Bombay Bliss, Mumbai Majja

People from Delhi have always complained about food in Mumbai. "There is no decent place in Mumbai for dal makhani" or "Mumbai street food sucks", to one of the most common remark, "They put curry patta in everything" and so on.

Since I had never visited Mumbai (That's right! Don't know why people go horror-struck when they hear it) in 26 years of my existence, food wasn't even on my mind. The 5 day vacation over the New Year's Eve was supposed to be a booze-fest and all about daily hangovers. Everything changed the moment I stepped out of the airport. The first stop was the Jumbo King (had to be had). And thus began our days of gastronomical portions and proportions.

For any average Mumbai resident, it won't be a big deal! I know. Nevertheless the raving shouldn't stop especially by someone who had never experienced the city of dreams till now.  

A big thanks to our hosts, they knew what we would like and they knew where to take us. Not a single meal or snack disappointed a BIG Foodie from Delhi like me. We kept on clicking whatever, wherever we could to satisfy our senses later. Some world famous joints, some just a redi-walla, it all added up for a tummy-happy vacation! 

This blog is dedicated to the incredibly crazy food trip. No better way to bring in the new year! Here are a few shots of mind-boggling fare (I am not too sure about the exact names of a few delicacies, because I was busy hogging them). 

Rs. 8 Vada Pao, Jogeshwari Thela

Cheese Masala Pav,  Juhu Beach Chowpatti

Chicken Dum Biryani, Northern Tadka, Mallad

Chicken stuffed in chicken, Northern Tadka, Mallad

Veg Mezze Platter, Bora Bora, Bandra 

Chicken Steak, Bora Bora, Bandra

Veg Twin Pasta with Mashed Potatoes & Mixed Meat Mixed Sauce Pasta, Bora Bora, Bandra

Chicken Stuffed Garlic Bread, Pizza by the Bay

Bacon, ham and chicken Pizza, Pizza by the Bay

Shrimp and chicken Noodles with Prawn Konkani, Janata Restaurant & Bar

Mixed Meat Noodles with Fish in Oyster Sauce and Chicken Arabiatta Pasta @ Buffet, Grand Sarovar Premiere

Lemon Tart & Tiramisu, Theobroma

Red Velvet Cake, Bandra

And of course every trip is incomplete without :)

No Central Perk for Delhi

The Original Central Perk Fixation

Every cafe/restaurant that I have recently visited has an aura of arrogance about it. The ambiance of these places shouts out money and vanity. Money that they will extort from us and vanity that their decor slaps us with. An element of cool, casualness is definitely what goes missing. I do not mind torn upholstery as far as the coffee they serve is easy on my pocket and has a consistent taste every time I visit. Call me the pseudo-intellectual hipster, but I like my cafes shady, shabby and cosy. A coffee house shouldn't just serve some random imported South American coffee in fancy mugs. The waiters shouldn't look at me disapprovingly if I take out a pen and paper to write out my thoughts or give me a cold shoulder if I am wearing my bathroom slippers in their oh-so-swanky restaurant. I need to feel comfortable when I sit there alone or wait for my friends while sipping my cuppa.

Under the ambit of wanting to look and sound cool, let me rant on the kind of new-age cafes we have in Delhi. For me, they are massive blots of colour-blocking, fancy lighting, plastic seating, shiny flooring and the works. Now, I have come across some extremely hipster cafes recently. They are arty, quirky, fun alright, but what goes amiss in most of these places. (Oh of course I will say it!) The Taste, The Quantity, The Price! And it makes me mentally scream at the top of my mental voice "YOU ARE DOING IT WRONG!" (as the meme goes).

I, as a consumer, am greedy. Of course, I would be! It goes from my pocket. I need a place where I can truly relax, call it my second home and not crib about massive holes in my wallet. Why?

Because I need to be IN LOVE with a place to frequent it every single day. Yes, cafes spell romance for me, be it the nostalgia of F.R.I.E.N.D.S. or just the idea of writing a world-famous boy wizard series (Hail, Rowling!) right there in my favourite spot of my regular cafe.

Thanks to the flamboyant attitude and superficiality innately embedded in this city's culture, the emphasis nowadays is on fine dining, expensive pubbing and the dhinchak discos! Various commercial factors of the owners and businessmen across the city are adding to the misery of a handful like me.

Therefore I dejectedly and safely conclude that there would be never be a Central Perk in Delhi.