I’ve eaten a lot of Biryani. And I can safely say that no two Biryanis that you’ll eat from different homes or different restaurants will be the same. Each Biryani comes with its own set of ingredients and spices, that have been mastered over a course of time, after careful trial and error in the kitchen. In fact, my granny does a Parsi Biryani too, even though so many people say there’s nothing like a Parsi Biryani, my granny and I will beg to differ. I really like the India Map below which depicts the Biryani trail, and is the perfect example of how this dish got hybridized everywhere it traveled.

And then there came Biryani360- unlike any other Biryani I’d eaten before. I was introduced to Biryani360 and the concept by the PetPujaris group, as a part of their month-end ‘Kadka’. (More about the group on their Facebook page here.) We were all huddled up at Biryani360’s CEO, owner and passionate Biryani lover Shayan Italia’s home on one sunny Sunday afternoon to hear about his labour of love. I wasn’t aware of Biryani360 at that time, and I refrained from reading up any online reviews, so I went there with a blank slate and an hungry stomach. 

Maharashtra is blessed with the Konkan belt- a sea strip that provides us with just the most picturesque locations and a large variety of sea food. Malwani food is the cuisine that emerges from this Konkan belt in Maharashtra and Goa, which is predominantly non-vegetarian and fish-centric, with a liberal use of coconut, kokum, tamarind, and spices. Malwani food is not for the faint-hearted, it can be quite spicy!

I was recently invited to Pondicherry Cafe, Sofitel, BKC to sample their on-going Malwani food festival. Pondicherry Cafe is the hotel’s 24-hour buffet restaurant, and I love that they jazz up their regular buffets by having occasional food festivals. I previously attended their Vietnamese food fest (read about it here), among other food festivals that I’ve seen happening there frequently. I spent a wonderful evening dining there, and enjoying the Konkan fare on offer. Here are my top 5 reasons to dine at the Malwan food festival:

1. Ghar Ka Khana: 

The first thing that struck me, when I walked around the buffet spread was now simple and homely the food looked. It was exactly like something you’d eat at a Maharashtrian friend or neighbour’s home. There was Phodniche Varan-Bhaat which is a traditional Maharashtrian dal-rice combination, a staple food at most homes. Then came Bajri Chi Bhakri- a small roti made with Bajra and topped with desi ghee. At one point my plate was filled with rice, dal, bhakri, achar, mutton, and it resembled something that would’ve been eaten in a rural home in a village in Maharashtra. There was Besan ke laddoo for dessert, though I would’ve liked to have something a bit more complex. Nevertheless, homely food made with the heart!

2. Ghar Ke Cooks: 

The most exciting part of my entire experience was getting to meet housewives Mrs. Prathishta Armarkar and Mrs. Praja Patil – the Malwani cuisine specialists. They’re both home chefs, and ocassionally cater Malwan cuisine from their homes. The entire week long festivities have menus designed by them and food cooked by them along with the restaurant’s chef Vividh Patil. That explains why the entire feel and taste of the food was so homely- because, housewives and mothers were the chefs here! I applaud Sofitel for giving them an opportunity to showcase their talent and give them the experience of working in a high end kitchen.

3. Malwan Mood: 

The entire restaurant had a Konkan feel to it, with the staff dressed in traditional saris and kurtas to the serving containers for the buffet. I loved the earthen pots the food was served in. I also loved the traditional ‘bannis’ in which the pickles were served. There was a large variety of pickles on offer, most of which were home-made. I enjoyed the tart, and spicy chicken pickle the most.

4. Meat Lover’s Haven: 

Malwani food is known for its fish and meat based dishes. The food fest had some spicy and well made Mutton Sukka that fell right off the bone. The Modakachi Kadi- Indian silver sardines simmered in a coconut gravy- was a traditional fish curry with a strong, spicy taste. The Chicken Sagoti which demonstrated the Goan-Malwan influence was a well seasoned, thick gravy that went well with bhakris. I then ate some delicious Surmai Fry that came hot off the pan onto my table. The only damp squib was the Jinga Biryani- bland and lacklustre.

5. The Veg Attempt: 

I was extremely curious to see what the vegetarian food on offer would be, if there was any vegetarian food to offer. My friend accompanying me was a vegetarian, and she really did enjoy all that she ate. Right from the Varan- Bhaat to the vegetable dishes such as Gobhi Vatana and Vala Chi Bhaji which all had coconut and typical Malwan masala in them. She did not care for the Lal Math (Red Spinach) and Tondli Chana Sabzi (Tendli and Chana Dal), and neither would I if I was given tendli to eat in a buffet.

The only vegetarian dish of the night that I tried and enjoyed, was the Neer Fansache Kaap or jackfruit fritters. (Can you blame me with all the meat options out there?) I usually steer clear of jackfruit because of its pungent smell, and haven’t really eaten much of the fruit. This dish I enjoyed- thin slices of the fruit, coated, seasoned, deep fried, and topped with spices. An absolute winner of a dish!

Budget Bites: 

The buffet is priced at Rs. 2100 + tax and also includes some Oriental and Mughlai spread along with the Malwan food. I found it a bit on the pricier side since the food is extremely homely and simple, and there may be many other places in the city where you’d get a meal such for a lesser price. Especially true if you’re a vegetarian. It’s a good idea for those who want to enjoy such food in a five-star ambiance and also want other fall-back options in the buffet. I noticed a couple of expats there that night, adventurously trying the Malwan food out, and I felt proud. Jai Maharashtra! Jai Hind!

Contact: 
Sofitel Hotel,
C 57, Bandra Kurla Complex,
Bandra East, Mumbai.

Malwani Food Festival is on from the 11th to the 20th of October.

I remember saving up my pocket money in school to dine at the newly opened Barbeque Nation in Bandra, just minutes away from my home. The concept of a live grill on your table and an all-you-can-eat buffet enthralled me back then. Subsequently, many family dinners and birthdays were celebrated at the same venue. Sadly, the Bandra outlet of one of the city’s most successful buffet options recently shut shop. I hadn’t visited the restaurant in years, due to an influx of many other restaurants around that area, and I was sad that I couldn’t eat my last meal there before they closed. Around the very same time Harsh aka MumbaiFoodLover invited me to go try the Barbeque Nation outlet in Atria Mall, Worli with him one night, and I jumped!

The occasion was the arrival of UK’s Curry King- Pat Chapman to the city and the introduction of 14 new barbeque marinades for the grills. The marinades incorporate distinct flavours around the world, and are supposed to take you on a world tour through your plate. I googled Pat Chapman while doing research for this article and I was pleasantly surprised. He is a chef of English origin who is known world over as the ‘Curry King’ because of his profound knowledge and expertise in Indian food. 

Atria Mall bore a deserted look that night, but Barbeque Nation tucked away in a little corner of the mall was buzzing. The entire restaurant was done up in flags of different countries giving it a festive feel.  I was thrilled to see them open up the grill on my table, and it brought back a flood of memories.  We started off with Worcestershire Mushrooms, flavoured with the traditional English sauce.

Gosh, I’m eating around at so many different places, it gets difficult to do an individual blog post about each one of them. But then again, I want to share my foodie experiences with you’ll. Hence, the idea for this post. Read on for the (food) week that was!

I. Five Fat Monks, Bandra

This place has been on my radar ever since I heard positive reviews about their Ghatkopar branch. They’ve made the move to Bandra recently, so yours truly decided to go check it out. This is a quick-service Asian restaurant serving up soups, appetizers, rice, noodles and what I was most excited about: DIY stir-fry woks. The entire space is done in a contrasting white and orange palette, and has a geometric influence.