My Favorite Unrestaurant- Pop Tates

I somehow feel I shouldn't promote my favorite food junctions here, because I dont want them to get all thronged on weekends. But the scrumptious bites of every single thing I relished at Pop Tates cant stop my fingers from appreciating them here (after all I don't wanna be a Namak Haram).

Many reasons why the chain became a smasher in such less time. It's ambiance, it's whole appeal including the menu is so younker- first chain of its kind that focuses on people from 20's to 30's- usually the earning unmarried lot. A complete package of chilled out friendly environment, informal decor, dimmed lights, buzzing but dulcet crowd (specially cos nobody hears your bitches how much ever loud you speak), the perfect place for boozing hard while everybody around is busy on their own tables, just the right menu to go well with your drinks and a check that isn't too hard on your wallet.

There are 7 unrestaurants of the Pop Tates chain in Mumbai, and I've been to 5 of them. So you see how much I trust the name, also how much of a boozer I am... lol.

Must-Haves at Pop Tate's

For the Green Dot Followers-
Bruschetta
Veg Croquettes
My Thai
Lasagne
All Pizzas & Sizzlers

For the Red Dot Enthusiasts-
Blasted Chicken
Lebanese Chicken Wings
Chicken Aglio Olio Pasta
All Pizzas & Sizzlers

Water bombs here & Water bombs there -------- Fried Water Bombs Everywhere

Courtesy: www.dinodia.com

Ever had Bataashe or GupChup in North India or Puchkas whenever you visited Bengal or the Gol Gappas when you'd been to Delhi the last time? Well it's all one and the same- the tangy Pani Puri of Gujarat & Maharashtra, with a slight difference of tartness and spices here and there.

In a Pani Puri, there's a blend of boondi, moong, ragda and potatoe mash, whereas when you move towards the north, there's more of hot stuffing of chickpeas and potatoes again. Being a Mumbaikar, authentic pani puri means 'Pani Puri' to me and not any other variations you find all over India. And I'm sure its the same case with other Mumbaikars, a major reason being a palate built for ice cold Pani which is hard to find in Puchkas or Gol Gappas. (No offense north Indians... Nothing equals your Aloo Tikki Chaat till today.)
This street snack might be a matter of sanitariness for the ones who don't know how to explore the real fun of life. And living in a city like Mumbai, i feel my immunity glands have become unconquerable enough with all the roadside dust, hawker's sweat and the dirt of his nails that I've gulped all my life with extreme delight. But it still continues to remain the most demanded street chaat by my tummy till today.

Be it a pani puri wala bhaiya round the corner of the street or a glove geared stall wala at a wedding party, it is a fun watching people of different ages swig down these huge fried water bombs and the different expressions that come on their faces- "Ummm lovely", "Wooof spicy" or "Ummm how tangy".
















The Best Pani Puri Spots in Mumbai (from what my palates know)-

1. Elco Market Food Corner(Rs. 40 per plate, but there's no comparison)
2. Kailash Parbat (counters at different malls)
   
3. Gurukripa & Jhulelal (Mulund)
   
4. Karachi Sweets (Bandra)
   
5. Tip Top (a chain of stores)

Suggest what's your favorite!!!

Craving for an Authentic Wada Pav !!!

Courtesy: smallpotatoesmakethesteaklookbigger

Mumbai's answer to America's burger, the quickest on-the-go food, the cheapest snack, the most easily available thing to eat in Mumbai and most importantly a bite that no mumbaikar would want to miss. Wada Pav today is no more a 'hawker at the corner of the street' issue. It has got into this huge chain of hygiene business the most hit chains being Jumbo, KunjVihar and Goli.

I remember Kunj Vihar's first shop in Thane, where they sold these huge- almost double the size of Wada Pavs with Lasun chutney, for a mere Rs.5/-. In the past 5-6 years it became a totally different idea with coupons, packed chutney sachets, glove-geared salesmen and what not. But now I miss the authentic Lasun and Batata flavor in these glamorized Wada Pavs. :(

Today when my North-bound relatives come and ask, "Arre ek badhiya Wada Pav khilaao", I am left over in a dilemma of finding a place that has been giving a good Wada Pav consistently. Because in the end I just hate to hear, "Itna accha nahi tha ye, pichhli baar zyada accha khilaya tha na".

Recently I explored two new Wada Pav varieties which I need to give a special mention about.

1. Batata Wada between bread slices- yes it is actually served like that and it tastes really good.
2. Masala Wada Pav- It is almost fried in a lasun/tomatoe/onion masala and you will never opt for a second for a few days after you eat it, as it fluxes in a stream of butter. But we all know that taste and calories always go hand in hand. So neva mind!!!

For the best Wada Pav in Mumbai, I have always heard a lot about Ashok Wada Pav from prabahadevi, Prashant Corner in Dadar, a few from Vile Parle, but my search for a Wada Pav which I can label 'Aamchi Mumbaicha Beshht Wada Pav' still continues.

Sszzzzz... Sssszzzzz.....Sizzlers

The hissing sound is the real essence of this sizzling dish which makes it interesting enough. I have no idea of who formulated this recipe, well actually there's no big of a recipe in a sizzler. I mean who couldn't manage to boil a few veggies, roast some piece of chicken or paneer, pile up a few french fries, add some flavored rice with herbs & sauces and there it is-

Courtesy: www.photolibrary.com

Well, I'm wrong. It just sounds easy. And not many restaurants who serve sizzlers are able to cook it with that much of epicurism and tastefulness. So hey all such simulated restaurateurs, just stop misleading poor sizzler-lovers by even claiming in your menucard that you are a master of this art.

I remember the first time I'd eaten a sizzler, when my college-going brother had all those updates on what restaurant is the 'in thing' these days. He took us to 'The Grill', Thane, a nice elegant place with colorful cartoons of a live party all over the wall. The menu showed tremendous variety of sizzlers in Veg and Non veg. And undoubtedly everything was just sooo good, atleast the ones which we have tried there (actually we've tried everything in the veg). The fun element is that everybody on the next tables get to know that 'OK, they're dinner has arrived' with the loud sizzling sound the dinner makes while it enters.

I recently came to know that this amazing place has shut down, and i have no clue where these guys have opened up now. But now the Sizzler King throne is being taken away by 'Kobe' and 'Yokos', the latter one liked by most of them. Try out the 'Paneer Shasleek' and 'Veg Satellite' which is the best choice for vegetarians, and the non-vegetarians are free to go and discover their own favorites. All I can suggest for them is- Have an Ice Tea along. ;)

The Fun of Hogging at a Farsaan Store

Oh I just love it! My mouth couldn't stop watering as I used to stand in the Farsan store, after my mom asked me to get some hot hot Jalebis on sunday mornings. Huge trays filled with heaps of tempting snacks like

1. Batata Wada
   
2. Bhajia
3. Punjabi Samosa (the regular one)
   
4. Other Samosa
   
5. Jalebi (Orange & Yellow)
   
6. Gathiya
   
7. Patra (green colored aalowadi)
   
8. Khandvi
9. Different types of Dhokla (White being my favorite)
   
10. Khasta Kachori
    
11. Farali Kachori (fried potato balls with sweet coconut filling)
    
12. Pani Puri

I added the ones that came on to my mind. Help me increase the list to its max and make far-famed the farsan walas of Mumbai.