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

For the Love of a Fat Man

Fat Man's Café- a cute and cozy café situated in the Bandra reclamation area, near Lilavati Hospital. Quite contrary to its name- Fat Man's- the café is tiny, with a distinctive and vibrant set up of colorful chairs and stools creating a cheerful ambience. You would love the Fat Man's caricatures (placed all over the cafe with apt food quotes). Fat Man's Café had been fairly at the top of my eating bucket list, which is why it is befitting to start off the blog by sharing my experience of this place.

Image from www.chefatlarge.in  

We decided to hit the place for a Sunday brunch- which, thanks to the late night drinking on Saturday, became more of a "lunch" time brunch. We called the café to make a reservation but were informed that they only take reservations for groups of 6 or more and since it was only the 3 of us, we were required to walk in and try our luck. So we reached by 1:30 in the afternoon and found a spot right in the middle of the café- lucky? Definitely! It was a relaxing rainy afternoon to tuck in some comfort food and I was really looking forward to my very first meal at the Fat Man's.

The diverse menu has something to offer to every hungry man/woman/child from 9 in the morning till 12 midnight. However, since we were specifically in the mood for a classic brunch we decided to start off with a Cappuccino (Rs. 125), a Masala Tea (Rs. 125)and a Banana Peanut Butter Shake (Rs. 225). The Cappuccino lacked any froth (weird right?) and tasted quite okay-ish clearly defying the "a-lot-can-happen-over-coffee" rule. (Nothing can happen over that coffee.)The Masala Tea, apart from looking nothing like masala tea, tasted like a tea-bag made version of the drink (Pseudo Masala Tea). However, the Banana Peanut Butter Shake was delightful. With the right amount of sweetness, consistency and a hint of peanut butter, this drink was definitely the winner out of the three and was indeed the savior of the lot.  The Banana Peanut Butter Shake was enjoyed thoroughly, so much so that I had to control the urge to finish it up in big gulps.

Eggs Florentine

For our main course we ordered a portion of the Eggs Florentine (Rs. 205), Eggs Benedict (Rs. 225) and a Beef Cheese Burger (Rs. 375). The egg preparations came with a side of yummy and crisp hash browns. The Eggs Florentine- poached eggs designed with spinach, cheese, and hollandaise sauce on a bed of bread slices- turned out to be a little over-salted (probably owing to the salt content in the sauce, spinach and cheese).

Eggs Benedict

The Eggs Benedict was poached eggs mounted on bread slices with a sliver of ham in the middle and a portion of hollandaise sauce drizzled on top. Now I have always eaten Eggs Benedict that come with an English muffin preparation. This was a little different for my taste. Fat Man could have shown a little more generosity with the hollandaise sauce, specifically around the corners as you literally had to bite all the way to the middle to taste it. But once you got there, the result was a mouthful of yum. However, I have eaten better preparations of Eggs Benedict in the city.

The Beef Cheese Burger was a soft buttered sesame bun with a deliciously well done patty in the center, along with caramelized onions and some sauce. I am not too fond of burgers that come stuffed with a million things as it is almost impossible to take a bite without spilling half of it on the plate. However, hats off to this one! The beef patty was tender, palatable and juicy, and the caramelized onions had me at the first bite! It was difficult to wait and take a picture, hence here is a picture of the half-gobbled champion! :D

Beef Cheese Burger

We were quite full by the end of the main course and decided to call for just one helping of the Classic Pancakes (Rs. 200), a common favourite amongst the 3 of us. The Classic Pancakes were served with bananas and honey on the side, whereas I was expecting "banana pancakes" (bananas stuffed in the pancakes). However, that was probably something that I should have been ready for as the menu reads Classic Pancakes with bananas and not "banana pancakes". My bad!

Classic Pancakes with bananas and honey on the side

As for the service- a little shoddy. We had to call for the server a number of times and ask for plates which they were apparently not too happy providing us with (I wonder why). I am hoping that these are just "teething problems" though I don't know what should be considered a reasonable time-line for teething problems to end, considering they have been in business for a while and it is just a total of 7 tables that they serve at one time. Nevertheless, slightly better management and co-ordination would do wonders to the place. 

Will I go there again?-Only for the Banana Peanut Butter Shake and the Beef Cheese Burger (highly recommended); otherwise only if there is something that I am told is a must try. Sadly, I haven’t fallen in love with the Fat Man (yet).

Where is it? Fat Man’s Café, shop No.9, ONGC Building, next to Candies, Bandra Reclamation, Bandra (W), call 26402053