[normally_crazy]

Have been to this place called ALL SPICE at Acres Club in Chembur.

They have a pretty exhaustive drink menu. The food is priced very decently and is actually quite good, I would say very good. The decor is nice, cosy, uncluttered and it's a biggish place too. The music is at a comfortable volume too - you can talk without having to raise your voice.

Last time we were there - they had this Karaoke night (Hindi on Wednesday and English on Friday) going - had fun. Be warned though, the volume picks up once people start giving their voices a go.

Decently priced good food and an exhaustive drinks menu - give it a try.

[V-16]

Originally Posted by SuperSelect

Can anyone enlighten this forum on the best Paani - Puri available in Mumbai ?
My vote (so far) goes to the guy who stands outside the Royal Enfield showroom off Linking road, Bandra.

Pani Puri is of various types. It is my comfort food (amongst many others)

The best i have eaten in Mumbai is at Sion at Guru Kripa. Although a lot of people swear by the Elco Market Pani Puri at Hill road Bandra, i feel that falls a tad short of the one available at Guru Kripa. This is the best of the cold variety. The puri is stuffed with different kinds of boiled and sprouted beans, spiced potato and then touched with the inli chutney to your taste, The chutney (sweet) is what differentiates it. The Elco one is a bit too tart for by palate. The Puris are almost the same. Small crisp little roundels of heaven. They are made with the same Suji/Rava bater which is different from the regular flour made puri which almost every one sells.

While you are there, try his Alu Chaat, and his Dahi Wada which is doused with a unique sweet chutney with hing. Even the Dahi puri etc are to die for.

Then there is the guy who sits outside Aggrawal Nagar off Five Gardens, Matunga. Take the right at the 5 Gardens/Ruia signal towards Five gardens and take the first left from the first circle (near Cyrus's house-actually go in the lane opp Cyrus's house) towards Kings Circle. About two blocks away is the entrance of Aggrawal Nagar and this guy sits there in the evening, on the foot path from around 3.30pm till 6ish or till stocks last. He dishes out the hot variety pani puri. The puri is stuffed with hot ragda, sweet imli chutney and then with the spiced pani.

There used to be a guy on the edge of B road at Churchgate right adjacent to Natraj Hotel, which is now intercontinental. I have not seen him for a while now. This guy had some great pani mad out of mineral water.

Then there is Guptaji at Malad. I tasted his pani puris at a wedding. He had around five types of water and no chutney atc. He filled in his puris with beans and then directly the pani. He had flavours of pani like, Jaleera, sweet mango panna, spicy rai, punjabi kanji etc etc. The regular one was the best., the rest were gimmicky and best left alone.

Im hungry already, anyone wanting to accompany me to Guru Kripa this evening?

[ASHISHPALLOD]

Originally Posted by V-16

He filled in his puris with beans and then directly the pani. He had flavours of pani like, Jaleera, sweet mango panna, spicy rai, punjabi kanji etc etc. The regular one was the best., the rest were gimmicky and best left alone.

gogi sir,
you had made me sluuuuurrppppppppp.

wifey is not here and i need to go at garden to have that paani puri of supriya bhel at baramati.

[SuperSelect]

Thanks Amit, yes Jhamas has been on my list for a while . Need to go there soon.
Gogi man, what an exhaustive discourse ! Will take me a while, but I promise you I won't rest till I've tried all the paani puri chaps you mentioned.
Thanks guys, Paani puri is among the best food in the world !

[kooldude]

Originally Posted by V-16

Pani Puri is of various types. It is my comfort food (amongst many others)

The best i have eaten in Mumbai is at Sion at Guru Kripa. Although a lot of people swear by the Elco Market Pani Puri at Hill road Bandra, i feel that falls a tad short of the one available at Guru Kripa. This is the best of the cold variety. The puri is stuffed with different kinds of boiled and sprouted beans, spiced potato and then touched with the inli chutney to your taste, The chutney (sweet) is what differentiates it. The Elco one is a bit too tart for by palate. The Puris are almost the same. Small crisp little roundels of heaven. They are made with the same Suji/Rava bater which is different from the regular flour made puri which almost every one sells.

While you are there, try his Alu Chaat, and his Dahi Wada which is doused with a unique sweet chutney with hing. Even the Dahi puri etc are to die for.

