[SohailPistawala]

Yesterday's Lunch posting today!!
Dont know whether its new for you guys or no, but it was definately new for me!!

Name : Cafe Military
history: parsi owned till today
Location : lane next to central bank at fountain. Central bank is bang opposite HSBC BAnk (on the opposite road)

Review : place is goood, typical old joins with wooden stuff all around. Cupboard, chairs, tables . Slate Board with a Small today's special menu. The menu card is on the table which has a glass over it. Ordered for Chicken masala, good i liked it, friend ordered, Chicken Sali (wonder why it is called that). Quick service. Then ordered a caramel custard, mouth watering the moment i saw it, so ordered two more . Saw a lot of people ordering biryani, so next review will be the biryani. called for Dhansaak, but it was not on the monday's special dishes. please try it out guys VFM.

They Server BOOZE too hehehe

[carzy]

I'm always on the lookout of nice and new places to eat in mumbai. I'm not very well versed with all the locations though I'm a fast learner One other reason to search for new hogging huts is my fiancee, trying hard to make an impression and she doesn't like visiting the same places very often.

So list your favorite hangouts.. One that you would love to visit a few times every week or maybe daily. Here are some of the good places I have found for couples or families:

McDonalds
-------------

McDonalds coming to India several years back was a big boon. It's considered as the place for cheap burgers frequented by 18 wheeler truck drivers in the US, but in India it's a great hangout for couples and families alike. One thing I love is SELF Service!! No waiters hanging around staring at you waiting for you to finish your plate and leave (No disrespect, it's their job) but I like a food joint where I can spend time chatting with my dear one and due to work we don't get a lot of QT (quality time) cheers:

Most frequented was the one at Linking Rd, Bandra until we got bored of it. There's also one in Ghatkopar near Amar Mahal (next to shoppers stop). I guess another one at R Mall in Mulund. Please feel free to mention other locations that you know of.

Food's good it's fast, haven't really had any complaints.

[khanak]

The only thing I like at Mcdonals is the McChicken burger and the McSundae. They used to have a nice Maharaja Mac but they later replaced the patties with chicken patties and now its like eating two Chicken Mcgrilles glued together. In the fast food category Id much rather have KFC. Their chicken is pathetic but their Zinger burger is really nice. I eat almost one a day when Im home. Another new place that has opened up for burgers is Bembo's. Their burgers are usually more heavily spiced and a lot of people like that. IMO KFC's Zinger burger is still the best.

[V-16]

Originally Posted by SohailPistawala

Yesterday's Lunch posting today!!
Dont know whether its new for you guys or no, but it was definately new for me!!

Name : Cafe Military
history: parsi owned till today
Location : lane next to central bank at fountain. Central bank is bang opposite HSBC BAnk (on the opposite road)

Review : place is goood, typical old joins with wooden stuff all around. Cupboard, chairs, tables . Slate Board with a Small today's special menu. The menu card is on the table which has a glass over it. Ordered for Chicken masala, good i liked it, friend ordered, Chicken Sali (wonder why it is called that). Quick service. Then ordered a caramel custard, mouth watering the moment i saw it, so ordered two more . Saw a lot of people ordering biryani, so next review will be the biryani. called for Dhansaak, but it was not on the monday's special dishes. please try it out guys VFM.

They Server BOOZE too hehehe

Military Cafe is an old favourite. Their Biryani is very ok-ish. The bread served is very soft and good. Yes they serve beer only and a variety of that too.
They have day specific menus too. Strictly avoidable is the Dal Ghost.
My favourite there amongst the Salli Mutton is the Omlette. The very typical deep fried Irani omlettes with a crisp filigree of egg at the edge. Wonder why all of them refuse to put salt even after telling them to do so.?

[scooby05]

Sohail-"Salli" is just the potato crispies[sev] they garnish the dish with, giving a crunchy taste to the dish. I always ask them to give it seperately so they dont get soggy by the time you come to the end of the dish.

[SohailPistawala]

Thank you soo much Sccooby bhai and Gogi Bhai !!

Btw Sunday to 5 spice at town is no no no, reason , too much of waiting!!

