Bombay Food Truck, Mumbai

Bombay Food Truck, BKC

YAY! Food Truck! Finalllllyyyy...! I have had a string of  misfortune with this place. or vehicle, I guess. The first time I wanted to try this out, they had yet to set up at the event due to some exigencies and it would take up 2 extra hours or so. The next time, some thing similar. Then it was at the location on Day 2 and not Day 1, which meant I missed it. Though I have had the Butter Chicken Fries from their other venture Poutinewalla. I had almost thought maybe it's not meant to be, till my BIRTHDAY!! 

This place operates from BKC and is parked in one of the many business parks here and you will find it operational only till 7.30, Monday to Friday. I happen to live in the vicinity and yet I have never been able to try it out. The concept of hanging by a truck seemed interesting to me as you mostly see this in the West and we are not very acquainted with the concept here. Hence, it added to the intrigue to for me. 

Their food is actually what caught my fancy because it is all about the food after all, ain't it?! Even though you will find fusion food everywhere, there seems to be an authenticity in the food here where in the local flavors are returned and well baanced with the fusion. It gives you the feeling that you are having not one but two variety of dish in one! Such is their Bombay Dog. We ordered the Bombay Dog which is a Hot Dog but infused with Keema Pav. Basically the bread roll used is smeared with Keema (One of the best keema or minced meat masala I have had till date) and then topped with your chicken frank, then it has your sour cream sauce and all, and mustard if you please. The First bite and I knew the wait was worth it. And that I wasn't wrong in wanting to try this out. I am smitten, if that's possible. I wanted to have their actual Keema Pav as well, but they change their menu every month, and it wasn't on this month. Then I wanted to have the Hummus because it's my Go-To meal, but my friend wasn't so keen on it. Hummus, some times is an acquires taste and she doesn't enjoy it all that much. So, in the end we ordered the Nachos. Huge fan of Nachos that I am, I sometimes feel after a while it gets soggy and the chips lose their crunchiness and that's when I lose my appetite for it as well. I like all my food to have crunch, even bread at times . However, it was how good nachos should be otherwise. And my friend finished 70% of it and the other was my contribution. 

We also had two lemonades and it was pretty refreshing. I would recommend having 2-3 more options at least in the refreshment category. 

WHAT WE HAD - Bombay Dog (Yumness Personified)

                           Nachos with House made Salsa (Yumness)

                           Lemonade/ Fresh Lime Water (Refreshing)

DAMAGES - Rs 470 (Approx)

WHERE - Bombay Food Truck., One BKC, G Block, Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai (Monday to Friday)

For Weekend Updates, follow them on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/foodtruckbombay/?hl=en

Busago, Mumbai

Busago, BKC

I have a love-not like (hate is too strong a word, and for food? Never ) with Pan Asian Cuisine, some of it I absolutely love and some of it is I just can't manage to stuff down my throat. I guess, it's about development of taste buds and what you are and aren't used to. If it is a little too authentic with clear broths, or has no spices what so ever, then I can't eat it. If it has some hint of spices whether it is the use of coconut, coconut milk or tangy Chinese style sauces, I will devour it. Like is the case of Lemon Leaf, I was fascinated with it for a long time but when I finally did try the food there, not my cup of tea. But that doesn't mean the food was bad, I could tell it was qualitative, just not suitable for my taste buds. And hence, even though I had been pay visit to this place, I always had second thoughts but like always I made it! Der aaye, durust aaye! 

This place is pretty near by to home and hence became a lunch spot for catch up session with a dear friend who worked in the vicinity and I having an off. I was almost doubtful if even she would like it. It's a small joint, so expect it to be full, but you will find a table just as quickly. Basic interiors but I loved the little wall hangings. Quirky. Simplicity some times works wonders.