Then there is the guy who sits outside Aggrawal Nagar off Five Gardens, Matunga. Take the right at the 5 Gardens/Ruia signal towards Five gardens and take the first left from the first circle (near Cyrus's house-actually go in the lane opp Cyrus's house) towards Kings Circle. About two blocks away is the entrance of Aggrawal Nagar and this guy sits there in the evening, on the foot path from around 3.30pm till 6ish or till stocks last. He dishes out the hot variety pani puri. The puri is stuffed with hot ragda, sweet imli chutney and then with the spiced pani.

There used to be a guy on the edge of B road at Churchgate right adjacent to Natraj Hotel, which is now intercontinental. I have not seen him for a while now. This guy had some great pani mad out of mineral water.

Then there is Guptaji at Malad. I tasted his pani puris at a wedding. He had around five types of water and no chutney atc. He filled in his puris with beans and then directly the pani. He had flavours of pani like, Jaleera, sweet mango panna, spicy rai, punjabi kanji etc etc. The regular one was the best., the rest were gimmicky and best left alone.

Im hungry already, anyone wanting to accompany me to Guru Kripa this evening?

Gogi paaji don't remind me of guru kripa damn I lived in Sion for two years and I have eaten there so many times.They have got very good thalis and some good alu parathas and chole bhaturas too.Do try it out if you go there

[NetfreakBombay]

Originally Posted by V-16

Then there is Guptaji at Malad. I tasted his pani puris at a wedding. He had around five types of water and no chutney atc. He filled in his puris with beans and then directly the pani. He had flavours of pani like, Jaleera, sweet mango panna, spicy rai, punjabi kanji etc etc. The regular one was the best., the rest were gimmicky and best left alone.

Does anyone know where is this located in Malad? This one is closest to where I live and can't wait to try this out.

[GTO]

Pani Puri is of various types. It is my comfort food (amongst many others)

Agreed on the Guru Kripa pani puri. Have you been to the one on the main road (V.Mehta road) in Juhu? His stall is right outside one of the shopping centers and a little before the entrance to On Toes. There's always a crowd, can't miss him. Try it out.

Took the family to Masala Mantar (Lokhandwala) last week. Same owner as Urban Tadka, but this place is HUGE! Great ambience with punjabi food to die for.

[kalpeshc]

They are made with the same Suji/Rava bater which is different from the regular flour made puri which almost every one sells.

Are these the ones that are called 'Sindhi' puris? Basically when one goes to the shop for getting puris, they give you the regular variety. But if you specifically ask for 'Sindhi' puri, which are almost double the cost (and hence they don't even bother to ask customers which they want as most of them want the regular one), you'd end up getting the beautiful golded brown puris which are way tastier than regular ones.

Damn it - i am going to ask mom to make her delicious spicy paani this week along with the sprouted moong/chana/boiled potatoes/imli chutney and khara boondi.

Gogi sir, you realize you are guilty of instigating one of the seven sins - GLUTTONY

[F50]

Originally Posted by SuperSelect

Can anyone enlighten this forum on the best Paani - Puri available in Mumbai ?
My vote (so far) goes to the guy who stands outside the Royal Enfield showroom off Linking road, Bandra.

Whenever we are in suburbs we make a point to visit Ram Shyam in North Avenue, Santacruz just below R.D.Burman's house. We have been going there for past 15 yrs. Quite famous with bollywood personalities. Less expensive than Elco (i guess) but at Rs 30 its very good.

[amtak]

Where can I find "Affordable" Japanese food in Mumbai? Its for a friend who wants to take his lady out for dinner.

[SRShrikanth]

Can anyone give me a heads-up on this place in Powai called "Beatles".

This name was dropped during a convo. It will be an added advantage if anyone here, has been there already.?

[ac 427]

Originally Posted by amtak

Where can I find "Affordable" Japanese food in Mumbai? Its for a friend who wants to take his lady out for dinner.

sir ask your friend to try Thai bahn.

AT badra pali hill road. they serve thai/japenese

cheers

[V-16]

Originally Posted by kalpeshc

Are these the ones that are called 'Sindhi' puris? Basically when one goes to the shop for getting puris, .......you'd end up getting the beautiful golded brown puris which are way tastier than regular ones.

