Spice Tree at Hill Rd., Bandra

Eating Joint: Spice Tree
Location: Hill Rd., Bandra (w)
Meal: Lunch

This Monday, I went to visit a friend from New York who is in Mumbai for summer vacation. I was meeting her for lunch at "Spice Tree". Though I had never been to that restaurant but had heard a lot about it. The weather was fantastic, :p with light rain and heavy gusts of winds.

I reached linking road and met her. We were looking for an auto and as expected no one was ready. The one who finally agreed to take us, didn't know the route. So we had to keep asking people on the way. And not to mention again, it was still raining.

At last, we reached the restaurant. Its enterance was very old looking , but the interiors were good. The restaurant was empty, except one table which was occupied. That made me feel dicey about my choice. They had a nice little fish pond, and an outdoor sitting arrangement next to it. We took a table inside coz it was still raining. The guy brought something which looked like a well decorated box and for once I thought if they had reversed the whole eating process by starting with mouth freshener, but it turned out menu card. I went through whole menu three-four times, not reading even a single item in the card, just gazing at it. That was the best menu card I had ever seen.

We started directly with the main course. We looked at the vegeterian options (as I am veggie), but they had lot more non-veg options. We ordered Paneer Tikka Masala, Dal Tadka, Naan and Roti. Dal was thick, with spicy tadka over it. The smell of the tadka was good, may be they had used Heeng. Taste of Dal is still in my mouth. Paneer Tikka was also very good. Paneer was very soft with tomato-onion gravy and green pepper - a perfect treat for taste buds. Although I did not have non-veg but from the taste of what I had, I could say non-veg would be even better at that restaurant. The quantity of the items were good for 3 to 4 people. Roti was good but I didnt like their Naan. I would recommend trying some other bread. By the time we were getting out, the restaurant was full, and I was happy about my choice.

After the nice ambience, tasty food and not to mention decorated menu card of Spice Tree I dont mind that it was still raining when we came outside.

Damage: Bill for two will be more than 500 at this place.

Falafel and Masala Tea at Falafel's, Bandra

Eating Joint: Falafel's
Location: Next to St. Andrew Church, Bandra
Meal: Dinner

Last weekend, me and Manish (my roommate) went to Bandra Crossword in search of latest "Times Food Guide" for Mumbai. We reached crossroad and asked for the 2008 edition of the book and the guy said this issue is not yet released. I was looking for other books and saw 2008 edition of "Times Food Guide" for Delhi, Bangalore and other cities.

I asked him again that there are 2008 editions, so he said only Mumbai one is not released, if you want you can buy Delhi or Bangalore one. I pissed off and thought he might not have in his store.

We went to another store and searched their. We got the same reply. So I left my number with them to let me know as soon as it's available at their store.

We were in Bandra and it was weekend evening, we thought lets spent sometime here only. We were thinking of places where we can enjoy sometime and decided on Bandra Banstand, to get some some fresh air ;) . We tried to catch an auto and as usual when its close by no one gets ready to take you.

Finally, we caught one and the driver was driving very crazy and it seems like he would have hit cars or other autos many a times. In general I don't have any problem with rash driving (as I too am a bad driver) but he was too much. I got scared and asked him to drive slowly and carefully. But that didn't bother him and he keep driving crazy. Finally and fortunately, we reached "Safely".

We got some good eye candy and ate those juicy corns (Bhutta), which I eat at almost every visit to sea face in Mumbai. I just can't resist. While walking along the sea side, we saw a small juice center I can't recall name of it. We went their and found Tomato juice in their menu. I was excited to have this. I started liking it after drinking it on every single visit in domestic flights, when I was in US. The only good thing they offer "free" after water. Whenever I got bored of drinking water I had Tomato juice with black pepper and developed a taste of it.

I asked the guy for Tomato juice with black pepper and without sugar. The guy made an awkward face and said you won't like it without sugar. I smiled, remembering those flight days and said no I drink it like that and love it.

