Goa Food Binge - Two New Finds - Foxes Fiesta & Casa Bhonsle

It was time, the wife looked at me, then at the calendar and then at the computer. She raised an eyebrow and both of us nodded with barely contained smiles. What to do, we were having serious withdrawal symptoms on our Goa fix.

What is this Goa fix, you may ask? It is a 3 days short break taken by us when we fly off to our favourite holiday destination. Step 1, we check into our assigned business hotel in the middle of Panjim that gives us a good functional room, sans top end service & a very good buffet breakfast. Step 2, hire a two wheeler and fish out a map (the new mobiles with the GPS have made the job even simpler) close our eyes, put a finger and whichever destination the finger shows & then take off for there. As a rule from Mumbai we fly to Goa because one arrives quicker and fresh. The business hotel is chosen both for its convenient location and a super deal (why spend more on a room which one shall use only for sleeping after a day out) and the money that gets saved thus, is spent (all of it ) on the food experience, which we love.

We are fair people and are fair to the other destinations too albeit for forms sake. When the eyebrow goes up ( check circa sentence 2 of this article ) we also look at Coorg, Mahabaleshwar, Kochy etc and then always settle for Goa eliminating the other destinations because they do not have Susegaat. Susegaat is the deal breaker...Susegaat and Food.

Goan Food is not just a cuisine, it is an experience. Commonly called Gomantaki cuisine it shares some core principles with the food of coastal Karnataka which extends on to its south border but Goa also has a confluence of the Portuguese style too. Now those guys parked themselves here for more than four and a half centuries till as recently as 1961. Hence they have indelibly left their mark on both the way of life and its food.

This is the clear distinguishing feature of the food in that belt. Towards the North of Goa is coastal Maharashtra and the Malwan district which has its own cuisine called Malwani. Now city dwellers that are not familiar often confuse Gomantaki cuisine with Malwani food and very loosely use one nomenclature when they are actually meaning the other. In my book this is a cardinal sin. My roots are in Malwan district and as much as I enjoy eating in those parts, like the people and their language the food too is very spicy. Malwani’s too consume a lot of seafood but rely a lot on frying which does not happen so much in Goan food. Second when it comes to the curries in Malwani food, the main ingredient ( meat, shellfish, fish or vegetable ) is killed, annihilated. It won’t be a stretch when I state that the Malwani style is Murder by Masala. The masala in the curries is so intense that it overpowers the main ingredient completely. That never happens in Goan cuisine where the spice is delicate and the curry light, bringing out the flavour of the fresh sea food, shellfish or meat. One can truly savour the taste of the main with the flavour of the spice.

The spirit of Susegad also applies to the eating experience here in the state. Predominantly coastal it is little wonder that seafood is an integral part of the cuisine here majorly, but we also have meats like chicken, pork and beef specialties. Vegetarian food in Goa is largely usal-pav, curry rice, seasonal vegetables and is largely limited to some Hindu Brahmins. Everyone else is non-vegetarian (another reason why we fell in love with this place) and for a long time until very recently the eating out experience was purely non-veg. Today we have of all the atrocities even Gujarati Thali’s available along with Udipi fast food and they jostle for space with the McDonalds and the Pizza Huts. With the homogenisation of food and the grass eating tourist who always insisted on his lentils and rice, the original Goan cuisine restaurants have started ceding ground to the aggressive touristy fare on offer which also includes a Punjabi or a Chinese. Continental breakfasts are default given the sheer number of foreign tourists one sees here. To be fair the local residents need this variety in eating out too and they should not have to go to Punjab to eat a Makkai di Roti or a Tandoori chicken when they can have it at Sher-e-Punjab.

Now with these aggressive intruders stepping on to local toes, authentic and good Goan food has actually become quite rare. Hence when we find it, we believe it is our bounden duty to share this knowledge with the world at large that here is one more place that a true connoisseur of the morsel must make an appearance. Many monsoons ago in Panjim we landed upon a gem of a place called the “Mums Kitchen”. The place still exists with many additions to the menu and we always go there. ( Covered in a previous blog post). But this trip was the discovery of two new places 

• Foxes Fiesta  : Near Saligao Church

• Cafe Bhonsle : Panjim, near the Church of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception.

Foxes Fiesta :  All Day Dining

2/134 A, Pequeno Morod, Saligao, Bardez, On Chogm Calangute Road, Goa

Last year when we were having our breakfast at Ginger, Panjim we encountered a subtle change in the restaurant. The space was sectioned off, it had a name – AULI (As U Like It ) and the food, which we earlier would avoid here, to eat at Kamath’s in Panjim, looked and tasted infinitely superior. The better half studied at the Institute of Hotel Management – Goa and when she nodded on this change for the better, I knew my assessment was accurate. The kitchen door swung open & out stepped a gangly man with a wide friendly smile. It was Briston, a senior from her college, who along with his wife Alka, had taken over the running of this restaurant at the Ginger. No wonder the food was different this time around. It was a typical conversation between two college mates who see each other after a long time. Many names got thrown about and Briston mentioned that being in Goa he could touch base with a lot more of them. One of them was a junior named Savio, who used to work in the kitchens of the Taj. Savio and him were in the process of opening their own independent restaurant at Saligao as partners. They opened in Christmas 2013 to catch the holiday crowd and it was here that Briston invited us.

We rode on our two wheeler from Panjim to Saligao, which is about a half an hour drive across the Mandovi ,passing through Porvorim and then hitting the Calangute road. We passed a few villages in the Bardez district till we saw the magnificent Saligao Church. It stood lit up in the night, in an open field, in preparation for a feast a few days on. Beyond the church, on the main road, in front of a quaint little bungalow, was the glassy two storey facade of “Foxes Fiesta”. We parked in the open courtyard & could immediately see that this was a work in progress, yet a labour of love.

