Jai Jai Maharastra Maza .... Foodie way to express this in Malad

Part of the long menu

Jai Maharashtra Trupti Kendra ... it is a street food paradise especially for Dosa, Sandwitch lovers. If you are low on budget, low on hygiene cautious food and need variety of chutney, sauce, sambar like side menu - then just say "Jay Maharashtra!".

On Malad S.V. Road Junction - just diagonally opposite to Ramanjaneya, you will find "Jai Maharashtra Trupti Kendra". At the first site you might wonder that why this not-so-exciting road side joint is crowded.... This not-so-exciting mood will blur immediately after the wonderful and sizable dosa is served to you.

Dosa / Idli with variety of tasty chutney and sambar without any constraint on use of Butter bring the unique look, taste and the true road side feel to your plate.

The Set-up

The long long list of dosa-idali menu (CAT counted more than 40!), separate Sandwitch Menu will amaze you if you could locate the boards in the overall setup.


CAT ordered Shezwan Masala and was in love of this joint in just one bite! The service is prompt and proactive.

Moreover, for all you foodies the good news is- just behind this joint there is Soda Pub that can offer you kashmiri masala soda! and just few steps away comes the famous Survanshi Pan Bhandar! What else one needs for a perfect Roadside Dinner.

CAT quickly analysed that it is difficult to find this joint not crowded by foodies ... until it closes! Students, Bikers, office goers, groups, people waiting for bus all seem to be attracted by the fragrance and the quality offered here. Many foodies were happy with take away (oops - parcel) too!

CAT is extremely happy to shout Miyon here.

- Enjoy Food
Miyon Miyon to "Jai Maharashtra Trupti Kendra" @ Malad West.

Mahim Koliwada - Vada Pav

Last week when the Mumbai city was surprised with the stormy rain ... CAT got the chance to be with a friend on Bike. After the long queue and bumpy ride, we stopped @ the corner under the overhead pedestrian bridge at Mahim Koliwada.

To my delight, a stress was relieved by a decent hot Vada-Pav fragrance. Investigations - turn out in a discovery of another vada pav joint on the foot path of Mahim Koliwada. Great taste.... and in CAT's opinion it is a wonderful stop by location for bikers traveling from Worli to Suburbs.

Enjoy break and enjoy vada pav.

Miyon

Foodie journey to Mangaon (Konkan)

In recent past CAT traveled to konkan for a Family function. Apart from the enjoyment that comes from Indian traditional functions this journey turned out to be a good foodie experience.

We started early morning from Mumbai and had the first food break and Vadkhal naka. For the most of the konkan road-travelers this is the logical spot for tea-breakfast break.

We broke fasting at Milind Vihar at Vadkhal Naka. Milind Vihar offers variety of 'maharastrian' breakfast menu.
Although like  old food joints in konkan this one also ranks low on cleanliness, Huygens and presentation. However on the other side, CAT believes that such food joints are surviving & will continue to survive because of their routine customers and the homely taste that they offer. All traditional breakfast menu - 'poha', 'dosa', 'idli-chutney', 'misal' and snack food like 'moong bhaji', 'vada-sambar', 'puri-bhaji' retain its taste on fairly high level. One also should not expect high degree of service out here.

The lunch halt was in Chiplun. Chitale upahar griha is one of the welknown place in Chiplun. This is one of the favorite spot for many travelling towards Goa; if you start early you reach nearly at the lunch time in Chiplun. When you are travelling by road and it is a long drive CAT always recommends having a light homely food like simple rice plate rather than spicy or heavy food (e.g. gravy, Chinese, junk food). The light food is easy to digest and keeps your spirit high when you are travelling.

The the interesting mode was faced. No konkan journey is complete unless you miss the route; we took the kolhapur route after Ratnagiri ... and realized it at Nanijdham. CAT was lucky though .... the tea break at Nanijdham was a unique experience.



The fantastically refreshing masala tea with a typical village house with puppy, kitten, calf, rabbits. This was an unplanned tea break where kids enjoyed their stay and really felt re energized! If  you can easily do away with ten odd kilometers then CAT strongly recommends you to visit Nanijdham on your way to Goa from Ratnagiri.

Wonderful experience within interiors without mobile network, television a rediscovery of yourself and all coupled with mouthwatering food.

Yeva Konkan Aaplach asa!