[V-16]

Irani Restaurants are fast fading away. They were the original cafes, where one could go for an inexpensive cuppa combined with a Brun Maska or a Khari. Over the years I see very very few of them left. Most of such restaurants have been taken over and converted to shops (because of their ideal locations on the corner of the building they were loctated in) and others remaining were bought over and turned into other restaurants. I am specifying those run by Iranis.
In King's Circle, there is one at the corner of the roads, one leading into five gardens and other around the circle. It is called Koolar.
The original owner must have passed away and this is now run by a robust young man. He is in sync with trends of today and serves a lot of kitschy food too but has still maintained the Irani lustre of the place, not to mention the menu.
Spartan as Irani menus go, there are egg preprations (same deep fried yummy omlettes, etc) with the essentiasl Kheema.
The Kheema fry here is to die for. Order a Kheema fry and an omlette (tell him to hold the oil for your own satisfaction...although he will nod in agreement, there will be no holding back in the oil content i assure you) along with a brun or if thats exhausted, a bun. This is the only place where they will heat (as in oven not microwave) the brun/bun to a crisp and serve it to you if required. Dip the bread in the Kheema and let it soak some of the oil, break along a piece of the omlette and enjoy.. The best thing to wash down the concoction is the tea. Although not a tea/coffee consumer, I still love to sip into the typical Chai these places serve. I order a cup, pour the tea onto the saucer and sip it in the traditional way, chai is supposed to be had. One can also order an Irani Chai which is a black tea with sugar. In Turkey they serve such a tea but it is infused with fresh mint. That is a great refresher.
It is frequented by a lot of college crowd from the vicinity mostly seen dunking huge morsels of Brun or Khari in their chai or pufffing away a Hookah. Yes this place also serves the flavoured hookah
Music is provided in the form of the owner shouting continously at the top of his voice, throughout. There is a TV hung somewhere high up on the ceiling, tuned to MTV or Channel V. Giving company are old posters of Samantha Fox (yum-yum) and Charles Bronson.
Enjoy the evening there.

P.S.- I visited 5 spice the other day for dinner. the food has deteriorated like anything and the service is the pitts. Things i would earlier swear by.

[carzy]

Little Italy

There's one at Juhu, near the Juhu Beach. I don't know what the road is called but it has a Cafe Coffee Day attached to it, not hard to spot. The food is great and the ambience is ok, I feel the place is a little cramped up. Good service but it's real expensive. Be ready to shed a few grand (for 2),it's the kind of place you'd visit once in a while, not on a daily basis. Again, that depends on the size of your wallet.
I also spotted the Little Italy board near the Shopper's Stop at Amar Mahal (ghatkopar). Haven't been there but I expect it should be similar. Anyone who has visited this one may shed more light on the food and service.
Can anyone direct me to a good mughlai place in Bandra (I'm mainly hunting for chicken ) please be specific about the location.

[Sam Kapasi]

Originally Posted by carzy

Little Italy

I've always enjoyed little Italy food, I would have said it's fairly authentic but..

Pure Veg Italian food is a bit of a paradox, lol.

It's like Non Veg Jain food. Won't happen in reality.

[Technocrat]

In King's Circle, there is one at the corner of the roads, one leading into five gardens and other around the circle. It is called Koolar.

Gogi is this the same one which on is the left hand side after crossing King Circle when you are coming from Sion ? Had chai & bun Muska there & some stuff that I dont remember but it was awesome

[normally_crazy]

yup Techno, thats the one. I always stop by Koolars for kheema-pao on my way to Team-BHP meets on Saturday.

LOL Sam - I remember the first time I walked into Little Italy at Juhu. Confidently took the menu and was shocked - no non-veg stuff !! hehe.

I wanted to walk out but then better sense (read GF) prevailed and I managed to stuff down vegetarian food down my throat.

[NetfreakBombay]

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

Pure Veg Italian food is a bit of a paradox, lol.

It's like Non Veg Jain food. Won't happen in reality.

There is a Chinese restaurant in Manhattan's china-town that serves beef/chicken/pork dishes. And all of them are pure-veg, they somehow recreate taste / texture of non veg from soya and other stuff. And thats quite authentic. Can't remember its name but its quite popular in desi circles there.

And if they don't use garlic/onion, it might pass for Jain food

[Bass&Trouble]

Originally Posted by V-16

In King's Circle, there is one at the corner of the roads, one leading into five gardens and other around the circle. It is called Koolar.

The original owner must have passed away and this is now run by a robust young man. He is in sync with trends of today and serves a lot of kitschy food too but has still maintained the Irani lustre of the place, not to mention the menu.

My generation has only seen that fat slob Ali as the owner. He grows a beard and long hair and calls himself Jesus. He does not have any fingernails. Until I was 17, on every Diwali me and my friends used to light crackers under his stool and run away. He shouts loudly at all customers and behaves in a lewd manner with female guests. He's too stingy to buy any new furniture, thats the reason everything is intact. Everytime my mum goes to his place to buy "baidas", he recommends a prospective daughter in law for her. Inspite of having so much money, he still drives around in a stupid 1980 Bajaj scooter.