A bare unpretentious dining room with wide open windows that allowed the wind to move about prevented the room from becoming stifling. It was summer in Goa and the room was not air-conditioned. Paper lanterns lit the room and on the whitewashed walls hung paintings reminiscent of the art of the Goan artist Mario. These were by Briston’s brother, who stayed in the bungalow behind the restaurant and offered them for sale. Briston waved us to a table as he circulated through the various guests who were busy chatting and eating. The service boy recommended a Cashew Fenny Mojito. This cocktail was something never tried earlier & we gave it a shot. We called for two starters, one a crumbed fish and the other sliced beef . The fish (Kingfish) came with tartar sauce was so yummy that we forgot the drive and settled in. The bare minimum decor compellingly draws your attention to the food. It can be a very risky strategy if the food is ordinary which this was not. It was delicious. The Fenny Mojito could have been chilled more but was totally refreshing with just the tarty bite that invigorates and cleans your palate. Unwittingly we had landed on the correct drink for the fish and the beef. The beef cut was so beautifully done that biting into it was pure pleasure. The Fenny raised the temperature and we shifted tables to another directly under a ceiling fan. A few more fans would help especially in sultry weather. It won’t take away from the rustic bare appeal of the place that air-conditioning does. 

We were now recommended the dish that Chef Savio has dedicated to his mentor at the Taj, Chef Rego, the coriander prawns. This was truly yum. The fresh coriander crunch in prawns cooked to perfection has a taste that lingers. We had a Goan sausage with bread after that as the main and we were quite full. The portion sizes are sufficient for two and modestly priced. I would have loved another Fenny but had to drive back and decided to err on the side of caution and skip it. Chef Savio stepped outside the kitchen to have a word with Gauri and he looked tired on his feet. It was nearly 11.30 pm about closing time as we wound up. He insisted that we try a dessert and he sent us a mousse that was so delicately done, it just dissolved  The meal was memorable and promised to ourselves to be back with emptier tummies the next time.

We were shown around the place. Briston and Savio have definite plans for the future and the place provides for expanded action. They like prudent businessmen are taking it a step at a time which is wise. The cuisine is simple Goan & Continental fare with a line of starters, mains and deserts plus a line of baked products for starters and mains. Their quiches and pies have had rave reviews, only if our stomachs had permitted. What shall stay with us is a simple unassuming place that had great people at its helm. Good Food and Superb Hospitality. 

Definitely worth a visit because the Chef is very talented & creative while the hospitality is genuine.  

Cafe Bhonsle  (Non Ac ) 

Casa Bhonsle  (AC) :  Lumch & Dinner

Altinho, Panjim, Goa...near Casa Moderna

It is impossible not to pass the Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Church which is the signature image of the city of Panaji or Panjim if one is staying there. We too passed by it many a times while zipping about our local spots and shopping for cashews and fenny on 18^th June Road. Going through the by-lanes of Altinho my route often goes by the simple Casa Moderna which was my mainstay eating joint during my work sojourns in this city. This time around we saw a new Restaurant plate right next to that building with a name as jarring as Cafe Bhonsle. The first thought that hit my mind was what is a Bhonsle doing in Goa? It is such a strong Maratha name that had the purist in me cringing. Then the wife mentioned in my ear that this place comes recommended from friends who had visited earlier. Even then we passed it by the next day and went about our business. After two totally awesome meals at Mums Kitchen, one at Briston & Savio's Foxes Fiesta and one in a shack perched on top of a hillock overlooking the Arambol beach it was our last day in Goa. We had only one meal left which was a lunch. Our natural instinct was to go back to Mums Kitchen again but something prompted us to give this strange sounding restaurant a try. And this was a revelation.

We landed there at about 11.40 am and the restaurant had barely opened up and was going through the motions of setting up for the day’s business. There was just one customer there and the air-conditioned section was empty. The waiters guided us to the glass lined veranda that overlooks the back of the old High Court square and secretariat along with a few ramshackle buildings. In the bright sun the view is nothing to write home about and we came back to a table inside. In the mellow evenings the buildings of Goa assume a life and then it is worthwhile sitting out but the bright sun exposes the wear caused by the elements. And when in a restaurant in Goa one only needs to look outside if the view on the plate is not good enough is a mischievous thought that came to mind. Not true because every city joint cannot boast of a view does not mean they are not good. We had a similar experience at the kooky Cafe Venite’ a few roads off where we had the most remarkable meal. 

A friendly waiter saw us to our new table. The decor is very comfortable, not very well lit but sufficient to soothe ones nerves from the hot sun. We sat and ordered our cool drinks. Iced lemon sodas sweet set us in the correct frame to order. They serve liquor but we were in no mood for it just then. The menu is extensive and one can order ones choice of seafood, meat and chicken, a la carte or in a Thali form. The wife ordered prawns curry rice and I ordered a Fish Thali. Chapati breads are conspicuous by their absence in a typical Goan restaurant and this was no exception. After a wait of 15 minutes the waiter returned smilingly with a huge laden tray of the order. The Prawn curry rice portion is large, seriously large and not for one person. That’s what my wife was eating by herself. It was deliciously steaming in red golden gravy casting an aroma that tantalized the nostrils. 

The Thali that I looked upon was a foodies delight. A Thali is a combination full plate meal by definition. Like in a Buffet when one picks up all the food laid out in one plate and then retires to eat in a corner the Thali comes pre-laid out and in limited quantity. But this Thali costing Rs.169/- was gargantuan. It had a medium sized bowl of white steam rice and in big sized steel vaatis ( bowls ) had one vegetable . One held Kismur ( a salad that is made up of finely chopped onions, grated fresh coconut, laced with a souring agent which could be lemon/sol/vinegar , chopped chillies for the heat and sugar to douse it mixed with dry shrimps) , another held sol kadi ( sol/kokum is a sour fruit and this is a curry made from its liquor spiced with salt chopped coriander whole garlic pods and water. Across the border in Maharashtra the sol kadi substitutes water for coconut milk both first and second extracts )The Goan version is spicier yet cooler. Sol Kadi is important to balance the heat in the spices of the meal and one can sip it straight or mix it with rice. Either way works well. Another vaati held mussels in a green masala. Delicately flavoured the mussels were very fresh and sweetly fleshy. Yet another shallow long bowl held Prawns curry, more curry than prawns for the rice accompaniment. Then there were two large pieces of fried pomfret. This in Mumbai would have set us back in the setting we were in by Rs.750- Rs.1000 without a doubt and may not even have been half as good. Each of the items was beautifully prepared and the waiter hovered over looking after us nquiring over the meal and we were thoroughly impressed. We stopped talking and simply dug in. While Foxes Fiesta was a work in progress as far as the restaurant decor goes this one was the finished article. Cafe Bhonsle as a baby was born fully grown and ready to face the world in its glory. After a leisurely half an hour when both of us had polished off every single morsel and were stuffed the waiter comes over and smilingly persuades us to try their tender coconut souffle. Against our better wishes we found ourselves nodding and straight transported to dessert heaven in just one spoon. Outstanding. That portion too finished and a bill value that was well under a red K note we compliment the owner and walk out. 

