A total foodie (blame it on being a punju), I don't even need an elaborate meal... a sandwich or slice of pizza exhilarates me as much as a multi-course meal at one of my favorite restaurants :) So I'm going to list my ten favorite foods, and where to go get them. And hopefully I'll go indulge myself again soon, because just thinking about this is making me yearn!
Lasagna: The best lasagna I've had in Bombay has to be at Don Giovanni. This used to be at Juhu, but has moved to Atria Mall at Worli. I just hope the Juhu one opens again soon. Their lasagna’s all cheesy and vegetably with the most amazing sauce, and had the most perfect flavors. Mangi Ferra, also at Juhu, comes a close second with their delicately flavored vegetable lasagna. Little Italy's lasagna is good too, loaded with cheese and vegetables. Little Italy is at Juhu, Andheri, and Chembur. Curry Twist at Saki Naka is good too, and even though this is not an Italian restaurant they make a mean lasagna.
Biryani: The best biryani I've ever had at a restaurant has to be the Chole te Aloo di Biryani at Urban Tadka. This biryani will appeal to all your senses, it smells amazing, looks incredible, and tastes divine! Enjoy it with some cool raita, and down it with an icy mocktail or cocktail. You can enjoy Urban Tadka's food and drinks at Andheri and Mulund. I also love the veg and paneer biryani at Sheesha at Bandra and Kanjurmarg. Another place that has delicious biryani, if you can ignore the relative lack of hygiene is Noorani's at Tardeo.
Cheesecake: I know desserts should come last, but I couldn't resist getting this out third! The best cheesecake I've had in Bombay has to be at Cafe Brio. They give you a huge square of blueberry cheesecake with a creamy, cheesy top filled with blueberries and a graham cracker base. The taste and size really leave you satiated. Unfortunately the Brio at Juhu has been replaced by Cafe Coffee Day, but you can visit the ones at Malad, Chembur, or Bandra. Another must-try is the cheesecake at Theobroma, Colaba. It's nice and light and has an amazing graham cracker base.
Sandwiches: When you think sandwiches, you have to think Subway! While the entire Subway chain is pretty much standardized, I still prefer the way the guys at the one at Inorbit Mall, Malad put together a sandwich. I always get plenty of mayo and mint mayo and cheese (let's worry about the calories later)! And I load up on the veggies. You could try the veggie delight, the corn and peas, and the paneer tikka. The Hot Wich chain is pretty good too, but I guess I'm way too loyal to Subway.
Golgappas and Chaat: I'm not one to eat streetfood, it's just not clean. And while everyone is constantly on me with "you don't know what you're missing", I'd rather miss that than ingest who knows what kind of germs. So I'm going to talk about the cleaner, safer places in Bombay (but if you want truly great chaat go to the North). Elco Chaat Centerat Bandra are very clean, and their golgappas and dahi puri chaat are finger-licking good :) Kailash Parbat restaurants and outlets at malls and stores have a yummy chaat platter, so you can try three or four different kinds of chaat. You'll also get delicious chaat at Only Parathas, at Mulund, Andheri, Malad, and other places.
Pizza: If you want great pizza with great ambience, Pizzeria at Marine Drive is the place to go. Their Bombay Masala is simple, delcious, and loaded with cheese! If you opt for Dominoes, try the Mexican Green Wave, or just simply the Double Cheese Margherita. While Dominoes is my favorite, I prefer ordering in, not visiting the outlet. They basically focus on home-delivery and take-away, so the ambience at the pizza parlour is really sad. Pizza Hut'sbready, thick pizza crusts really turn me off. If I go there, it's usually for their Ivory and Ebony dessert. And of course, most Italian restaurants offer pizza baked in wood-burning ovens, like Mangi Ferraand Don Giovanni.
Sizzlers: While most sizzler joints don't have much for vegetarians to choose from, that doesn't stop me. YoKos at Santa Cruz is my top pick for sizzlers, followed closely by Kobes at Andheri. Both places have a Spaghetti and Cheese sizzler, accompanied by delicious french fries or mashed potatoes, and steamed vegetables like carrots, peas, tomatoes, cauliflower, cabbage, and my favorite green, green spinach that tastes so fresh and delicious. If you like paneer, they have a delicious Paneer Shashlik.
Gelato: Amorehas always been my favorite gelato place, and my favorite flavor has to be the blueberry yogurt or the wildberry yogurt. I also love their tiramisu, and all the chocolate flavors. You'll find Amore at Powai and Andheri, and other places. Gelato Gelato has many flavors too and is really good. I think they are the most spread out with outlets everywhere, Andheri, Juhu, Goregaon, Malad, Bandra, Powai, Ghatkopar... Another place I recently discovered is Hokey Pokey at Powai, Mulund, and Andheri. They mix in something with your gelato, like pralines or chocolate chips or whatever catches your fancy from their selection of add-ons.
Crepes: If you want crepes, head to Crepe Station, at Juhu, Malad, or Bandra. When this place first opened, the focus was on healthy food and they had a huge selection of crepes, but it seems to be veering off track now. I wish they would revert to their original menu and include more crepe varieties. I particularly love their Olive and Cheese crepe, which is made with a whole wheat batter and served with french fries and a delicious sauce, a cross between sour cream and tartare. The desert crepes are great too, particularly the Nutella and Banana crepe. Another place you'll get decent crepes are the Crepatariaoutlets springing up in malls like Oberoi Mall at Goregaon.
Donuts: My favorite donut place is the American Donut Shoppe at Irla and Andheri. You have to try their jelly donuts and their simple, yet delicious, dark chocolate donut. Mad Over Donuts, at Oberoi Mall, is newer and just as good. They have a huge range of donuts to choose from, and I've yet to get around to trying them all. Most gourmet bakeries in places like the Orchid, Santa Cruz, and the Marriott, Juhu, have amazing donuts too (not to mention the muffins and pastries and croissants and other yummies).
I could go on and on, but I'll leave you with a list of places to go if you're in the mood for any of these:
onion rings: Bombay Blues
dosas/idlis: Banana Leaf
garlic bread: Little Italy
won tons: Mainland China
brownies: Theobroma