Exactly Kalpesh, those are the ones you get at Guru Kripa and Elcos. Cant eat the regular variety after you have a taste of them.

Originally Posted by GTO

Have you been to the one on the main road (V.Mehta road) in Juhu? His stall is right outside one of the shopping centers and a little before the entrance to On Toes. There's always a crowd, can't miss him. Try it out.

Oh yes that guy is great. I haven't been there for a while now but im sure hes not lost his touch. Must visit when im that side again.

Took the family to Masala Mantar (Lokhandwala) last week. Same owner as Urban Tadka, but this place is HUGE! Great ambience with punjabi food to die for.

Ive heard a lot about this place too.
Urbun Tadka is also good food and i really dont know how he makes it so affordable. but whos complaining??!

Originally Posted by amtak

Where can I find "Affordable" Japanese food in Mumbai? Its for a friend who wants to take his lady out for dinner.

Sadly the only affordable place serving good Japanese food is now sadly shut. It was the Cafe Japengo at Inox. Never did well as they never served drinks but always had fantastic food in quality, affordability, presentation with great ambience thrown in. Will miss it.

There are a lot places which have "Japanese" on their menu but alas dont get around to serving it. I am not a fan of raw food so some Sushi and all Shashimi is almost off bounds but if you have to partake Japanese food, even Sushi, it has to be Wasabi at the Taj. Expensive with a capital "E" but worth every penny.

I just visited China House again. The Peking duck was really good. One of the best ive eaten but the rest of the food was more Panjinese.
This kind of Chinese i term as Delhi Chinese. Why would a chain like Hyatt indulge in a arap cuisine like that?? Never again!!

[ac 427]

one of my fav places to eat :

Krystals

Right opp chowpaty, nothing in this 'right around the corner eating place' has changed.

Sabjis here are super tasty, garam garam 'phulkas' you can get, eat to yoru hearts content and the bill will not be more than 250 / - per person

One my most fav places to grab a quick lunch. YUMMM

cheers,
ac

[V-16]

Originally Posted by ac 427

one of my fav places to eat :

Krystals

Right opp chowpaty, nothing in this 'right around the corner eating place' has changed.

Sabjis here are super tasty, garam garam 'phulkas' you can get, eat to yoru hearts content and the bill will not be more than 250 / - per person

One my most fav places to grab a quick lunch. YUMMM

cheers,
ac

OOOOOoooohh!! Ive just gone weak in the knees. My all time favourite, home style Veg. Punju food joint. No frills, no nonsense.

On Hughes Rd, take a right at the Metro Motors junction towards Chowpatty and as you turn left to hit the Chowpatty road, the corner, quaint antique looking eatery is Krystal or Crystal.

Open air and corner overlooking the main road, with a view of the beach (if you stretch your neck), the food here is essentially home style pure vegetarian Punjabi.

You will be greeted with golden melodies from the 50's and 60's. Mohd. Rafi, Mukesh at all. The Old Punjabi owner still sits behind his antiquated counter (Galla) and overlooks the service. Waiters dressed in no particular uniform quickly take your order and serve the food as quickly too. They are very busy as good, cheap food is not easy to find in the vicinity. (No, Cream Centre has neither good nor cheap Punju food)

Try the elusive Baingan Bharta. Elusive because its sold out before you order it. Once i even asked the guy if he even made it ever or he was just humouring the guests, untill i chanced upon eating it there. I have visited umpteen times but have got the Bharta only say a couple of times. rest of the times it was always sold off. Then the Dal Tadka and the Paneer Bhurgee. The Rajma is just passable. He makes something like a vegetable of the day which can be anything. I recommend it. Its always a surprise but a delicious one. Dont even miss the Gobhi Alu/Mutter

Eat all this with a Tawa Phulka (smeared with desi ghee if you like) and finish it with a sprite or something else. They somehow do not do a lassi so well. Ive seen people wolf down a tawa paratha but have not tried it ever.

If still hungry, try the Jeera rice (no pullao or biryani please) with a Dahi raita made with chopped, onion, tomato green chilly and fresh coriander leaves.

The feel is complete yesteryears with a high ceiling and non painted old walls. Old furniture at all is the charm of this place. I sincerely hope he has not ventured out into Chinese or some other cuisine.

Wow!! I guarantee you will come out with a smile, so will your wallet.

Excellent suggestion ac