Cafe Bhonsle will certainly have us there again the next time. It has superb food and is an outstanding value for money. We recommend it in spades.

Both the places we liked turned out to be near Churches, it is little wonder that eating at both Foxes Fiesta and Cafe Bhonsle turned out to be nothing short of a divinely religious experience, one that we can come out of only by repeating it. 

Mum's Kitchen, Panaji: Goa, Susegat and a Divine food experience

Susegat – The Stately Spirit

There are holidays and then there are holiday destinations. In India however, can say this with some authority, having travelled to almost all the corners of this country, if any one state symbolizes the “chilled out” holiday spirit, it has to be the state of Goa.

Try it if you don’t believe me. Just utter the word “Goa” around anybody and ears perk up. This state had for a long time been my business territory and even then when a trip here was planned, it had me very wary of this one fact. “Oh...so you are going to Goa hmmm”…the underlying message would be, better bring orders and keep your business expenses low, you aint on a paid holiday. I could never elicit the same response when the destination was “Ankaleshwar” or “Vapi”.  Goa evokes this peculiar reaction from people without fail.

There is something special in that air…it relaxes you like nothing else as a languor seeps into your bones, the local word for it is “Susegaat”. It comes from the Portuguese word “Socegado” which loosely translates into a laid back serenity or simply said "just to be" doing nothing is the silent part. This typifies everything here. Nothing is hurried and all shall happen in good time…brilliant attitude for a holiday but totally frustrating if you are here on business. Our holiday starts the moment we book the tickets to here, some part of the susegat starts creeping in, to stay within us until a few days after we are actually back like a delicious hangover. The place is on the world tourism map for its Churches, Temples, absolutely stunning beaches and the curious confluence of cultures Hindu Indian & Christian Portuguese which has created a cuisine like nowhere else on this planet.

Of course this article is about food…but you are wondering as to why this long prattle on the state and its spirit? Without being in tune with this spirit you may not enjoy Goa to the fullest. On a very generic basis across the state in any kind of eatery that one frequents the food is by and large good and I mean really good. But this too like its stately spirit will take its own sweet time coming to you. The cooks take pride in doling out fresh stuff on your plate like all good cooks do anywhere but here the preparations are involved, the curries take some time to make so do be patient. Relax with a drink or a chilled beer, the food will eventually happen to you. The common offerings are nearly all from the water bodies around. A huge coastline, six main rivers Mandovi, Mapusa, Chapora, Zuari, Sal & the Terekhol with more than forty odd estuaries provides some of the best Seafood varieties. Fish, Crab, Shells, Lobsters, Prawns and Squid to be later ladled out with curries, masalas or just tossed around in plain butter and pepper sprayed with vinegar & sugar. The leaning on meats is towards red meat so we have mutton, beef and pork much more common than fowl.

What should the vegetarian traveler do here? Till the mid 1990’s I would very confidently have told you in one word…Starve.

The variety on offer for the Vegans was truly limited unless one had relatives who could cook you the famous white pea curry called “pandhrya vatanyachi usal” and if you could have this, the sol kadi and rice day in day out you could last the term of your holiday. But that’s sufferance and the locals were not bothered. We didn’t ask you here so don’t come here and make demands. When you come here, fall in line or plain stay away. But for the non vegetarian this was “Cuisino Paradiso” so they came in droves both Indian and the foreign. Both lingered on for more time than they planned. There was one Kamat Hotel in Panaji which gave you breakfast, meals and snacks. Its still around but now one even sees a ghastly sight like Hotel Shiv Sagar from Bombay serving pav bhaji. Bhelpuri too is available for those who can’t live without it, but don’t even ask me. I write for the purists those pure souls , the people who can experience this state as it is without any embellishment rather than trying to change it to what they would want it from back home. For those changeling vegetarians…I tell them…please stay at home. This article is not for you.

Mum’s Kitchen – Miramar ( Panaji )

In this food paradise standing quietly and tall amongst all eateries serving authentic traditional Goan cuisine is “Mum’s Kitchen” at Campal, on the road to Miramar beach from Panaji. We discovered this place quite by accident about five years back and over the years we have made close to a dozen trips to Goa and every one of these trips included several to this one eatery. The last trip we had a few days back it was with a fairly clear agenda all meals here, why bother searching for something better in the rains when this one was nestled right next to where we stayed.

Circa 2005 it was November and we found ourselves wandering around Panaji hungry. We had come from the beaches of Wagator and it was late in the afternoon. The regular joints in Panaji had closed their lunch sessions and we had no recourse but to move towards the Marriott on Mandovi. Just before we took the turn to reach the Marriott  a small wooden board on a shaded bungalow beckoned us “Mums Kitchen”. Turning we parked our rented two wheeler on the footpath and walked in. The place captivated us right from that instant and we didn’t know then, that it was the beginning of a long lasting love affair. A small garden walkway bordered by mini rock pools over a red tiled patio welcomed us. Two flat carpenters benches were laid out with pots of ash for those who had to wait or couldn’t do without their puff. The garden is lush and tangled with such a startling variety of shrubs and flowers, trees and creepers, there is even a clump of bamboo it’s unbelievable. This tangled mass somehow is so harmonious that sitting on the bench one could just sit and stare and be at peace. It’s the Indian version of a Japanese rock garden is what came into my mind, if ever there could be such a thing. This garden is visible to the restaurant patron through tall & wide clear glass windows.

