtas with divine prints on them.  

11: The most telling sign of a place, hotel/palace/heritage structure being from the glorious past is its super heavy, unnecessarily large furniture, nonetheless with beautiful ornate work on it.

12: Women wear heavy gold ornaments with gods designs inscribed in them---they really take their god’s very seriously.

Jai Hind for the mill workers no more

IT was started with an intent to cater the mill workers with a dose of their weekly fish and chicken supper. Located in the mill heartland of Parel area near the bus stand the oldest Jai Hind restaurant, specializing in sea food has undergone a sea change literally. The place which was divided into ac and non ac section has become only ac. The price of the thalis and sea food has reached new limits but the food quality remains the same.
Giving into the changing economic and social status of people in the area the place has refurbished interiors, cushion chairs (earlier it was only big tables and one piece sitting), the attendants now are more courteous and forthcoming in asking what the patron want to eat and with what kind of bread. Earlier it was you order and you will get but no add ons or suggestions by the attendants. The service too was slow but now it can serve on time and the attendants though have not been changed but given a refresher course in hospitality management.
Coming to the food, for the sea food lovers its is the place to be, not so high on price but quiet high (i am comparing it with days when the inflation had not hit India). My indulgence is Chicken Sukha Thali which comes with Malwani styled cooked chicken with vaade a small portion of rice and sol kadi. The thali is sumptuous and whenever i am on night shift at work i dedicate one dinner at Jai Hind.  
This time i took along a friend and she liked the squid a lot though it should have been eaten with either neer dosa or roti she eat it without it but was gagag about the gravy and spices used. The mill area has developed or developing everyday, as it is always work in progress. Hope Jai Hind continues to remain there and willing to serve the upper middle class as well as the locals who surely have stopped coming there--reason being the increased prices and the crowd gathering.

Byculla's persian darbar

Under the Byculla bridge where traffic doesn't stop and people keep pushing each other either to reach the station or make way for people carrying good on their head or carts. The areas is highly populated as on one side is the mustafa bazaar, second it the byculla municipal market and the railway station. Between the two is Persian Darbar. A highly specialised mughali resto which serves authentic full of great taste food.
The ground plus mezzanine floor resto has several compartments for large groups and families, they even have a sitting section for people who prefer to sit and eat.
For food if you happen to visit it is a must must to eat Chicken crispy, its with shezwan sauce and then move on to their tandoori..If you have the time and space in your stomach and more important people with a good appetite then  try their Ran Biryani it comes in one big plate with a lot of lamb and biryani rice. Its a feast the attendants understand if you call for it. The number of people visiting with you at Persian is more important the more the better you feel after leaving the place. As you would have eaten a lot and tried almost all their special dishes. In main course again a must is to have their daal ghosh or dabba ghosh, the place confirms that mutton is a royal dish and only few places can cook it well. After eating the sumptuous and fantastic food served at Persian, in case you have space in your tummy or want to test your limits then visit the Gupta Ice cream centre near the Sales tax office to enjoy the best malai kulfi and butter scotch candy.

PS: It feels that mutton is not not unhealthy after eating at Persian Darbar.     

One of the oldest Chinese place

EK Chicken Allaphus le aana aur dekho, Peter ko bolon jara chicken acchi tarah se banayen...This is Amol Palekar's dialogue in the film Choti Si Baat, when he is trying to impress his to be and playing with his opponent Asrani. The trio are sitting in the hotel called FLORA, located at Worli Sea face.
The place know for its Chinese for years, flora was in town even before the China's from mainland landed into mumbai from the china gate's.. the charm of the place lies in its attendants who are way past retirement age and walls having big dragons and Chinese lanterns on the ceiling, give the place an old world ambience's which is seldom to find now days, reason being the road side Chinese culture flourishing in Mumbai.
Yesterday me and my college friend visited Flora after almost a year and nothing has changed still it is the same--people, decor chairs, tables and even the table cloth color, no drinks served outside but only in the permit room its a place stuck in time.
But the food is awesome not spicy like the road side not high on artificial flavors and huge huge quantity...We ordered for a man chow soup one by two and each got one bowl full of soup. After that we did not dare to order for starters directly moved to main course and one triple rice was more than sufficient for the two. If we hadn't been hungry it would have to be left. The price is a bit high for the food we got a bill of Rs 900 for that much of food.
however, if you want good Chinese food and lot of breathing space while eating go early as they shut by 11.30 and stuff yourself.       