I suddenly started felling like I am back in those flight, the creepy seats, pepsi bottles lying all over (they sold more pepsi bottles than any juice in their menu) and the tomato juice. One sip of juice and I m back in Bandra, even after so much insisting, he added sugar :) .

After all those drinking, we needed to take it out and started walking fast in search of Sulabh, didn't find one but saw a Barista and Cafe Coffee Day and my face light up. I ran towards them just to find no help. Mannu infact asked one of the Barista guy where do you guys go, the guy blushed and left, so did we in search of heaven (it converted from sulabh to heaven in all this time). We didn't find anything, so I suggest its already 11:00 lets go to some restaurant and have dinner. We took rickshaw back to hill road and saw this falafel place. I shouted stop and the rickshaw stopped with in 2 meter. This place is small but has nice seating arrangements for around 20 people.

That day reminded me a lot, about my stay in US. The falafel reminded me of those carts in the New York street (awesome food at minimal price). I used to go very often to these carts even at -20*c during lunch. In the nite, me and my roommate at NY used to go to a Turkish place for having Dal (Lentil Soup) and Falafel. If not satisfied with all this falafels we used to go down to Mcdougal street and have falafel from Mahmoons. The best falafel balls I ever had and at an unbelievable low price, lower than what Mc D's can offer. This place used to be jam packed with all those beautiful girls in short dresses "even at -20*c" :) .

Lets not talk more about that, I can go on for days and days. I saw the menu, lots of choices and choosing one of them was very difficult, but we went for simple choice of original falafel and the guy told me, there was a combo offer (any drink with falafel will cost lower) going on. So I ordered for Ice tea and Mannu ordered Masala Tea. The falafel (can't compared to NY cart and Mahmoons) was very good. The ice tea was not good at all, full of sugar (I hate it), but Masala tea was a good choice, well made and goes very well with falafel. We had dinner and then I get some Tehina sauce packed for me to have it at home. I would like to mention that there is no washroom in this place. I totally forgot about it between good falafel and masala tea. Anyway after those ice tea, I again needed it badly and ran back for home.

Damage: Meal for two would cost around 200-300

Tibb's Frankie at Fountain

Eating Joint: Tibb's Frankie
Location: Fountain, South Mumbai
Meal: Evening Snacks

After that yucky egg frankie at Churchgate station, I was looking for some good frankie place. Finally I found it, I went to Fort for a video conferencing at Reliance Web World and after that I was ramming around for some good food.

I saw a frankie place named Tibb's Frankie and couldn't resist myself from trying it out. I ordered for a veg frankie and it was ok, much better than the Churchgate one.

Damage: Frankies are priced between 20-30.

* Quest for good frankie is still on

Thali at Radheshyam, Lower Parel

Eating Joint: Radheshyam
Location: Lower Parel
Meal: Lunch/Dinner

Today, I am writing about a pure veg. restaurant named Radheshyam at Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel. There is nothing great about this restaurant, but it is one of the places for daily eating.

If you stay or worked around this area and eat outside frequently (as I do), then you should try their thali. Their thali cost Rs 50/60 in Non-Ac/AC section.

Damage: Meal for two people in Radheshyam will cost around 100-200 Rs

*You will feel a stark difference in the service between AC and Non-AC section. I prefer to pay a little higher, but to go at their AC section.

Yucky Frankie at Churchgate Station

Eating Joint: Some Frankie Place
Location: Churchgate Station
Meal: Don't deserve to be Meal

Today, I went to Churchgate for a meeting, after the meeting I was quite hungry looking for some good street meals to satisfy the desires of my stomach and tongue. I didn't find much around and was in a hurry (otherwise would have gone for yummy Chinese Dosa), so came back to Curchgate station for catching the train.

I saw a frankie stall at the entry and mouth was full of water, as its long time since I had frankie. was veg, egg, chicken and mutton frankie option too. But I am an eggeterian so I had to choose from egg and veg frankie. I chose egg frankie and it was so bad that I still had that yuck feeling in my stomach and tongue. I dont even remember the name of the stall.

Damage: Truly a damage of Rs. 20-30 per frankie