Let's get #Social

Long overdue review of one of the newer places in SOBO- Colaba Social is situated right opposite the Starbucks at Colaba. A friend of mine insisted that I make this place jump the queue in my list of places to eat at in Bombay and I am so glad that I listened to her. This is one place that is sure to give a lot of cafes and restaurants in south Bombay a run for their money. Why you ask? Well ……. go on reading.

True, from the outside it doesn’t look like much, which is the case with a lot of places in Bombay, owing to the cramped up places and lack of good infrastructure. However, ‘do not judge a book by its cover’ is a phrase that truly goes well for this place. Once you enter, you see that this place has been done up quite well and is in fact rather interesting. There’s an upside-down fan which you will see on the ceiling near about the entrance. Since it was moving I couldn’t really capture an image. The relaxed seating, with soft lights, is arranged on the ground as well as the first floor. The bar has empty alcohol bottles hanging from the ceiling and one I saw read “pahua” ( yes the chiknichameli “pahua” *chuckles*).  Further on, you shall see a swing which has been positioned at one of the tables as a substitute for a chair. Unfortunately, that table was occupied and I couldn’t experience sitting on the swing, but then there’s always a next time!

\When I had called up the place on a Sunday to book a table for three for lunch, I was informed that they do not accept reservations which made me skeptical, however, luckily on reaching the restaurant we were ushered in and seated without waiting. The first thing you’ll notice on your table is this unique napkin-menu bucket sorta thing. I don’t know what you call it and I haven’t even seen it anywhere else but it looked pretty interesting. Also their menus are not the usual cardboard book-type but instead are “newspaper menus”- orange for food and blue for drinks- and what variety in there! For a place like this to offer from burgers to biryani to Thai food to a great breakfast selection, especially at the listed prices, is commendable!

Elvis Presley French Toast (Rs. 150)

We were exceptionally fascinated by the name “Elvis Presley French Toast” (Rs. 150) and since we hadn’t breakfasted, we started off with this. Honestly, I was expecting two limp slices of bread coated and fried in a sweetened egg batter with some sliced bananas on the side. However, what was actually served to us was beyond my then imagination. Social does justice to the name and serves the French Toast, coated with oodles of peanut butter and chocolate, on an old record disk (innovative right?). Sweet and gooey with peanut butter… I was all smiles and found the “Elvis Presley French Toast” superb, delicious, scrumptious and a must must try for all the peanut butter lovers out there.. And mind you, it’s heavy so only if you are 150% sure that you won’t want to eat anything else, order this all by yourself. Since we were anyway quite confused after looking at their menu we decided to split this dish amongst the three of us in order to have space in our tummies to try the other goodies.

For drinks we ordered a Trip on the Drip (Rs. 280), a South Pacific Rim (Rs. 280) and a pint of Kingfisher Ultra (Rs. 140). Trip on the Drip is Vodka +Peach Schnapps + Orange & Cranberry Juice. A great cocktail; request them to make it a tad less sweet and you will be slurping on this one with joy. The amazing thing however was that this came in an actual drip pouch! South Pacific Rim is White Rum + Dark Rum+ Pineapple + Orange Juice and Grenadine. I did not like this as much and would give it a miss the next time I go there. I felt it had a very medicinal-cough-syrupish taste. And the chilled beer… well that’s always refreshing. I ended up ordering a Trip on the Drip after trying to finish my South Pacific Rim and my friends stuck to beer after their first round.

(L) South Pacific Rim (R) Trip on the Drip (Rs. 280 each)

Habi-B-Q Lamb Bao (Rs. 240)

For the snacky adventure, we decided to go ahead with a portion of the Habi-B-Q Lamb Bao (Rs. 240). This dish has lamb patty with Arabic flavours and is served with feta and hummus. The Bao was soft and warm and the succulent lamb patty was delicious and palatable. Hummus was a good add on.

