Gastronomical Adventures in Mumbai

Hi

We have all come across reviews of eateries / joints and fine dining places time and again. As a reader i always wanted to get more out of the reviews that were posted. Me and my wife both are avid foodies, and like to experiment all cuisines in all sorts of joints right from roadside stalls to the five star hotels (budget permitting  :) ). Before trying out places we used to shortlist the joint through reviews. However i always wanted to know the story behind those reviews. Sometimes when people put their heart into the review and readers like me who are reading them with a grumbling stomach read through them, then you can actually taste the flavours and smell the aromas that the reviewer has been subjected to. It is with this intent that i am putting forth these reviews for everyone's benefit. This list comprises only of places where i have been with my friends and / or family and my the ensuing experience. So people here goes the story........


Jai Hind (Dadar)

Now i would like to clarify once and for all that there are actually 2 Jai Hind Lunch Home's in the same vicinity i.e Dadar and Lower Parel. The one i am referring to is in Dadar opposite Swami Samarth Mall. This place was close to my office and all my friends as well as me have a special love for this joint. We used to horde in groups of 10-15 guys / gals mix and hog on the food that was served. The speciality of this joint is Seafood and non veg. Vegetarians beware..... as this is not the place for you. I cant comment on the veg fare as frankly i have never tasted veg food here. Hey.....my review sounds a lot like the other reviews. So where is the story that i was talking about? Well....here goes....

We are a pack of hardcore non veggies who wanted to find a place for our occasional Friday lunch..(we looked forward to it as a welcome break from our Dabbas. I am myself a hardcore meat and fish fan and the company of distinguished hoggers (i.e my friends) gave me ample opportunities to indulge myself in such delightful sins...(sorry praful, abhishek,manish,chaitanya, nakul,sandeep, ashish......man !!!! the list is getting long.... well in short everyone who accompanied me). We always called up beforehand to ensure that Jai Hind had space to accommodate us. We were always told that there is space, and whenever we reached we had to wait for at least 15 Min's to be accommodated. I don't blame them as we were quite large in number, also the thought of the sinful food helped us, while away those excruciating five min, as we could get the fragrance of the stuff other guys were having around us...hmnnnn. Anyways we always began with the Sol Kadi which was perfect. Not very spicy and not very bland. It got our appetite roaring and then it was time for the kill. Our order always seemed like the menu for a Malvani wedding..   :)  . We are young guys and we love to eat.... Our typical order would consist of :

1) Bombil Fry (4 plates with 2 peices each) (Lots of it.....i still drool at the thought of the scrumptious fish...but  wait...... more about the taste later)
2) Surmai Fry / Surmai Chilly(2 plates with 2 pieces each) (out of this world again, served on a banana leaf)
3) Bheja Fry / Butter Bheja (2 plates each)
4) Sukka Chicken / Liver Fry / Sukka Mutton (1 plate each)
5) prawns Kolivada (4 plates)
6) Kombdi Vade & Neer Dosa (you wouldnt believe the quantities if i told you)
7) and yes ofcourse the Pomphret Fry (2 full fishes)

The helpings of all these dishes are pretty generous and we would ensure that the waiters had to run around to complete our order. Now...for the taste of the food. The Bombil Fry that i have had here is one of the best ever. The batter is not too thick. The meat is succulent and juicy and finally as you put the crispy bombil pieces sprinkled with lemon juice in your mouth....yummmm they just melt. The surmai fry is again delicious with the meat just falling off the bone with one finger to it. Bheja Fry again is a speciality with not a lot of masala and just the right flavouring. You can get the buttery taste of the Bheja along with the blend of spices. The sukka chicken / liver fry and mutton sukka were pretty standard fare which you get in most of the places. The prawns kolivada is again heavenly and you just cant stop at one...:) We usually ordered one additional dish of prawns and Bombil at the end of our meal....:)The neer dosa's are amazing and blend perfectly with the fish curries and meat dishes. Kombdi vades compliment the bheja and chicken sukka perfectly. And finally the pomphret fry is something to just keep talking about. The portion is healthy, not too oily and with the perfect blend of spices. The fried fish retains its character in terms of taste and there is no batter that hides the taste of the amazing pomphret. Finally we used to wrap up our meal with one last dash of Sol Kadhi Bottoms up.(They say its good for digestion and god knows we needed it after the mammoth meal  :)   )

The total hit for such a meal was in the range of 1500 to 2000 bucks which is pretty neat, considering the quantity and portions involved. The cost of the meal worked down to 200-300 rs per head. Also the fish they serve is extremely fresh.

Now the restaurant has just been fully refurbished. But they still serve the same amazing food. The guys there know us by our faces (but of course...how can they forget the hoggers). The few amazing lunches that we have had there are some of the best times i have spent with my friends and colleagues. Hope my review help all you guys to get the story and build your own so that your experience of visiting Jai Hind becomes a memorable one...

So guys if you like this....please post your comments. Also watch out this space for more reviews to follow.