The Cafe which calls itself Yellow tree

IF you want to enjoy a quiet tic tac with the special one or its a gathering of old friends and want to see all are seated comfortably and the attendant is not over enthu or keen on hushing you out then this Pali Hill joint which has a great ambience's always welcoming with the correct amount of lights is the place to visit.
The Yellow Tree cafe is opp the zig zag hill in Bandra. The small but two storey cafe is divided into one the bar and outdoor section on the ground with a fine dinning area on the first and lounge on the second floor. I have been to the first floor always and sitting by the window seeing the super luxury cars pass by is always a good feeling. The food served is Italian and continental but the portions are good and so is the quality. I will recommend the entire menu as most of the things i have eaten were superb my group birthdays and get together mostly happen here so we are very comfortable going to Yellow tree.
The Ambience is good recently i recommended the place to my friend who visited with his wife on a birthday occasion and he completely liked the place. No regrets and he has promised me that he will also post his experience in the comment collum. Regarding the price it is slightly expensive but all the hotels in pali area are like that. Be it MIA cucino, 5 spice or soul fry.  

Lunch under the tree

IT a hot sunny day its the state cabinet meeting on at the Vidhan Bhavan and people are rushing to and from it the atmosphere around is of tension and work work work. In between all this sits Mrs Sawant aka Mausi under a tree on the road leading to Vidhan Bhavan opposite the main Mantralay gate spreading his bag containing home made food.
I was introduced to it by an acquaintance who is a regular for non veg food. I generally avoid non veg food at first time places i visit and from local eateries. So i ordered for veg food and i got one bowl of sprout, meethi bhaji, some chana masala (not spicy) and to go with it Nachni (millet) Bhakri (bread). The food is simple to the stomach yet filling, i eat only one and a half piece of the bhakri and was full did not take rice. The food is not spicy or doesn't smell of bad oil its purely home made good food. Served through mother type looking Mrs Sawant who is happy to serve and also earn her livelihood.
This concept of kutubh sakhi, which is self impowerement of women is a concept prevalent in Indian mostly in Maharashtra where women cook at their homes and supply outside. This has worked well and many women have put up stalls during lunch hours to serve people visiting government offices, missing their home dabbas in office. The food is cheap starts with rs 30 a plate and maximum would be Rs 50 per person.

PS: No place to sit either eat standing or sit on the footpath. 

Eid special----sheer khurma

FINALLY the 30 days of fasting is over and the celebrations begin. If Muslims love their food then how can eid be without a eid special item. It has to be rich with a lot of dry fruits and substitute to food. So it is sheer khurma. It is simply saying favoured milk. But the making is an effort. Over the years my grandfather who pioneered the making of the sheer khurma has passed it on to my mother and aunt. I still remember how he used to teach them how many almonds, sew and other ingredients to be put and how should they be cut.
For us luckily it has be perfected by my mom and aunt and still the same taste and favour is there.
Sheer Khruma is not easy to make at my home the ingredients are collected couple of days in advance, then very rich quality milk is called for. The milk is cooked until it gets golden and then the add ons are put. Then keep cooking for an hour or so on low flame. The chances of the milk going bad are high if it is of poor quality so insist on good quality milk. nowadays that's available only in tetra packs. Once its ready, serve it hot with a lot of sev in it.
Before the biryani is rolled out...

Eid Mubarak

Ramadan for me

THE essence of the holy month is to imbibe discipline, rebuilding the faith in Islam and a way of teaching to learn self-discipline with which a lot can be achieved. It also signifies that one should not forget prayers and Allah in the daily chores. It’s Ramadan the holy month in Islamic calendar.