We entered to find a few tables occupied and asked them whether the kitchen is open as we were hungry. The waiter (today we know his name, Maxi) nodded in a friendly manner and said we are open 11 am to 11 pm. The place inside is just as warm. Wooden beams across the ceiling on which hung potted plants. On pale green walls hung hand paintings of the landscape of Goa. There was a small bar that had a grinding stone and a wicker basket with huge dried coconuts, it was wacky but it worked. Faint music was playing from unobtrusive speakers and we asked for beer. The beer deliciously chilled arrived in pilsner glasses. Maxi recommended try the fish fofo’s first with warm Goan bread and butter, with a suggestion go slow till we bring your main course. This is for your immediate hunger. We were pleasantly appreciative of this and it takes something to get a smile at a restaurant from my wife unless it’s something special. It’s the Hotel management background that turns her eagle eye on to everything all at once. When it took in the clean napkins, the sparkling cutlery and the warm plates she smiled in satisfaction. I now only hoped the food would be just as good. This is where we were to be taken by real surprise.

We had ordered for a plain Fish Curry ( King Fish – Surmai ) and Sannas ( Goan bread which is a steamed bread more like an idli but slightly sweet on account of coconut milk in it ). The Sannas served first as he returned to get the curry was so delicious that we had gobbled them all up much before he came back. We looked sheepishly at the serving waiter who smiled and asked, one more? Please. The fish curry comes with unpolished steamed rice. While he went to get our second Sannas we looked at the fish curry portion. It was sizeable with four huge fillets and enough curry. It looked beautiful and the aromas wafting across had us serving ourselves. We were hungry sure, but superlative food was the last thing we expected. The curry had just the right texture, tanginess and body that when one ladled it onto the rice it was holy matrimony. The curry wrapped itself around every grain and with a portion of the fish delicately steamed in it…we were in food heaven. Our Butter Garlic Prawns had arrived with the order of Sannas and we leisurely but determinedly attacked the meal. Neither of us spoke. We simply chewed , sighed, chewed again. The tongue demanded food before the earlier morsel had gone down and talking was out of question. ( That was the first time…today we pace it out and actually communicate too… in between sighs…don’t record the sounds of the table, they may just sound pornographic on an audio tape ).

The menu is wide and the flavour is on authentic local cuisine. This being Goa you may find some egg dishes and chicken too. In the menu though they are placed on the page detailed for vegetarians. That’s Goan understanding of vegetarian for you.

Over the years and our many visits we have tried most of the items on the menu and every single one of them is given care. There is a pride in its serving and in this pride lies its class. May it be the Goan Sausage or the Pork Vindaloo, the Mutton Xacutti or the Fish curries, the Prawn Balchaos or the Puddings this place serves it with style and a consistency that is exemplary. A decent enough offering on wine ( this may improve with time ) and a cocktail menu completes the list

A meal that includes beers, a good starter, a main course and dessert for two would set you back by about Rs.1500/- if you go overboard on the Wines and the drinks then you would seriously dent the pocket. This place is neither cheap, nor over the top expensive. It is definitely serious value for money for a discerning diner.  On this visit when we had all our meals here, we happened to ask Maxi… still the principal face of service here…who is the Chef? He laughed and said we have no chef…Our owner Maria Suzette Martin has designed a menu with recipes from all corners of Goa, some of them (recipes) even lost to locals. We have a designed stock sheet that creates and maintains the consistency. He told us that we also have a yacht where we can take you out on a private cruise for parties of size 2 to 12. We would be doing that soon.

It was raining when we reached for our last meal of this recent trip on 12 July,  noon. We had a late afternoon flight. Sitting on the patio…just the two of us…on the bench cradling our beers, watching the heavy rain, drop & soak into the garden. If ever there was a Zen experience it was this, the absolute harmony between Ambience, Service & Cuisine.

P.S : We decided then and there that this experience needed an extension. So at the end of our leisurely lunch parceled a Beef Xacutti and Sannas to be eaten back home at Bombay…talk about pigging on cows…who else could do it but a Kau…it was divinely ordained is how I see it :-)

Divine Lunch: Hotel Padma – Kolhapur

We were in Kolhapur – Maharashtra -India on a holiday. Our day had begun early as we had finished with the visit to the Mahalaxmi Temple (Ambabai) as she is more popularly known. The crowds in the temple necessitated a long wait for the darshan (sighting for blessings).

It is a very old temple about 700 AD and is attributed to the Chalukya Dynasty. She being ourfamily deity, at the break of dawn we were there all washed and clean. Love the Temple architecture, in Black stone and it's intricate carvings. The courtyard is huge and has a lot of other associate deities who have been added over from time to time in the precincts in separate shrines.

After being done with the puja it was time to visit the other shrine that is dedicated to the goddess of the stomach & fine palate, Padma. Hotel Padma is a five minute rickshaw drive from the Kolhapur temple. In our first visit we did not even know the directions to it. We were only told, get inside any autorickshaw and tell the driver “Hotel Padma” and unerringly you would be reached. It actually happened that way. Hotel Padma is the other pilgrimage site in Kolhapur but here the devotees take a different form. Those devoted to the pursuit of a qualitative satisfaction to hunger pangs.

This place is close to 80 years old and started out as a boarding house. Over the years the format has not changed; the manner in which meals are made and served is the same but now the boarding house has lodging facilities too. The menu has increased by leaps and bounds to include a-la-carte but no true connoisseur should have anything but the regular meals ( Thali ) here. It is available in 3 varieties Mutton ( Goat), Chicken and Vegetarian. No self respecting foodie should have anything but the mutton thaali.This is the signature item on the menu. It is something to die for. The fare is very basic and simple and costs about INR60- 75 per plate depending on the extras one orders.The line to get in is as long as at the temple but there are lots of tables and clearance is pretty fast. The dining hall is non-ac and huge fans whirr above you and the place was bright and airy in the afternoon. Kolhapur can get pretty hot in the summer afternoons but the double lined stone structure kept the interiors cool enough.