Further, for our mains (and mind you we unknowingly over ordered considering we had already washed down the Elvis Presley French Toast and the Habi-B-Q Lamb Bao) we decided to call for the Thai Thali (with chicken)( Rs. 250+ Rs. 60 for the chicken), the OTT Dawg (Rs. 310) and the Jus-C Lucy Burger (Rs. 380).

In the Thai Thali we were served rice, green Thai curry, raw papaya salad, Goan prawns pickle and fryums! Yes these fryums are what we used to eat at birthday parties when we were kids. The Thai curry was appetizing, balanced flavor of coconut milk, lemon grass and not too spicy. The Goan prawns pickle was a great add on to this and the fryums, well, those were the fun eats. Truth be told, with the varied menu that they offer, I expected just about an average dish but was blown away with the flavours in this one.

Thai Thali (Rs. 250+60 for the chicken)

OTT Dawg (Rs. 310)

The OTT Dawg- a bacon wrapped dog, Mexican lamb chilli, cheese and fries- was definitely ‘over-the-top’. The bread was soft and warm and the sausage full of juices. There was a whole layer of cheese on it (*alert cheese lovers*). The sauce was a tad sweet for my taste and this OTT Dawg would be the perfect ‘Dawg’ if there could be a little more spice in it. However, it was huge and filling.

The Jus-C Lucy Burger comes with a knife stuck in it- I was impressed with the presentation. It also made a great picture! The menu describes this as a “double whammy of tenderloin patties with molted cheese center and Jus, Cajun Fries”. The tenderloin patty was well done; not dry at all. It had a very comfort-food-have-another-bite feel to it. And even though I was stuffed, when I dug into this I was smiling with the sheer taste of it in my mouth.

Jus-C Lucy Burger (Rs. 380)

We all were literally full up to our necks and I needed to take a stroll to realize that I actually could move after eating so much. We walked out extremely satisfied customers and I know this place will be a regular haunt for me.

Will I go there again? Yes, as I was so happy with what I ate this time I am really looking forward to trying the rest of their menu slowly and steadily. The chefs there really know what’s going on in the kitchen. The prices are great and the ambience, well, you’d love it. It’s a nice get-away for after work drinks and tid-bits as well. The service is decent, the staff is jolly and they made sure that we had an excellent experience. With all this our cheque was just about a little over 3k split amongst the 3 of us- Total VFM place.

Where is it? 24, Ground Floor, Glen Rose Building, BK BomanBehram Marg, Apollo Bunder, Colaba, Mumbai  Call 022 22828484

A Happy Place

Image taken from www.burrp.com

Jamjar Diner- A small door from the outside; easy to miss, but try not to, because once you enter--- it’s a whole different world inside. Tilted, vibrant, adorable looking shelves, placed to make it look like they are falling over each other, a cute jukebox adding to the magic of this place, colorful seating, lots of daylight and oh oh…. drinks served in jars. Yes, that’s why it's called "Jamjar" I think or vice versa (It's one of those chicken and egg stories).They have seating on the ground floor, the first floor and on the terrace. The place looks surprisingly big compared to what one would imagine just looking at the tiny door from the outside. This is one of the first places that I had been wishing to visit in Mumbai, owing to the funny names of certain dishes on their menu. However, because even thinking about commuting from Mahalaxmi to Andheri exhausts me (yes I'm super lazy and really respect the people who do it on a daily basis) it did not happen until I was in the area for a doctor’s appointment. So I dragged a friend to sit (and eat) with me and we soaked in the warmth, happiness and joy that the ambience of this place has to offer.

We reached at 1:30 in the afternoon and waited for a table while sitting at the bar. In about 20 odd minutes we were escorted to the terrace. It’s a covered area so even on those rainy days when you feel a bit gloomy the terrace is an extremely inviting and a very much accessible place to cheer yourself up. The menu is extremely diverse offering Mexican, Italian and American cuisine. On the alcohol front they have a huge collection- their Margaritas are called ….no guesses…..Jargaritas!