You will find the staff to be very pleasant and accommodating. However, be prepared for a good wait when you place your orders. We had wanted to try the baos as my friend hadn't had it before but it was unavailable on the day and they didn't have many options in the Appetizers section and hence, we were left no choice but to order the Tibetan Momos. But turned out to be a blessing in disguise, because these were definitely the best I have had yet. It looked so delicate, I had thought it would break apart if you so much touch it but not so much. It was made of stronger stuff and even beautiful flavors. Then for the mains we ordered the Cambodian Chicken Curry and from their Specials menu - Spicy Prawns Curry. Both were served with steamed rice on the side and were delectable. The Cambodian curry had made use of coconut milk and seemed a little borrowed from Thai food or at least the Thai food I have had before. If I had to choose my pick between the two, even though it's pretty darn difficult, i would go for the Cambodian curry, it makes your heart warm. However, there is one thing that takes away from it, is the chicken pieces used. We only ate the veggies from the curry and avoided the chicken pieces as it seemed under cooked. Way under cooked. I am thinking this was an honest mistake because the same was not the case with either the momos or the prawns. The Prawns were perfectly cooked and very spicy. So spicy it will make smoke come out of your ears. Probably why steamed rice works best in combination with it. My friend though favored the Prawns dish over the curry. Though we both loved all the items as such, but don't we all have our preferences. For the dessert we went for the Flour-less Chocolate cake  because I needed some chocolate in my life right then and it was so good that if I wasn't full already, I would have wanted to order another one. Dark dark chocolate, melted away, and oozing with chocolaty goodness. I was truly in heaven. If all chocolate cake tasted like that, it would give tough competition to my obsession with Cheese cakes.

Also, this place won't pinch your pockets. What more reason do you need?! I would definitely be paying more visits to this one.

WHAT WE HAD  - Tibetian Momos (Heaven)

                            Cambodian Chicken Curry (Yumness minus the chicken)

                            Spicy Prawns Curry (Yumness)

                            Flourless Chocolate Cake (Heaven)

                            Peach Iced Teas (Refreshing)

DAMAGES - Rs 1200/- (Approx)

WHERE - Ground Floor, FIFC Building, Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai

                            

Soda Bottle Openerwala, Mumbai

Soda Bottle Openerwala, BKC

 

 

You know when nothing else is going write in your life, there is one small thing that you are fond and that you can control. For me that's food. Through the roughest of times, this is  one thing that gives me instant happiness. At first bite. This is also why I am a little particular about it and want it to go exactly how I had imagined. Alas, it doesn't always work out that way. But some times even that is a good thing, you get to have something better!

 

One of such times and the only thing that I was looking forward to was a good hearty breakfast from Mc Donalds. Imagine my annoyance when I reach the destination, only to be told Mc Donalds will remain closed for today. I wanted to scream at the person, do you know how much this meant for me?? I mean I hadn't asked for something huge, and this was a Saturday to top it. Meaning, rush everywhere and by time I find another place, it would be past breakfast hour.  And there was more than this emotion icon happening. We hopped from one place to another and had almost given up because guess what? It was lunch hour and everything in the area was jam packed. The only reason we got into Sodabottle Openerwala also was because well we were early or rather the first few to step in for lunch. Else, good luck finding a place here as well.

 

Though, this place has always been on my list, the visit always gets canceled as well, it's literally always house full. This place feels right out of the movies from the 60s. The décor is classy yet retro. They also happen to have a juke box which actually works! What else do you want?!! You will also find the family tree on the wall which looks pretty interesting. Over all, a place that is charming and almost like the place itself is romancing you. *sigh*

 

The service is alright and it can some times be a struggle to grab the attention of the attending staff, especially if you happen to be sitting in one of the corners. But otherwise it's smooth sailing.

 

So is the food as amazing as you read it to be? Hell, Yeah!  For appetizers, we went for the Chicken Baida Roti and Spicy Mushroom on Khari. My mouth still waters thinking about it. The Chicken Baida Roti is literally the best version I have had. Each morsel is a bite of heaven. The minced Keema filling is thick and not just for namesake, which is just the case in a lot of places. Truly the kind of food, your Grandma would make. The warmth reaches your soul. If any type of food makes you feel this way, you know there is nothing quite like it. The spicy Mushroom is creamy cheesy mushroom topped on the khari that is available in probably in all local bakeries and is quite the Mumbai thing to have. Also my favorite. Though I have always had it at tea time with a cup of chai. This is a unique way of having it, and has inspired me to try some utpatanga combinations at home too.  The last and the final dish that we had and the show stopper of the day, the Berry Pulav. The Berry Pulav made me forget the Biryani of my home, almost. And that never happens. I always always have to say this "But you know what? I bet mere ghar ki Biryani isse zyada acchi hai". And here, I was not having uttered a word, just lost in the taste and flavors. No stinginess shown in the mutton pieces used in the meal, one of the softest and most succulent pieces of meat that it melts in your mouth, the gravy to rice ratio just perfect, mix dried berries which elevated and compliments the dish in  just another way. I always say this, there is no body who cooks up a storm like Mommy Dearest. But I would want to tell Mommy Dearest, that I think I have found a new favorite Pulav dish. Sorry. In fact reading this, I think I want to order it in or have it again. Soonish, that too.