We did manage to get in and sat at the corner of a large steel table that would accommodate 12 covers. The others were too filled up immediately. We ordered one Mutton and one Veg Thali ( for the wife, she can be rather devout when she chooses to be ) . The buzz in that place is seen to be believed. At one glance around 200 odd people were stuffing themselves and the waiters were being kept busy. Within five minutes of sitting the glasses were arranged and the Thaali was on our table. We had also come here at peak meal times and it was a standard order to the kitchen.

The Veg Thaali had two vegetables one dal one paandhra rassa three chappaties and one portion of rice along with chopped onions and pickle. The simple mutton thaali that I ordered (They also have a special ) consisted of Mutton Masala cooked in traditional style, one bowl of white curry ( paandhra rassa), red curry ( taambda rassa), one bowl of kheema ( mince) and three chappaties which were piping hot and smeared with peanut oil. Freshly chopped onion rings was the garnish, rice would follow. Hailing the godess we dug in. The first portion of mutton that went in my mouth melted, so beautifully tender was it. The gravy is thick and medium spicy. The white curry made up of peanuts and poppy seeds and coconut is to offset the sharpness of the spice. Then I tried the mince. It was roughly grated mince, chunky, deliciously cooked and flavoured with garam masala. This is very unlike the kheema that one gets in the Muslim or Irani restaurants of Mumbai, Delhi , Lucknow or Hyderabad the only four cities that do justice to the mince in India. I added a fifth name to the city list today. How is it, the wife asked and I just nodded my approval with my mouth full, chomping and chewing incessantly. "Abso Brilliant" said I when finished chewing and promptly filled it up with another morsel. She didn’t seem mighty excited with the Veg thaali and was enviously peeping into my plate. Within ten minutes had finished my first thaali and ordered my second..This time a special. The wife stared at me aghast, while the waiter had a “this always happens here” look and promptly brought my repeat.The special had an egg curry additional with a sweet. It was a rice kheer. The total damage to our wallet INR 275 including tip

We polished off the great meal with two long glasses of buttermilk and slept like logs till seven in the evening at our hotel. It is my strong belief that proper respect and devotion to GREAT cuisine is best expressed after consumption, by being in a supine position, with blankets drawn , fan or ac on full blast . Snoring is optional.

Address :

Hotel Padma ,Sadar Bazaar Kolhapur, Kolhapur, MH 416003

Mumbai's Best South Indian Vegetarian Food : Restaurants of Matunga

Matunga-East is one of the oldest suburbs of Mumbai. The Ambedkar Road divides the same, facing South Mumbai we have the Parsee Colony on the left and Hindu Colony on the right. The Hindu Colony has an eclectic mix of Maharashtrians, South Indians and Gujarati’s. The Hindu Colony area has three major landmarks namely the Ruia College for Science and Arts, Podar College for Commerce and the famous Matunga Gymkhana. It’s a quaint suburb that’s at once sleepy and buzzing. The buzz is on account of colleges while the sleepy relaxed look comes from the genteel retired pensioners who slowly walk along the wide tree lined footpaths and gardens dotting this place, or sit around the low wall (katta) of the gymkhana. Matunga (E) from Hindu colony to King Circle has in this small geography the finest South Indian Food that Mumbai can offer.

It’s been 22 years since Ruia now, but once in a month I regularly drop in at the eateries that had nurtured me then. My father too accompanies us sometimes tells me that the taste & the aroma’s take him back 58 years. Somethings, I realize you dont want to change, ever. These places are such landmarks. For around seven decades now authentic food is made available to the guests with a consistency thats unbelievable. Consistency in quality over such a long period is by itself an achievement. People who have eaten here have carried in their memories the aroma,the taste and the atmosphere of these places. When the memories dim all they to do is revisit and refresh it. Its present here exactly as it was in its original glory.

I share with you these places. Hereunder have categorised them into two classes as Flavours from Madras and Taste of Mysore separately.The ownership or management maybe Tamil, GSB, Shetty for the stated restuarants below but the classification is strictly on cuisine type. The cuisine is quite different in its subtleness between them though the base items sound and look the same. Some places are new additions to the old eateries we frequented but are equally good. The new would have a (n) besides the name and were not in existence 15 years ago.

The Flavours of Madras

Sharda Bhuvan : Opposite Matunga (Central) Railway Station, LN Road, Matunga (E)
This place serves the best sambar amongst all South Indian eateries. It’s not the spicy-sweet variety of the regular Udipi joint one normally frequents. On special days one gets to have the vengayam ( small button onions\ ) sambar too. The food is top class and very economical. The service is good and the place itself has an old world charm of wide windows and marble topped wooden tables from an era gone by. This place serves the best Dosas , dosas as they should be. They are hot ,golden & of the right thickness and texture, neither too thin and crispy nor soft and flabby. Their pongal served on Sundays is exceptional and upma is very good too. For those who are partial to fried stuff , one should try the Kela ( Raw Banana ) bhajji. No meal here on in any of the snackeries mentioned hereafter is complete without a tumbler of piping hot kaapi ( filter coffee only ).

Mani’s Lunch Home : 153/C. Mhaskar Building, Matunga,Near Ruai College
A perennial favorite of all collegians is this landmark eatery. Founded in the late 1930’s the place is small, has about 16 covers inside. But people are served in their cars, on the sidewalk on plastic stools too. Almost Parisian one would say, not quite. This place is always buzzing and getting a table is a task. Eat out on the walk but eat here one must. The Dosa’s are good here too but the signature dish is the idli wada chutney or sambar. Both Sambar and chutney are unlimited and wonderful. My mouth waters as I write this and should be going there soon.
Mani’s have a lunch home that serves meals at Sion and another one now on Telang Road which they opened a few years back. Here, full south Indian meals are served on ellai or banana leaves. If one prefers then the same comes in steel plates. The meals are rice meals so don’t ask for chappatis or roti’s. Go there really hungry.The food is traditional with its three courses in rice. This place does not have the same buzz as its snack joint though.

