A reader of my food blog, finely chopped, wrote in yesterday asking for suggestions on where to treat an out of town friend at Colaba or Bandra at Mumbai. She requested me to keep in mind that she'd be footing the bill so requested me to keep a tight budget in mind.
Here's what I wrote to her:
I have tried to think of places which are economical yet seem special as you are treating someone. Some of these places don't serve alcohol. Alcohol jacks up the price.
List of around Rs 750 (USD 10) for 2 places:
Bandra:-
- Carter Rd Gully: Karims (he might get to see Malaika Arora there, I ate here last night a lovely Muslim dinner for two cost us Rs 315/ 8 USD),Kwik Wok (Oriental), Open Affair (no theme), Maybe (continental, very basic tastes), Crepe Station (ditto) all without alcohol...finish off with gelato or (romantic?) walk by the sea
- JATC (salads, pizzas, pastas, sand wich, subs) no alcohol but very alive
- 5 Spice: alcohol but expensive, food very value for money - one main dish more than enough for . Try - chilly chicken, burnt chilly rice or noodle, Thai curry. Desserts are 125 plus but very good - MY PICK
- Basilico, Out of the blue, Red Box very nice but will cross 1000 minimum
- If you are willing to slum it, Khaane Khaas, well within 500 lovely food, clean but spartan seating. Try tandoori chicken, black daal,jeera chicken, fish tikka. Great service, no crowd
Colaba/ South Bombay
- Churchill - lovely continental food, average price of 200 per dish -must have sausages in firecracker sauce, prawn newberg, ice tea. Long queues though
- Mocambo - beside Citibank in Fort. Lovely ambiance. Insist on theParsi menu. Conti stuff is 300 plus. But Parsi/ Goan stuff is around Rs100 per plate and can be positioned as unique to Bombay. Must trys -dhansak or pulao, daal, bheja cutlet, if adventurous - Ox's tongue. MY PICK given its a treat and has to be economical and should give a flavour of Bombay. You get alcohol too. Ice teas are very good, same management as Churchill
- Leopolds - very cult specially if he has read Shantaram. Sit downstairs though as upstairs is very expensive. Chinese is good and potions are large
- If he doesn't mind no meat or no alcohol take him to the Gujarati Thali places such as Golden Star at Charni Rd. Quite ornate, unique,food is plenty and prices are fixed (around 300 per thali)
Readers: please add in your suggestions. The brief is inexpensive yet not 'cheap'
5 comments:
Paradise At colaba - serves awesome food.
Also, Yokos for sizzlers...Indian Summer Buffet.
Thanks Serendipity. Good to hear from you. Yes sizzler joints are good budget options as sizzlers cost about Rs 300 per dish...and Bombay sizzlers are much better than the ones from Calcutta to start with. Is the Buffet a lunch one? I think she was looking for dinner options though...they are the folks who gobbled Tea Centre though
East at Kemps Corner-ish for Pan Asian food :) if you choose wisely and don't get into the alcohol, you'll be just fine! Also, in Bandra, Da Vinci for Italian works out very nicely, even with a glass of wine!
@Chavi...thanks for dropping in. I have read good reviews about east but haven't made it there yet. I would be foerever grateful to Da Vinic for introducing me to pesto sauce. This was in its earlier avatar in the Papa Pocnho lane. We've been to the new one a couple of times. Frankly don't remember what we ate. Steak once I think. Its famous for steaks. We had a pesto pasta the first time we went to the new shop. Found it a bit too creamy. They have a nice gooey chocolate dessert. And take away pizza slices which we got home a couple of time. We literally live opposite it
Next time I am in Bombay , I am going to kemps :)
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