Over the years, i have come to understand that Ramadan may be all those things mentioned in the para 1, for everyone, but for me it’s more of being with my family and brothers. It’s during the iftaar that all four brothers sit together and break our fast and share the meals, which on any other given day is never possible. This sharing not only brings us close but is a way to build that strong bond which keeps us going all during the year without talking regularly.

During those 30 minutes of during and before iftaar, the coming together is very important for all of us. We our pursuing different professions but returning back home we don't forget to get some food to be eaten during iftaar. The bottom line while purchasing is not about thinking of what i want to eat but what my brothers would like to eat. Prices soaring of eatables and other products which other times would have been a factor never thought of.  The aim is to please others and in a way to seek blessings from them.

Ramadan Mubarak

Convenient Kurla

It never struck me that Kurla the warehouse of Mumbai will also have such good eating places and as a taster i was introduced to it last night. It was my badi raat where you are up the entire night and pray. Accordingly that was done and for seehre my younger brother said we should go to kurla to get the food.At 3.30 am we drove through empty roads of BKC to reach kalpana talkies.
To my surprise the area was buzzing with people at that hour, cars, bikes and people. It was like a small Mela. The resto, Sahara, deluxe, Delhi zaika, seek paratha wala behind kalpana talkies, jafraan, have put up huge stalls on the road and have two to three malpua makers sitting with their big fry pans.
My brother said we should try the rajdhani malpua, it is a huge malpua filled with dry fruits and gulp it down with fresh malai..Then was the turn of kheema and surprisingly the mince was soft, well cooked and not too oily. The chai latter on made a perfect seehree, but the USP of the place is that its convenient and all are welcomed. Unlike, Jogeshwari where reservations to the fairer sex can be made out..
The seek kebab joint behind kalpana i am told is very famous and does a lot of business even in non Ramadan days, when i tried it the kebab was really soft and made for a good combination with the paratha. Take a parcel as the place is not that great to sit and enjoy the food. Their chutney is also a good supporter. For me instead of spending an hour to reach Mohammad ali road from bandra, this is a new viable option which i will keep on exploring...
Don't forget to try the lucknowi firni from the place which calls itself the original lucknowi cuisine

Ramadan Mubarak

shalimar the old horse going strong

At the junction of bhendi bazaar and dongri lies the huge landmark of Muslim ghetto Hotel Shalimar. The huge premise of the hotel can serve around 600 people at a time. It is a place where everyone non Muslims visit and say they have eaten at Mohammad Ali road.
The long halls a huge pool with sharks and cat fish is an attraction for the children and patrons. The fast food joint is a super hit with its shorma the pick of it and so are the pizzas. The most tasted is their ice cream falooda which people just go and drink. Inside the hotel don't forget to try the non veg platter and butter chicken, it their speciality. Ask for chicken dishes in Chinese ask for chicken chilly with gravy. The biryani is nice and during ramdan dont forget to try the kullad rabdi...slurp slurp...its the best...rest of the food is routine and not out of the ordinary. But the ambiance and the feel of large Muslim families, turning up to eat together is a nice feeling. 

Ramadan Mubarak

CNG (Chinese and Grill)

This is one resto at Mohammedali road which started as a purely Chinese place to provide an alternative to the tasters who were high on the mutton and chicken dishes served in the lane. It was rarely visited during the old days when the tasters and the audience liked to hog more on the original Indian delicacies like, bhuna ghosh, brain masala, gurda etc. But with the dwindling tasters of good food and people with less appetitte and ability to digest rich food the place has seen a lot of crowd.
I personally don't like it, the tacky name C&G which means Chinese and Grill Puts me off. One thing good though which has started few years ago is that it serves nali nihari, haleem which is really worth the try. The place has encroached a lot of space and thus leaving the poor local women selling sandan (rice pudding) at the very far end of the khau galli.
The service is slow but the Chinese food is good and it also serves sizzlers which is again a put off at least during the holy month. But wannabe crowd does try it and families do visit the family section to enjoy the delicacies. If your really not satisfied with the raste ka food and have reservations about it but still want to boast of visiting Mohammedali road, then hop into c&g.

