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.