If you’ve been following me on social media you would have noticed me making a huge spectacle of my birthday week. I love birthdays, more so my birthdays. A week long celebration that includes family, friends, fun, shopping and of course food! Out of all the places I ate out at, here are three I visited for the first time and thought were noteworthy enough to share with you’ll. These three places have been on my ‘Must-Eat-At’ list since a while, and I was glad I got to strike them out. In no specific order, here they are!
I. Bombay Salad Co.
I’ve been dying to visit this place ever since it’s launch because I’ve eaten Chef Karishma Dalal’s food before and I know she’s a maverick when it comes to making healthy food taste good. I’m the last to order salad at a restaurant, let alone celebrate my birthday lunch at a place that serves only salads, multigrain sandwiches, wraps, smoothies, and juices. But here I was, after having heard some wonderful reviews.
The ‘Wow’ Factors: The salad menu is exhaustive with tons of options for vegetarians as well. The items go beyond the basic Ceasar salad et al., and include a number of quirky ingredients you wouldn’t imagine in a salad along with your healthy basics. There’s also a salad bar, to mix and match your ingredients, if customization is your thing. Moderately priced, the salads come in a large or a small bowl, and the server gives you the option of eating it cold or warm.
The Samurai (Rs. 215/- for a small bowl) comes with lettuce, a bed of soba noodles flavored with teriyaki and a soy dressing along with mushrooms, brocolli, peanuts- and was my favorite of the lot. The Protein Overdose (Rs. 215/- for a small bowl) comes with egg white, shredded beef and assorted greens which makes it a must order if you’re a meat lover. Our juices came freshly squeezed and barring any sugar. Our Goan Pork Sausage sandwich (Rs. 295/-) may not be a healthy pick, but upped the ante on the taste front. Ask for their Dark Chocolate sorbet which isn’t on the menu, you’ll be shocked anything healthy can taste that good!
The ‘Ow’ Factors: It’s slim pickings here with nothing to criticize about. The space could have been a tad bit cleaner in my opinion. Also my Coconut – Cashew Milk – Cacao Dates smoothie (Rs. 255/-) tasted delicious but needed to be toned down on the sweetness front.
Would I return to the Bombay Salad Co.? Hands down, yes! Where else will I get wholesome, healthy, delicious salads at this price?
Contact:
2, Ground Floor, Rita Apartments,
Opposite Syndicate Bank, 16th Road,
Off Linking Road, Bandra West, Mumbai.
II. Burger King
I sniggered and laughed at all those who stood in a line on the inaugural day of Burger King in the city. I rolled my eyes at those who pre-booked their whoppers online so that they could eat them first. I know good things come to those who wait, and I patiently waited for a trip to a suburban mall so that I could finally try Burger King in India.
The ‘Wow’ Factors: This is fast food at it’s best. Burger King’s good ol’ classics along with new introductions on the menu that cater to the Indian consumer. Out of these I loved the Chicken Tandoori Grill burger with the chicken perfectly spiced and char grilled. My next favorite was their thick Chocolate Shake, which fares even better than their rival McDonalds. Their Chicken Chilli Cheezos – chicken nuggets with cheese in the center- also make for a delicious snack.
The ‘Ow’ Factors: The Mutton Whopper. There, I said it. I found the whopper to be dry, and the patty far too small for the bread bun it was seated in. The meat was well cooked however, so they get points for that. But nothing like the original beef whopper that BK is so famous for.
Would I return to Burger King? Maybe. If all the shopping in the suburban mall tires me out, and I’m looking for a cheap and cheerful place to grab a bite.
III. Jumjoji
If I had a dollar for everytime someone asked me where to get Parsi food in Bombay, I’d own a private island by now. Most Parsi restaurants are saturated on the other side of the sea link, with very few options in the suburbs. Jumjoji is a fine dine restaurant serving Parsi cuisine which I’ve heard mixed reviews about and been wanting to try.
The ‘Wow Factors: The restaurant is simply done, classy and has a limited menu sticking to the Parsi staples. The dishes come with the cutest names which are really fun to read. Do try their Prawn Berry Pulao which is on their specials menu. The tanginess of the berry gets perfectly offset with the spice in the rice, and this comes with plump prawns, but not as good as Cafe Britannia. I also enjoyed the Patra ni Machi (Rs. 485/-) that had perfectly steamed pomfret topped with the green Parsi chutney that I love! Freni Aunty’s Mutton Dhansak (Rs. 485/-) was a decent attempt at dhansak which may appeal to a novice Parsi food eater.
The ‘Ow’ Factors: Shireen Zagros’s Mutton Kebabs (Rs. 285/-) was far too satly and not worth the price we paid. Ms. Zagros needs to learn how to make kebabs from my granny. The Akuri (Rs.115/-) was average and lacking spice. The Chicken Salli (Rs. 345/-) could have toned down the spice on the other hand. The Lagan nu Custard was lacking the burnt, caramel top that we associate with a wedding custard.
Would I return to Jumjoji? No. Not at that price. I’d spend that money to take a cab to Fort and eat at one of the age old, Parsi establishments there.
Contact:
4, Ankleshwar Building, ONGC Colony,
Near Lilavati Hospital, Reclamation, Bandra West.
(The author dined at all restaurants anonymously and paid for her own meals.)