Enjoy food -
Miyaaon.

mango masti @ Champion Foods

We come across many occasions when we want to distribute sweets.
CAT always wondered about how many varieties one can get ...
- The typical one: "mava" based sweets e.g. barfi, pedha, etc.
- Ladus
- Katlis: kesar, anjeer, pista, kaju, and many more
- Dryfruits: dryfruit sweets e.g. kaju / pista roll, dry fruit punch, etc.

Recently CAT came across a unique mix of flavored fruit pulp, dry fruit and katli base - "Mango Masti".
Place to purchase it - Champion Foods Vile Parle East.

This is an awesome and unique sweet that when you distribute, more than 70 percent of your guests will inquire from where you purchased it. The square shaped basket made up of kaju base, filled with real mango pulp, dry fruits and simple yet attractive presentation. The cup based serving makes it a perfect choice for distribution at functions.

    

Champion Foods has been a well known food outlet for Parlekars. You are assured for the quality, variety, price and service for anything you purchase here. And this is going on for decades...
Mango Masti is one of the USPs for Champion and you will not find it anywhere.

If you order it upfront for the function, you are certain to have your sweets freshly made and packed at the time of delivery.

Apart from the variety of sweets, Champion offers daily fresh stocks of Puranpoli, Thepla, Tell poli, breakfast items, snacks, branded ready to eat variety, pickle - chutney, bakery products, mukhwas, etc.

One must say that their brand name is reflected in their offering. They are the Champions of the Quality Food.

Enjoy food -
Miyaaon.

Bhojan on Leaf.

Recently CAT and friends visited Banana Leaf @ RCity - Ghatkopar (w). CAT felt proud to see the way Indian traditional food is glamoured over here.
One must visit this place for basic reasons -
. understand the huge variety available in Idli and Dosa ... and this variety crosses the boundaries of pav bhaji dosa / shejvan dosa, etc.
. enjoy the traditional cuisine - apart from idli and dosa.
. for a learning - why food is tradition: how rice as a basic content can be served with vast variety with brain and spices.

So here is how the journey went ...
We wondered what to order, probaly as none of us could gather what is starter and what is main course. But then the staff is just well trained for customers like us - they guided us properly. We enjoyed coorg idli, mango drink varieties and dahi vada as starter. Coorg idli is tomato puree based idli starter.

But then, the real master starter came to serve the taste-buds ... Dakshin Masala idli. This is a creamy  coconut masala based idli starter - unique look, unique presentation and amazing taste .. full credit to the chef and definitely it deserves to be one of the 'special' dish on the Banana Leaf serving.

Dakshin Masala Idli

CAT long back had 'appam with veg stew as main course...a friend of mine made me taste it in Chennai ... "this dish belongs to Kerala", he was proud while I liked that dish. Most of the time, we end up having fiery red and mustard based curry even if it is Kerala veg stew ... this has fortunately changed at Banana Leaf.

 
The white colour curry made in real coconut milk ... hmmmm just yummy. Veg stew goes very well with appam (Palappam) or puttu. Making good appam is an art and you can see and even taste it here.
Every dish was enjoyed with variety of Chutney and Sambar - The chutney and sambar are worth mentioning ... as even these preserve real taste of coconut and aroma of magic sambar masala.

The great journey ended on a sweet note with gadbad ice cream, the well known glass form of gadbad is represented horizontally on banana leaf. Still when you call it gadbad, it becomes different than Sunday :).

The interior, the hand towels, spoons, the Lord Ganesha idol - everything takes you to the south indian traditional world and then the food takes you away from everything... to the different world. Unlike many theme restaurents, Bana Leaf has not failed in the most important aspect - i.e. to maintain the genuine taste.

To know more on banana leaf - please check the link. This chain is a "Foodie-CAT recommendation" . CAT is happy to shout "Miyaon" here.

Enjoy Food
Miyon.

Kamath's - the magical experience

CAT was riding from Bangalore to Mysore. It would have been the waste of time and journey had CAT not visited - Kamath's world - Kamath Lokaruchi.

It is not yet another south Indian restaurant .. it is the real drive-in place. Ample of land, different huts serving different menu, greenery, traditionally dressed staff - takes out all your driving stress and the food of course refreshes you.

Landscape

The route to Kamat

Tatte Idli

The most popular dishes over here are breakfast and snack dishes, that is what CAT gathered from the frequent travelers. Probably management knows this and hence they have launched breakfast buffet. à la carte or buffet - CAT recommends that definitely have more than two dishes. Tatte idli (Idli wrapped in leaves), rava idli, Jolada roti meal, masala dosa and of course Coffee are generally preferred by the visitors.