Anand Bhavan : 461/A,Ram Niwas,Maheshwari Udyan,Ambedkar Road, King Circle
Anand Bhavan is a favorite of the locals who are tamil bramhins and gujaratis. This is on account of the non-deviation from traditional recipes. The Onion Roast or Onion Uthhappa is a dream come true. One should also ask for the molukkapudi ( dry red powder chutney topped with sesame oil ) to go with the idalis and dosas. This place also serves some genuine Tamil sweets and savouries. Badam halwa and Badam kheer, so also the khaara boondis are exceptional. This restaurant is run by GSB's from Udipi , but the flavour is too Tamil to be put in the other segment.

Amba Bhavan Coffee Club : Bhandarkar Road, Patel Mahal 373, Matunga (C.R.)
This place is the haunt of pensioners who would converge for filter coffee and conversations. Though slightly low profile in comparison to the other three, it has its own fan club. The filter coffee is truly yummily bitter and the roasted chicory beans flavour is unique. The usual fare of Idlis, dosas and snacks are available here too. The fare is good but the bustle of the others is missing. Quiet though it is now,the standard is way above any standard Udipi joint in any other suburb. They have another outlet in Vile Parle which is quite popular again amongst the old Gujaratis of that area.

The South Indian Concerns Ltd : 401, Concerns Building, Telang Road, Matunga (Central Railway), Matunga
This place on Telang road is famous amongst its residents and travelers. It easily is the most popular joint for bachelors who sought work in erstwhile Bombay and stayed in the lodges or as paying guests in the locality. The trend continues, now even families come here to have wholesome meals. It is food like the Tamil mommy made at home and served with equal concern, hence the name. Today the set up is more professional and the food is superb. Average meal cost today is between Rs.40-60. Sweets are extra. A full three course meal of Chaadam ( Rice) with Sambar, Rasam ( Tomatoes or Tamarind), Mor –Butter milk with two bhaajis one pachaadi or curd based salad. Its followed by a glass of Buttermilk. Apalams or poppadums accompany the meals. It is not so crowded in the afternoons on week days, but weekends & dinners one may have to wait his turn. They parcel meals too but one has to carry their own containers. ( Now Closed for Meals ..available only for their own lodgers )

Hotel Madras Café : near Bhau Daji Road and King Circle junction
Not quite there now, this joint is dimly lit and run down off late. But the Bissi Bella Bhaath ( Sambaar Rice mix )is easily one of the best I have had anywhere in a long time. Modestly priced and totally value for money, food is excellent but dim atmosphere & peeling paint turns me off and people who are not so light sensitive can enjoy the food. Better option is to parcel it home if you stay closer.

The Taste of Mysore

A Rama Nayaks Udipi Shri Krishna Boarding : Next to Matunga station (e) 1st flr, Entrance from behind Matunga Market Building
This is a top class meal act. When South Indian meals are referred to this place would quite easily occupy the top spot. May it be the options (Limited /unlimited , ellai/plate, single/family) for wholesome food, convenience or its service. The food is simple and here you are served chappati’s too. They have coupons for everything and you sit on the table and keep handing in coupons. Now apart from this irritating aspect and the fact that finding the entrance to this place is a fine art this place rocks. Once you have entered you wont return either hungry or dissatisfied.

Ram Ashraya : Opposite Kabuttar Khana , Bhandarkar Road, Matunga (E)
This is one of the best Udipi joints for snacks. The Dosas and Idlis are good and the sambar is nice , again not too sweet . The winner, here is the curd-rice, which has pieces of sliced ginger or cucumber in it accompanied by lemon pickle. Definitely worth a visit, this place is quite crowded.

Hotel Saraswati : Opposite Matunga Station (E) Far entrance
This is a typical Udipi as it can get in the heart of Matunga. But it stands its ground and serves delicious food in a very clean ambience quite professionally. This place is large in comparison to the others so getting a place is not an issue here,

Café Mysore: 1/461, Durlabh Nivas, Bhaudaji Road, Opp. Maheshwari Udyan, Matunga
The touch in the cuisine though tagged Cafe Mysore is more Mangalore in flavour. This joint amongst its south Indian peers, is more high profile than content in my opinion. It was the first south Indian hotel to have an A/c section and was higher priced than the ones above. The others (save Sarasvati) still don’t boast of a/cs and focus on the food. The signature dish here is the Rasam wada and Mysore Masala dosa, the takeaway savories are more interesting than the food served in the restaurant. It’s marketed well and is adequate on all parameters of food and ambience.Service does leave something to be desired. Given a choice with the others above, Café Mysore won’t feature here in my list but singly on its own it has its merit and is well known.

Mahabhoj (n) : Bhandarkar Road, Diagonally opposite Podar College in line with Matunga Gymkhana
This is another joint which serves meals. It has become extremely popular and there is a lot of waiting. Primarily in my opinion because seating inside is inadequate. This joint serves good meals but is neither a patch on either Concerns or Shri Krishna Boarding. Yet people swear by it and it’s finally a matter of preference. The tastes are balanced according to local customer’s preference and there in the purist in me was offended. But it is popular so I may be mistaken in my stand.

Idli House (n) : Next to Vasant Breezy Chamber, King Circle, Matunga (E)
This is a new place but it certainly makes the cut here purely on account of merit. The idlis are nice and the varieties are terrific. The Khotu ( Jackfruit leaf wrapped ) or mudho ( banana leaf ) and the kancheepuram idli are all part of the varieties here. Chutney sambar or butter accompany it and is very good. It’s a must visit place. Another nice aspect is that in plate there are four idlis and quite nice sized portions. Superb for people who watch their weight, just don’t take the butter and u can live here. But one small complaint, its closed during lunch times..quite silly but true.

Given the above list my personal preference favours the Flavours of Madras. But you go try all and form your own preferences. The trial itself can be a feast to last a week.

