It felt like the month of March would never end. If an Ashutosh Gowariker movie was a month, it would be March. But all these never ending days, meant one thing. It meant a lot of food was eaten, some of which I blogged about previously. (Read about Pradeep Gomantak Bhojnalaya here. Also read about two new bar launches that happened last month here.) A few have made the cut and are featured on my March Food Favourites list. Read on!
1. If you’re looking for a South East Asian foodcation – Shizusan Shophouse and Bar, Lower Parel
When every third restaurant in the city doles out Pan Asian food, what do you do to stand out? You make your dishes the star, you let your food sing without any gimmicks – which is exactly what Shizusan Shophouse and Bar does. The entire three storeyed space is modelled on the concept of a South East Asian shophouse – a traditional business cum residential building. The decor has intricate Asian elements without being garish, and made me fall in love with the space the minute I walked in.
The menu is extensive, pictorial and elaborates on the history and ingredients behind each dish. The average food aficionado can spend an hour reading the menu, educating themselves, which is exactly what I did! Fill yourself up on their dimsums, baos, and sushi selection – each one better than the next. Their Lobster Moneybags steamed dimsums had the perfect outer casing without being too rubbery or disintegrating too easily, with a lobster filling that was seasoned just right. The baos are pillowy soft that make you want to take them back to bed with you, stuffed with meats like Peking Duck and Pork Belly that represent South East Asian cuisine perfectly. With four dimsums to a basket and two baos to a plate, you only wish there was more.
Everything on their menu right from the tapas to mains to their desserts highlight dishes that are native to SEA culinary heritage, painstakingly put together by Chef Paul Kinny. Here you’ll find the Chilli Crab from Singapore, the Malay-Thai Massaman Curry, a Korean Gochujang Buri Bop, Adobo Braised Pork Belly from the Phillipines, a Bread Pudding made from the famous Singaporean Kaya Jam, the Hong Kong Egg Custard Tart…we could go on! They also do a Milo Milkshake, which I drank copious amounts of during my time in Singapore. Go on a little foodcation with Shizusan, and explore the cusine of South East Asia. Highly recommended!
Shizusan Shophouse and Bar, Skyzone, Ground Floor, Near Lifestyle Gate, High Street Phoenix Mall, Lower Parel, Mumbai.
2. If you want to give back to your body – Bombucha
Kombucha is a healthy priobiotic drink also known as ancient China’s youth elixir. This fermented tea contains live culture of priobiotic bacteria and enzymes that aid in digestion, metabolism and promote the healthy way of life. The process of brewing Kombucha – ferment tea using a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast – may be simple but is a fairly slow and laborious process. Here is where Bombucha comes to the rescue, delivering freshly brewed Kombucha in different flavours to your doorstep.
The Kombucha from Bombucha was far more delicious than I expected it to be. Each flavour I tried right from the Apple Spice to Date and Chamomile tasted refreshingly fresh with the intended fruity flavour coming through. The Bombucha bottles took on a life of their own in our fridge, with the drink taking on a different taste and getting fizzier as it continued to ferment. I could feel my body say a silent ‘Thank You’ from within.
Contact 07400081781 for delivery. Delivery radius across western suburbs. Delivery charge extra. Rs 200 for a single bottle of Bombucha.
3. If you’re a (Rock and) Roll fan – Kathi Kabab Roll, Lower Parel
Your first bite of the kathi roll from Kathi Kabab Roll makes you forget any other roll you’ve eaten from any commercially run QSR that churns out average renditions of this snack. This may have been the best Kathi Kabab roll I’ve tasted in the city! Of course, cynics are going to compare and contrast with the Kathi rolls of Kolkata but I’m going to steer clear of that controversy here.
Kathi Kabab Roll is located in a small shanty under Lower Parel flyover, diagonally opposite the back entrance of High Street Phoenix, and sells what else but Kathi Kabab Rolls. And rolls in every variety fathomable. Choose from the conventional Kolkata roll, Teekha roll, mayo roll if you’re not in the mood to experiment. And if you’re feeling a tad bit adventurous they have Burnt Garlic Mayo, Mango Jalapeno and Chocolate variants as well. Plenty of options for the vegetarians too!
We were feeling quite gutsy, so we ordered the Burnt Garlic Mayo and the Mango Jalapeno rolls – both chicken. The rolls were encased in the flakiest paratha which didn’t turn rubbery even when we took our own sweet time devouring them. The Burnt Garlic Mayo came with a hint of garlic and a smokey aftertaste whereas the Mango Jalapeno was a bit on the sweeter side with both ingredients shining through. Strongly recommend Kathi Kabab Roll in Lower Parel for when you want to fill your stomach without burning a hole in your pocket.
Kathi Kabab Roll, 1, Bara Building, Opposite Phoenix Mall, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel, Mumbai
4. If you want to eat some old school ice cream – IcekreamSkee, Juhu
There’s nothing like old school, creamy ice cream that makes you feel like you’re a child again. Give me that over the gelatos and yogurts any day! Icekreamskee delivers just that….comfort and childhood in a bowl!
The icecream here is something that your mother or next door aunty would churn at home. Which is true because the ice creams are hand made by Asha Thakur – a home maker and mother – which ensures that they taste of love. We tried two flavours last night – Chai Biskoot and Chilli Guava. Both ice creams were spot on in terms of texture – creamy and smooth consistency without any ice crystals within. The flavours too were uniform throughout the entire bowl. Reminded me of the ‘sancha’ style of hand churned ice creams I’ve eaten and grown to love.
The Chai Biskoot is exactly what the name says. With every bite you feel you’re sipping a cup of refreshing masala chai. The occasional piece of biscuit within provides an interesting textural bite. The Chilli Guava tastes just like that childhood snack of ‘peru’ dusted with red chilli powder that we’ve grown up on. Refreshing and nostalgic!
IcekreamSkee, B801, Parimal Apartments, Gulmohar Road, Off Juhu Lane, Juhu, Mumbai. Contact – +91 9321129029.
Delivery radius across Mumbai. Delivery charge extra.
(The author dined anonymously and paid for her own meals at IcecreamSkee and Kathi Kabab Roll. The author was invited to review Shizusan and Bombucha. As always, the views are unbiased and her own.)