Now, I had been extremely intrigued by this one dish on their menu that goes by the name of Eggs Kejriwal and we decided to start off with that. The accompaniments were the Banana Caramel Shake and the Butterscotch Macadamia Shake.

Eggs Kejriwal (Rs. 217)

Eggs Kejriwal (Rs. 217) is fried eggs mounted on slices of toast, crowned with cheddar and chopped green chillies sprinkled on top- absolutely loved it. I am one of those “I-love-chilly-and-spicy food” people and this was a simple but an excellent egg preparation. The bread was toasted perfectly and the spicy green chillies added that oomph to the egg and cheese bonding. I was curious to know why the dish is called so and whether there is any connection to the politician (a little far fetched, right?) and so while looking this up on the internet I came across a restaurant review which explains that the dish is named after a local guy of the same name who liked his eggs fried and served on toast with cheese and green chillies. 

(L) Butterscotch Macadamia Shake (R) Banana Caramel Shake (Rs. 156 each)

The drinks were served in jam jars, with 'Jamjar Diner' written on them! The Banana Caramel Shake was heavenly- delicious, smooth, light, perfectly sweetened. And what can I say-I'm a die-hard fan of banana flavoured desserts, shakes, etc.  I thoroughly enjoyed this. The Butterscotch Macadamia Shake was a close second- maybe a little too "nutty" for a few. However, the shakes overall were extremely refreshing.

Chimichurri Grilled Chicken (Rs. 312)

For our mains we decided to go in for the Chimichurri Grilled Chicken (Rs. 312). Chimichurri is an Argentinean sauce made from finely chopped parsley, minced garlic, olive oil, oregano, and white or red wine vinegar. It is famous throughout South America. The Chimichurri Grilled Chicken here is a marinated chicken breast served with 4 herb chimichurri sauce, potato mash and grilled veggies.I don’t know how authentic the chimichurri sauce was, nevertheless, it was good on the taste buds. The tenderness of the chicken breasts however was under a cloud. The grilled veggies were well seasoned, and boy do they know how to mash potatoes! However, overall this was just about an average dish.

Banana Nutella Pancakes (Rs. 217)

Dessert time and we couldn’t help but order the Banana Nutella Pancakes (Rs. 217). I mean seriously, you can't read "Banana Nutella Pancakes" on a menu and look past it. The pancakes were scrumptious. Thick, but not too much- I would say Jamjar achieved that perfect thickness of pancakes, not sad and thin like they lack love and not too thick so that one only tastes the cooked batter and nothing else. A stack of pancakes, coated with oodles of Nutella, and banana slices cozied in the layers- what a divine combination! The Banana Nutella Pancakes will definitely make me come back to this happy place.

Service was first rate. The servers were apologetic for making us wait for a table even though we did not have a reservation. The staff here makes you really feel welcomed and that’s such a good feeling. However, to avoid waiting before you can dig into some gorgeousness, do call them up and book a table.

Will I go there again?-I would love to go to Jamjar Diner again and this time I won’t even think twice about the distance. They have a few more interesting things on their menu such as the Full Monty -2 eggs of your choice, toast, baked beans, chicken sausage, crispy bacon and skillet potato; and the Flower Pot Surprise- gooey brownie, marshmallow, ice-cream and oreo soil (for the all the chocolate lovers). I look forward to going there for dinner next (and maybe trying their tacos) as I hear that at night the place really comes alive. Going by their menu, this place seems like a great visit for any meal be it breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner or even just an early evening cuppa. Also, a great place to go on your first date, my company for the meal told me dreamily!!!

Where is it? 7A & B, Aaraam Nagar 2, Behind Washing Bay, Yari Road, Versova, Andheri West, Mumbai.  Keep a look out for the tiny door! Call 022 33487977. 

Berry Berry Goood!