Restaurants : Le Cafe a True Jewel of Chembur

This is exactly how I would want a café to look like, was my first impression as I walked into. The place: Le Café – Hotel Jewel of Chembur.

The place was bright with huge open windows, tables are large yet cozy. The décor was minimal yet comfortable. There is lots of space to move and huge comfortable chairs, wooden yet comfortable. Sofas lined one wall and the covers totaled around 36 give or take a few. Each table has its own space around it such that one doesn’t actually peep or lean onto the adjoining table giving you a sense of privacy that is extremely desirable. At one corner as you enter, on your right is the coffee counter. It is manned by just three serving staff. The floor tiling is simple and functional. The thing that grabbed my attention was the clean lines of the place. Walls are white and bare, save a few frames and a LCD screen. Above the counter is a blackboard announcing today’s specialty. My engineers mind grasped the tremendous thought put behind executing such details.

The look of the place soothed me. Told myself now even if the food is not up to the mark somebody has got the look right. I was in for further surprises. I was looking around and though the afternoon rush was slow, the boys behind the counter had smiled a welcome. Tally one for service staff. So many times have been faced with grumpy waiters that its now a given for the Restaurants of Chembur. I have stopped expecting. I was allowed my time to settle in and when I got comfortable one of the boys discreetly approached with the menu and enquired would I like something to drink as I went thru the menu. Today’s special is the crushed Mint Mojito. Suggestive selling in a Chembur Restaurant? I could not believe my ears.

The Menu further rocked me back. Someone up there had finally listened to me. It is a super mix of Breakfast –from omelet’s to sausages and stripy bacon sandwiches in fresh baked breads. The menu was all continental and the range it offered from Breakfast, Sandwiches and Burgers in fresh baked bread (they bake their own breads), Salads Soups and Main courses. Equal attention is given to Veg and Non-Veg in spread and variety. I ordered a French Onion Soup, Roast Lamb in Roast Sauce and kept the rest for later. The serving time is approximately 15 minutes and while I sipped my Mojito, the soup came and accompanied by bread sticks and butter. It is at the right eating temperature and thoroughly enjoyed it. I now looked forward to my main course. The portion size is generous and enough for one person who is hungry. It came with garlic bread. Yummy is the first reaction and then I leisurely settled down to eating it. No one bothered me as I chewed on. Once done very quietly my table was cleared. Again I was asked whether I had room for dessert or can I offer you coffee?

The desserts are attractively laid out and vary daily from mousses, to cakes and brownies and tiramisu. They also have a concept called - cutting desserts – small portions for the connoisseurs who have gone through the full courses. I chose to have the coffee and decided that here is a place I would be visiting more if it lasts the course. The coffee is simply much superior to the one offered by the Baristas and the CCD’s and is accompanied by a cookie – Chocolate or Butter. Pricing is moderate and for my meal i billed around Rs.275/- which is excellent. I prayed that this place has to survive, even if I have to eat here everyday. I wasn’t too sure of Chembur and its taste for the pau-bhaji and the Udipi Punjabi who have zillions of items all tasting the same in one menu. Le Café is open from 7.00 am morn to 1.00 am night.

Its three years now and the place has picked up, slowly and surely. I have been thru every item on the menu and yet go back for more. I am a fussy foodie and do not frequent a joint more than once, even if something is out of whack from my expectations. Discerning people truly appreciate superb food in clean environs accompanied by discreet service. This place offers all three. The drawback is that this place is located on the first floor of the Hotel and not easily visible from the road. The view from the windows is a busy market road. My favorite table is a corner near the wall where I enjoy the light from the windows yet not have to see thru them. Today the menu is revamped and includes wine too. The new menu is yet to be sampled in its entirety but that’s what shall keep me there.

It’s a non-smoking place now but then so is the rest of India. Give the butt a rest and for good food go to Le Café.

Night Feast at Minara

The month of Ramadan is special. I do not belong to the faith of the book . However what transpires on the streets post Iftaari, (breaking the holy fast, every single day of the month) on Mohammed Ali Road in Mumbai,is a sight to behold.

This year too, like the years behind me, had plans to hit the streets in the night. Yet something or the other kept me away till it was Saturday 27th Sept 2008, the night after the Badi raat ( Big Night). Raghav my pal agreed to join me. Its better when one has company, fun needs sharing. The two of us had a beer each for the road and away we went by train from Chembur to Masjid Bunder. From the station we were some 10 minutes away. The by lanes were familiar to us and yet we took many a wrong turn and ended up at some place else. We were in no hurry though and just followed the lights. Near the station is the commercial district which is old , messy and dark..but as we moved towards the main Mohammed Ali Road the lights brightened.

We had reached the lane that had the famous Minara Masjid of Mumbai. This lane during Ramadan is obviously one of the most happening places in Mumbai. Very brightly lit, so also choc-a-bloc crowded ,its a struggle just getting into it, and thats part of the charm.
Eateries lined the lane on both sides. When we face the Masjid, on the left we have food and on the right sweets. The sight is dramatic and mind boggling. One sees rows and rows and rows of Tandoori, Whole Chickens, and Kebabs of all types on skewers, Huge pots sizzling away and casting their come hither smells on every passer by. The awesome display of tons of edible meat can be truly startling. From this I recall the incident of many moons ago.