 

I also gave a try to the Raspberry Soda which is another iconic parsi item to be checked off your bucket list. These guys add real raspberry and not the crushed kind. The perfect balance of sweet and sour, it looks also so pretty! Yes, that matters.

 

Everywhere you go, you will read rave reviews of this place. Can a place really be that good? Well, I was finally here to find out and let's just say this is easily one of the best meals I have had in the recent past and actually probably Top 5, though I haven't really made a list.

 

WHAT WE HAD - Chicken Baida Roti (Heaven)

                           Spicy Mushroom on Khari (Yumness)

                           Chicken Berry Pulao (Drooling', Dreamin')

                           Raspberry Soda (Yumnes Personified)

                           Limbu Soda

 

DAMAGES - Rs 1700/- (Approx)

 

WHERE - Soda Bottle Openerwala Mumbai.Ground Floor, The Capital Building, G Block, Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai
 

Wok Express, Mumbai

WOK EXPRESS, BKC

This was a chance taken by me fueled by my sister's good review and for the fact that every other food blogger seems to be advertising it, but some times, just some times, you need to go with your gut feeling and not listen to food bloggers, me included! (Though, I am yet to be a real blogger, whatever that means!). We all have different preferences and some times what I say or some one else says might not be right for. It is kind of like life we live and the choices we make in them! To each his own. Getting philosophical here, aren't we??!!

Well, since the place seemed to be everywhere I looked, I finally decided to give it a shot. Pan Asian Cuisine is the new thing that everyone seems to be doing. Their new outlet opened in BKC, very close to home and convenient too. Hence, one fine evening, me, my darling sister and my dearest friend stepped in here to satiate our taste buds and fill our stomachs. It is more or less designed as a fast food chain. So nothing fancy in decor or otherwise, the basics, but clean and neat place. So that's good enough for the category it falls in.

Their service is quick, their order placement is on the lines of a subway - choose your protein, choose your veggies and the sauces, all laid in front of you and put in a box and handed over to the kitchen to shake it up (cook it as well). Kinda neat that way. Swift and smooth. It is either picked up from the counter or some times they even go beyond the call of duty and actually serve you at your table. Sweet that way.

The food is where I how ever was not completely impressed. As I have said there are many Asian cuisine restaurants setting shop, so you have many to compare with and some times at a lower price range as well. We had ordered a bao - chili basil chicken and I am going to outright say that I was not a big fan. It was loaded with spices and not the one that makes your tongue burn, just too much masala which is very different from the ones I have tried before. From the Woks, I had the Prawns with Teriyaki Sauce, and my friends had Hot Crispy Garlic and Khow Sey. In order of preference, Khow Sey wins. Khow Sey is the dish that would pull me to this place the next time. The balance of the flavors was great. Also, maybe that it is not generally seen on other pan asian wok restaurants. However, the strange thing was that it was little on the spicier side, and this time I mean the hot chili types spicy. You will not feel it while having, but it hits you after you have swallowed a spoon. I didn't mind it being a little on the spicier side. However, I am unaware if Khow Sey is supposed to be on the spicy side. The Teriyaki was fine, it wasn't the best I have had, and the tanginess that I at least associate with teriyaki was missing. The Hot crispy garlic was way too spicy for my taste buds but my friend said it was fine, but then this your regular hot-sweet-spicy garlic, so if you are a fan, Go Ahead! We had also ordered two drinks - Peach Iced Tea & Minty Mojito which are both bubble teas. This is where they actually win my heart. I think I am a little obsessed with bubble teas at the moment, so maybe that could be it but these are freshly brewed and packaged and served. You could take it as a "TO GO" which you can't in many places and priced at just Rs 90/- they are something I would definitely think of picking up. 

Also, they give you complimentary fortune cookies! I think you would want to try this place out even for those if like me, these little perks attract you. It's an add on to the experience after all. Their fortune cookies taste amazing though don't say anything on your fortune.

WHAT WE HAD - Chili Basil Chicken Bao (Not my Cup of Tea)

                           Burmese Khow Sey (Yumminess)

                           Teriyaki Wok (Yum)

                           Hot Crispy Garlic Wok (Average)

                           Minty Mojito (Yum!)

                           Peach Iced Tea (Bubble Tea - Yum!)