The place is also famous for lunch and dinner - kannadiga meal and north kannda dishes are worth mentioning here.

Apart from food - this being drive-in restaurant the rest rooms are kept neat, ample parking space is made available, also shopping and entertainment provisions are made. CAT enjoyed the theme of this place and of course the food that is served. So CAT is happy to shout Miyon for Kamath Lokaruchi.

Staff

Drive - go with empty tummy and big heart ...  leave the rest to Kamath Lokaruchi,
Miyon.

Dhaba da majja

CAT visited Pratap's The Dhaba @ Oshiwara recently. This is yet another just perfect outlet for family, friend and office parties. The interior and outside arrangement both give you excellent ambiance. Lanterns, Matki, Charpoy, statues all take you to fields of Punjab.

 

CAT prefers Paneer Achari Tikky, Tandoor Bharvan aaloo, dal makhani, Makki di roti and Namak Ajwain di roti here. Everything maintains it pure taste, no additional and heavy flavors that unnecessarily put us in confusion. e.g. Achari tikky tastes like achari and not just yet another red thick gravy marinated.

Special mention - the crushed onion with special masala is a great biting. White makkhan will definitely remind you of your grandmother ... Indian food tastes the best with white makkhan and not Butter. CAT bets that not many places would serve you better punjabi paneer dishes than what you get at The Dhaba ... it really melts in your mouth.
When ordering do not rush, get the feel by ordering two dishes - enjoy them and then think about other dishes. The quantity and richness in the dishes might be a bit heavy than punjabi food from other places.

Vodka Pani puri is another famous dish over here. For non vegetarian, sarson da murg, chicken dhaniya adraki, chicken bawarchi de pasand are some famous dishes.

To end your fabulous experience do not forget Jilebi with rabdi and "Pan Shot" ... you will get few more extra pan shots if you want.

Quality, quantity, service, flavor, aroma and hygiene all without disturbing the quality - is what CAT's opinion about The Dhaba. Though bit heavy on pocket, it is good and worth to splurge once just for the experience that The Dhaba gives you.  CAT recommends this place and is happy to shout 'Miyon' here.

Chak de The Dhaba
Miyon.

Shahi Shakahari Dawat in Ghatkopar

A pure veggie like a CAT wants to throw a treat - most of friends are vegetarian with few who want to enjoy the meal over sip of cocktails / drinks. In such a situation a angle (doot in Sanskrit) should be there to guide you.

Fortunately, CAT found one such doot - "Meghdoot" at Ghatkopar west.

The occasion was to celebrate the combined happiness from good luck, increment, promotions and everything that calls for a wonderful dinner party.

 


A meghdoot, the staff offers one of the fastest service!
You order and it is there on your table - if it is getting delayed, you are guaranteed to get some biting.

We enjoyed variety of dishes and drinks. CAT was impressed with one and thus will recommend it for all - Mashroom tandoor.

To end our long and lively party we ordered rice, dal fry, raita, biryani and aaloo jira.
The exceptional presentation and good taste of all the above was the cherry on the top! It gave a wonderful finishing touch.

What is missing is - a genuine maghai PAN after such a delicious and 'shaahi' dinner. Of course, meghdoot can not do much here ... But CAT would strongly recommend Meghdoot to look into adding a in house  post meal maghai offering. This will take the experience altogether to the next level!

A veggie's doot in Ghatkopar - Meghdoot
- Miyon

Paneer ka BAAP!!!!

CAT had been to the Cream Centre @ Oberoi - Goregaon.

One of the wonders here is "Paneer Ka BAAP!" sizzler. Indian taste, exotic preparation style and a "hatke" name all these are present in one dish!

As CAT understands this dish - it is a signature dish of Cream Centre; and why not?

If in one sizzler you get paneer tikka(red), paneer kali mirch tikka(with black paper), paneer green tikka / hariyali tikka, yellowish paneer - all fresh from tandoor - then it has to be the BAAP of any other sizzler.

If you are part of a group with paneer lovers visiting Cream Centre you should try this sizzler - look at it as a combo pack.

Paneer Ka BAAP is served with the Rice & sauce which brings all necessary 'Indian' flavors; sizzling vegetables compliment the paneer-rice pack very well.

CAT ordered plain paratha (CAT likes to eat paneer dry with paratha and green chutney) & it generated altogether a new taste and additional choice -  paneer with paratha & paneer with rice.

So next time you are planning to be at Cream Centre - do try out Paneer ka BAAP! And witness why in Mumbai they say someone or something is "BAAP".

Enjoy Food
-Miyon