It was in 1996-97, when my ex-office colleagues had wanted to visit this place along with their wives. I was one of the youngest memebers of the team then and then had meekly suggested that it may not be suitable for women. And some of them were vegans ( Ghaas poos eaters or Vegetarians) too.The obvious enthusiasm which this call was received by the husbands made the wives insist that should definitely not be missing out on the fun. Women can be obtuse at times but who was I to comment , didnt have one then.
They came. They saw. They went green, a shade greener than the haraa Tandoori's waiting for the blazing coals. Thankfully, their stomachs were empty, so we did not have sick, but just deathly pale companions. Then the Vegans to their further horror realized that for them here there was nothing. Either eat meat or stay hungry. Some guys got uncomfortable but what to do, they had asked for it, no guilt pangs were with me, my warning had been ignored. But am not cruel so didnt string them along much and assured them that there was a whole lot of sweetmeats here.They could partake them once the meal was done. Few protested that it was not fair..but not too strongly.The area does cast a spell on you, and it can be very intimidating for those who have never been here.That evening those who ate relished the food wholeheartedly while the vegetarians looked about absorbing the sights and waiting for their turn.And when it came, they gorged on the sweets with great appreciation, (they are that good) that their earlier irritation vanished completely..but this was only a walk down memory lane

This year the crowd was huge, and just marginally more cosmopolitan in its gender distribution. The smells were the same though and again for vegetarians there is little on offer. But who would go to a Ramadan feast to eat grass? We squeezed ourselves onto plastic chairs on a table that was hastily cleared up. This place is not for the faint hearted or the truly hygiene conscious. It’s best to carry your own water. The food is roasted or cooked so well that all else is forgiven. This years specialties were the usual suspect of Biryani's, Mutton/Chicken, Tandoori Chicken-Red/Green/White, kebabs, fluffy rotis, naans, paav and chappatis to accompany the main dishes. Raghav and I had ordered for ourselves some delicious Bhuna Gosht ( succulent pieces of lamb pan roasted in a light smattering of onion tomatoes ginger garlic medium spicy and dry ) Chicken tikka masala ( u haven’t truly had it till u eat it on the roads here) and the crowning glory, Fresh partridge( Tittar) in a light gravy. This meat is chewy and soft and though bird meat is lightly crimson closer to the bone. Yumm. My mouth still waters with the memory. So full were we that just decided to stroll about.

While walking, parceled for the next day , a delicacy from a pair who had two huge pots and were sitting on the curb. This delicacy was Khichda- Mutton. Khichda is made when one cooks pulses and whole wheat together and allows the fat in the meat to bind it while cooking. The dal mixture turns out to be at once delicious & nutritious. It’s not very spicy, and is crowned with a slice of lime, mint leaves and crispy fried onion rings. I packed two for home. All this walking had allowed the meal to settle in and we decide to hit the sweets. Suleiman Usman Mithaiwaala was our destination for the unbelievable Firni. A rice kheer topped with pistachios served in an earthenware shallow dish.Its rich creamy yet simple and light. Here too packed 4 dishes for home. After which we shared a Rasmalai for the road and were tempted to have the Malpuaas with khoaa...but refrained else we would definitely have burst. On Mohammed Ali road after a meal like this, it’s a sacrilege if one doesn’t finish with a meetha paan(betel leaves with a sweet concoction assembled on the spot). We found one ancient vendor who served us these leaves that aid digestion...

We just trailed about here there and everywhere, Chewing the leaves almost ruminating. I missed Gauri- my wife, my conscience, my best pal all rolled into one package, but alas she was away on some cerebral quest at some seaside port. Hence I lived it up for both of us. Two supremely stuffed souls came back home and promised to visit again either in this year itself or the next... Inshallah it shall happen

Food in Fiction - The Character Eats

Enough and more has been written about food by Chef’s , Dieticians, Nutritionists, Experts, Gourmet’s and all other pretenders ( "yours truly" included ) who would quite serenely address themselves under the ‘hip’ sobriquet “Foodie”. 

Here I would bring your attention to authors of fiction and the characters they have created and their taste in food. Authors through their characters display a distinct fondness to certain choice items in food and drink. This has been my observation.

When the bartender asked “What’s your poison?" & James Bond answered “One Large Martini. Very dry, shaken and not stirred” in Casino Royale, the Martini was never the same anymore. From that moment on, the Martini belonged to Bond.

Shakespeare the most prolific author of all times doesn’t look like he enjoyed food too much. All his characters lived and breathed emotions, they are not shown eating much. There are only Feasts , without too great an attention to the menu

( imagine the great bard being faulted for this.. ;-) and goblets of wine, but that’s all, nothing more does he write.

Hercule Poirot , created by Agatha Christie was made Belgian. This by itself is the key cornerstone for all his colorful eccentricities. Those that very starkly and charmingly stand out in the staid Victorian milieu of Christies London and English countryside. Poirot drank Hot Chocolate with much relish or asked for a measure of bitter Tisane and smoked dainty small Egyptian cigarettes while sitting inside heated rooms with his muffler on.



When Dashiell Hammett, the father of the modern detective novel & a former Pinkerton Detective himself, started writing, the detectives became real and earthy. He was the one who created the chain smoking detective.This was the norm until the nineties after which smoking wasn't cool anymore. Then the Cops and Detectives in books and movies started popping chewing gum, jelly beans and the like. They stuck to takeaways, bagels or doughnuts and lots of black coffee on their stakeouts.

But my prize for the most dedicated foodie author goes to Lawrence Sanders. No author has had his lead characters relish food and lavish attention on food as much as Sanders . He created three characters across his series of books. Edward Delaney- The tough ponderous cop in the Sin & Commandments series, Timothy Cone- The financial sleuth who cracks open wall street shenanigans and finally the dashing

Archibald McNally- The discreet enquiries investigator of a Florida law firm. All of Sander’s characters gorge on food. Supermarket food, street food and all else. They make all kinds of combo dishes as they go about their business.

Delaney favours huge wet sandwiches. He eats them while bending over the kitchen sink , as the relish would drip. His huge bites, through strong yellowed teeth and ruminous munching , is almost soul searching in its nature.

Timothy is a grunge eater. His food is not just messy; He and his neutered cat Cleo dig the same kind of food. Pizzas, strips of bacon, may they be hot or frozen ,stale and sometimes mouldy even are washed down with frozen vodka and Camel cigarettes.

The stylish gourmet is McNally. He has great food in equally polished settings. He dines at his club or at his residence. His family is really well-to-do and employ cordon bleu cooks who serve the choiciest of creations. His involvement and additions to the menu at his Pelican Club is not just funny but spectacular in its fastidiousness. His drinks are varied cocktails , His cigarettes English Ovals, Even his medium rare hamburger with accompaniments is a work of art.

“Eat and be merry for life is but a song
now that breakfast & lunch are over, I wait for the dinner gong”