DAMAGES - Rs 1100/- Approx

WHERE -  Wok Express, Ground Floor, Shop 1, Urban Plaza, Plot C-5, GN Block, BKC, MUMBAI

Le Pain Quotiden, Mumbai

Le Pain Quotiden, BKC

Checking off from my Check list. Hip Hip Hurrah. the little joys I get from striking off a name from my list. This place was specially selected for my sister's farewell dinner, a dinner date with just her and me because it would be a long time for when I see her next. I am just a wee bit on the homesickness mode right now. *Sigh*. Also, a huge thank you to @mumbaifoodie for making this a reality. Can you believe my luck in this particular case? I had wanted to visit this place and Mumbai Foodie was completing its 100k week and they several competitions and I WON! This is huge for me. I have never won anything ever in my life when it comes to winning freebies that is, no raffles draws, not ever got lucky on this scratch stickers, and the list can go and on. So yes, Thanks to them I didn't have to worry all the much about paying the bill.

I will quote here what I had written in my description of the place in the aforementioned competition - "*sigh* is the reflex reaction when you think or utter LPQ. An evening here reminds one of the countryside somewhere far on the outskirts of old england. Somewhere where romance can be spun, of horses and royal princes. Somewhere you can feel old english novels come to life of the likes of Jane Austen. It is beautiful how any building, apartment or in this case a restaurant stir such feelings inside. But then this is the charm of places like these. Where if nothing then for an evening time stands still as you sip your wine overseeing the city that otherwise doesnt seem to stop. LPQ is this and much more " This was only looking in from the outside as I had never been here otherwise. My statement was re-validated when I finally stepped in here. It was indeed exactly as to how I had described it and seen it as and has even more impact in person. The backdrop of the location with the Fountains on the other side of the glass in the complex that it is situated takes the experience a notch higher.

The service was just about average, where you will not find the wait staff to meet and greet you but its passive. So I will jump to the food. For starters we ordered the Glocal Platter priced at around 650 bucks. Honestly, for the price that they charge, I really can-not say that it had worth. 2 pieces of assorted kebabs - Prawns, Lamb, Chicken etc. Quantity wise as well as quality. The kebabs as a whole should have been more juicier and felt more to be dry. The quantity I am comparing to the main courses which are also priced in the similar range and the portions are bigger and more filling. I know that starters are not meant to fill you, but if they are as heavily priced as this, you just expect more. I had ordered the iced tea which is my staple drink by now and it was good enough. For the main course we ordered for the Chicken Stroganoff which is served in a bread bowl (which is why I ordered it actually :P) and Seared Basil Chicken with Mushroom Risotto. The Stroganoff was creamy and was food for the sould. I have heard soup in a bread bowl before but the bread was unbreakable there and I had assumed you can't really eat the bread bowl. I realized here that you can if you wish to do so. The bread was soft and might I add tasty even. They has served herb rice and assorted breads as well, so over all it is a heavy dish and worth every penny spent. Frankly speaking, I wasn't a big fan of the seared basil chicken. My sister however was. Grilled fillets of chicken lying on top of mushroom risotto and surrounded by pesto sauce. If you are a fan of pesto, then you are welcome to order it. I however am not a huge fan of pesto. My sister is not a chicken-atarian and prefers to have less quantity hence she was overwhelmed with the fillets, as they are 2 huge pieces. But this is just her. To anyone else, it makes the whole dish worth it. She was a huge fan of the risotto. For Dessert, we ordered the cheesecake. The cheese cake was good. However, the cream cheese seemed to have been used with caution as it seemed on the lesser side and what is a cheese cake if not cheese?!! 

I don't know how most people react to this and I even understand that my meal was indirectly cost free as I had kind of won the voucher. But it still some where irks me that on a meal that cost me 2200/- Rs otherwise cost me 3000 Rs because the rest of it goes in taxes. That is 35-40% as taxes. Do you see what is wrong here? I just felt what-the-bloody-hell??!! I had had a good experience up until this point. This might not stop me from visiting restaurants but I just think and believe that restaurants need to figure this out to keep their taxes to 20% at the very most.

WHAT WE HAD - The Glocal Platter (Average for the Price Paid)

                           Chicken Stroganoff (Yum!)

                           Seared Basil Chicken (Yum if you like Pesto)

                           Cherry Cheese cake (Yum!)

DAMAGES - Rs 3000/- (Approx)

WHERE -  Le Pain Quotidien., 3, Maker Maxity, Bandra Kurla Complex, MUMBAI