Ramadan Mubarak 

chudi bazaar

This is not related to food but its is with Ramadan and one cannot forget it. The famous chudi bazaar at bhendi bazaar is a place to be if one wants to get the best and the largest variety of glass bangles. The lane opp shalimar hotel which is normally bustling with footwear and other personal accessories stalls changes into the famous Mumbai chudi bazaar.
I had always seen it while passing through it but only when a friend insisted that she wanted to buy chudis and that also from there we had visited the place. This has been some years now. A week before when i passed from there it still is the same. Almost 20 stalls selling glass bangles with a lot of lighting on the stalls to attract customers. The crowd here is not that heavy during fasting days but when it comes to the night before eid and the crowds throng the roads for eid shopping this small lane is filled with women wanting to buy the latest and different combination bangles. The look of the bazaar is so bright that one might feel its still day time but it actually is not. So if you want to impress your wife/gf/friend with bangles then do visit the bazaar for the large variety...Don't forget to bargain..

Ramadan Mubarak

the fighting brothers of bandra who serve delicious food

EVERYONE in bandra knows where 'Jeff caterers' is..Junction of chapel, varoda and station road. The shop is small now next to a medical and run by a lady. Next to it is Lucky caterers run by the brother in law of the lady running Jeff.
Earlier it used to be called as only one Jeff and the one big shop now two used to curl out delicious dishes. However, nothing has changed except that the customers have been divided but business for gods grace is available to both of them. During Ramadan the shops have lovely things on offer. Try the red potatoes from lucky, the Russian cutlets, mince patties. While look for lollipops, chicken rolls and ragda Channa from Jeff. The servings are good and most important is the food is cooked stored and sold in hygienic conditions. Oh and don't forget to try the small samosa from both the places its worth the try.
For us the daily dose from these two places is required. Among the many changing items we bring daily from there the red potatoes is permanent. Earlier when i used to throw out a traditional wear, eid party for my friends this was a great supporter with the biryani. Oh those days have gone the meetings and people have moved far away but the food remains and my taste.
Over the years the price has risen and now with rs 300 in hand we can get only few things but its worth it.

Ramadan Mubarak

Copy of Mohamed ali road in Jogeshwari

Its Ramadan and everyone speaks out the name of Mohamed ali road, for the delicacy from the pure vegans to the pure non vegans everyone wants to visit the south mumbai khau galli. No doubt the reputation of the place is very high and none will be able to match it.
However, the mini Pakistan of western suburbs, Jogeshwari has slowly been able to recreate the magic of Mohamed Ali road, in Jogeshwari. Opp the landmark Boston hotel of Jogeshwari station west, a lane has been put up with stalls. Beginning with Halwa Puri, to seek kebab and cutlets the area is full with lights and aroma spreading in the air. The stalls are not pukka structures like Mohamed Ali but they do help satisfying the taste buds of the ever growing and affluent Muslims in the area.
While at a visit there it also felt like i was at the Mahim fair and not at a khau galli where best of the delicacies were being served. I wont give full marks to jogeshwari but it still deserves a 7 out of 10. The reason is that the collective strenght and thought of the locals has in a way recreated the feel of Mohamed Ali road, but not the magik. As the police have not given the area permission to be open up the entire night the shutters are down by 11 pm.
This area is not so women friendly and majority of the people on the roads would be teens or adults who are quite religious so do visit on your own risk. I personally will always go to Mohamed ali road even if it is only for the firni or malpua      

ramdan mubarak

Noorani Sweets for malpua and firni

Not many sweet shops at Mohamedali road will give you malpua, firni of three flavours, rabdi and Noorani specialist masala milk. The sweet shop on the right side once you enter the lane is a good place to get your sweet buds satisfied.
For me it has to be the double dry fruit malpua, with malai and masala milk. I can finish upto 60 percent of the malpua and then go ahead with the firni a little bit of, vanilla, kesar pista, and chickoo all i can have. Whats the most yummiest dish i don't miss at noorani is their masala milk. It is a home made kind of think available in bottle served chilled and its awesome cooler. The other thing to have at noorani is their rabdi. Few days back i had brought a box of it and it got over within two days.