Mumbai is home to a lot of Parsi/Iranian families and the Parsi/ Iranian culture that you'll find in this city, is distinctively more than anywhere else in the country. Food and cuisine, I believe, is a very integral part of any culture.That being said there are a lot of Parsi/ Iranian cafés in this city where you can go and give your taste buds a twirl of excitement. One such famous place, right in the heart of Ballard Estate, is Britannia & Company Restaurant, aka Britannia Café.

At the first look Britannia Café gives you the feeling of an old regular place - ordinary wooden tables and chairs, no air conditioning- a place which couldn't care less about interiors and decors in today's times- when “ambience” is the selling point of most places. However, one could say that this adds to the old-is-gold charm of this place. I would say it is a relic of Mumbai's colonial era! Having been in business for almost 90 years now (started in 1923; you can read the history of Britannia Café here), this Iranian café is truly one of those legendary eateries that has stayed in the hearts of so many Mumbaikars and continues to win over many more. I had been wanting to go to Britannia for quite a while now and was jubilant when last weekend the plan finally materialized.

We reached the place and were asked to have our names added to the waiting list. There were quite a few people waiting outside the café along with us but thanks to the quick service, we were seated in about 20 minutes. A very old Parsi uncle (I think he was the owner) came and greeted us warmly and took down our order. A little reading up on the Internet tells me that he is usually seen walking around the café and taking orders. I have to say that this personal touch really gives Britannia brownie points.

It goes without saying that we ordered the famed Chicken Berry Pulao (Rs. 450) and Lime Soda (Rs. 100). It took about 5-10 minutes for them to serve us and oh my, were we in for a treat! The Chicken Berry Pulao, is a regular chicken pulao with a surprise of soft chunky pieces of chicken, fried slightly-burnt onions, nuts and the Iranian berries, which I'd like to refer to as the Mysterious Iranian Berries. First bite----- I was in heaven. The tanginess of the Mysterious Iranian Berries, the onions, nuts and chicken gravy blended in so perfectly that my eyes automatically shut so that I could savour the flavours that were in my mouth without any distractions. "This is so good," were the first words that came out of my mouth. But that was just the first bite. This is one of those toothsome dishes that is so delicious, so comforting, and provides a combination of such exciting flavours that I would aptly like to quote Lay's tagline here- "Ek baar khaaoge toh khaate reh jaaoge, no one can eat just one. *ting ting*". Also, rumour has it that these Mysterious Iranian Berries are imported all the way from Iran. Exotic eh? Needless to say, we polished the plate clean.

Chicken Berry Pulao- Rs. 450 a plate

Lime Soda- Rs. 100

The Lime Soda was a good thirst quencher and an ideal accompaniment to the Chicken Berry Pulao.

Caramel Custard- Rs. 120

Next on the list was the caramel custard (Rs. 120). Now, a lot of caramel custard has gone down my gullet, in different eateries and I have even prepared it at home, so this is not something that should have taken my breath away- but it did! The caramel, so perfectly cooked, left a delightful aftertaste in my mouth. Indeed this was one of the best caramel custards I have ever tasted. I experienced an "mmmm" moment!

The service here is quick, as already pointed out. They are very old school about their billing- no card payment, no printed bills. The weather was pleasant at the time we visited, with a little rain here and there, so we didn’t mind the fact that this place was not air conditioned. If planning to visit, please note that they are open only from 11 am to 4 pm and are closed on Sundays.

Will I go here again?- Definitely for the Chicken Berry Pulao and the Caramel Custard. Also to try out the Salli Boti and Mutton Berry Pulao about which I have heard so much. They also had a special menu featuring Persian sweets (something that I might want to try the next time I go there).This place is a total winner in terms of the food that they serve and while writing this piece I have been drooling at the thought of visiting it again.

Where is it? Wakefield House, 11 Sprott Road, 16 Ballard Estate, Fort, call 022 22615264, 022 30225264