His food is ok but I love the guy.

[Sam Kapasi]

Originally Posted by V-16

run by a robust young man. He is in sync with trends of today

Originally Posted by Bass&Trouble

that fat slob Ali as the owner. He grows a beard and long hair and calls himself Jesus. He does not have any fingernails.

Are you sure the 2 of you are talking about the same person?

[V-16]

Originally Posted by Technocrat

Gogi is this the same one which on is the left hand side after crossing King Circle when you are coming from Sion ? Had chai & bun Muska there & some stuff that I dont remember but it was awesome

Yes thats the one Technocrat. Just go there with earmuffs

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

I've always enjoyed little Italy food, I would have said it's fairly authentic...

True. I have had the best Tiramisu this side of the globe there. Dont know if they make it that way still. The Tiramisu is baked and not forzen. Had a custurdy texture, unlike the whipped creamy crap dished out by everyone else.

Originally Posted by Bass&Trouble

My generation has only seen that fat slob Ali as the owner. He grows a beard and long hair and calls himself Jesus. He does not have any fingernails. Until I was 17, on every Diwali me and my friends used to light crackers under his stool and run away. He shouts loudly at all customers and behaves in a lewd manner with female guests. He's too stingy to buy any new furniture, thats the reason everything is intact. Everytime my mum goes to his place to buy "baidas", he recommends a prospective daughter in law for her. Inspite of having so much money, he still drives around in a stupid 1980 Bajaj scooter.

His food is ok but I love the guy.

@ Sam-

Yeah Ajay, its the same guy. When I meant hes in sync with the trend, I meant business wise. Hookah, Grilled crisp brun etc etc with the eagles playing in the background is what I meant. But its hard to hear any music as the guy is hollering at anyone and everyone. I once was witness to a family chat between his brother and him regarding their Rotwieller pet dogs. (he also has an epitaph dedicated to one of his dead dogs just outside the restaurant, under a tree) These two were shouting at the top of their voices and abusing each other using the choicest of cuss words. Happened they were not fighting or even arguing, they speak like this only.
Go there and find a young enthusiastic Pahari waiter who rattles English. The guy looks perpetually stoned and im sure is on drugs but he will serve you extremely well. Ask him to get a hot Brun Maska with sugar sprinkled in between the bread. No one can eat just one. Wash it with a chai, drunk in the way i drink it. Slurping is a necessity.

The second place which is loosing its charm fast is Snowpoint just before the Podar college on Matunga road. Actually dont waste your time as they will recommend noodles and Chowmien to you, and that too from a Maggi packet. The Kheema is also pathetic.
Cafe Colony is at the corner of Tilak Bridge when you are approaching Dadar circle from Plaza cinema, at the road which leads to the Hidu Colony. The only place that still makes an Akuri like it should be made, loose and spicy not overcooked and not undercooked and runny. The Kheema is great too. One has to be an early morning bird or an early evening bird to catch some of the freshest bruns in Town here.
......Now where have the rest gone.
Ah yes. The Kyani opposite Metro Theater at Dhobi Talao. I have not been there in a while but the cold custard and their mutton puffs were worth trying. Dont know if one still gets it. They also had started Kheema Pao and it was quite good but that was a long time ago. Dont know about it now.
I remember, the best things one could get at these places was the Bread Pudding. Stadium opp the Churchgate station adjacent to the WIAA office was one such place. We would eat there frequently when studying at the Govt. Law College a few years ago and always got hot pudding. One such place one can get hot and delicious pudding is the Cafe City, below what was earlier Viva Paschim at Worli Naka. Avoid the food and just help yourself to a couple of helpings of the pudding, Its warm and not too eggy.
While im at it i might agg a word about Cafe Exelcior opp the Exelcior theatre at V.T. I think i may have mentioned it earlier somewhere too but nonetheless.
I have had one of the best Mutton Biryanis there. The pudding here sucks. It smells and tastes of too much egg.
For the world's best Chicken rolls, one must visit Cafe Paradise in Colaba diagonally opposite Kailash Parbat (K.P. as it is called is a highly overrated and avoidable place). But the rest of the food is just passe, except the Scotch Broth soup.
Also i sit and laugh at the comments of a geriatric Parsi Gentleman at the counter of an old restaurant in Pune. Karl, Kiran, Shrivz and Ronnie were with me. I forget the name of that place....anyone??!! We had some good "Choi" there