5 FLAVOURS TO RELISH AT COLABA, MUMBAI

Hungry Kya? Want to grab a bite ? 

When in Colaba, the options are endless. 

From street food delights to Cordon bleu fine delicacies...everything is available here. Given its location and place is the city's history, Colaba is an interesting mix of old and new. This fusion is reflected in the choice of food as well.

Let me share with you, some of my favourite places to relish the flavours of Bombay. In no order of importance, here we go...

Disclaimer: This is my personal opinion and bears not reflection on any external rating. This certainly is not a paid promotion though I wish it was :)

CAFE CHURCHILL

A nondescript door right in the middle of Colaba Causeway. Walk in to the smells of some delicious food and you will want to sit down and order right away. What do I like to do here?

Order my favourite Pallonji soda first.

Play a food word puzzle & sip on my soda while waiting for the food to arrive. 

Admire the interesting decor and watch the adorable senior Parsis who run the place ( was tempted to but did not photograph them)

Finally relish my Fish & Chips. Yummy!

I love the delicious food and quaint ambience of Cafe Churchill

WHERE: East West Court Building, Colaba Causeway opposite Cusrow Baug, Colaba, Mumbai.

OLYMPIA COFFEE HOUSE

Located on Colaba Causeway next to the Colaba Police Station and across the road from Leopold, this place is a must go. This iconic eatery is over a 100 years old and still serves some of the best food. 

I like to sit down and enjoy a cup of tea while I wait for my food to be packed. Kheema Pav is a clear favourite each time.

Taking in the simple ambience whilst waiting.

Don't miss the old fashioned switch panel still being used.

There is a lot more than coffee at Olympia Coffee House and one never gets tired to the flavourful food here. Eating here is a bit of a South Bombay tradition.

WHERE: Rahim Mansion, 1 Shahid Bhagat Singh Marg, Colaba Causeway, Colaba, Mumbai

ALL STIR FRY

Tucked away in a lane between Colaba Causeway and the Gateway of India is the fabulous Asian fine dine restaurant. A part of the Gordon Hotel, this place has an interesting buffet concept. They have a live noodles counter and invite you to customize your own wok. You get to pick and choose the ingredients from a delectable display and the chefs will toss it up for you in a sauce of your choice.

Besides the wok, I loved the Darsaan - crisp honey fried noodles served with vanilla ice cream

Not to forget the fortune cookies. 

All Stir Fry is a great place to dine with family and friends for a relaxing evening. Plush interiors, authentic cuisine certainly makes it a fine dine destination.

WHERE: Gordon House Hotel, 5 Battery Street, Behind Regal Cinema, Apollo Bunder, Colaba, Mumbai.

RAMNATH SNACKS

Now this is a place known to few and relished for its authentic South Indian food. Blink and you will walk past it. A tiny eatery serving up the most delicious food. 

I walk in to order interesting combos. When Vada dives into Sambar and Sheera meets upma. And of course, indulge in Sabudana Vada and coffee.

Although the place is really small, the staff are friendly, the service is quick and the food sumptuous. Checks a lot of boxes, doesn't it?

WHERE: Munira Lodge,opposite Grand Bazar, Shahid Bhagat Singh Marg, Colaba Causeway, Colaba, Mumbai

THEOBROMA

Theobroma lives up to its name in every sense. Theobroma means Food for the Gods and it absolutely is. Leave your calorie counter outside the door when you step in. Be prepared to spoilt for choice by the irresistible items on display. The bread racks are filled with various varieties of breads, baguettes and sandwiches while the dessert display is drool worthy.

You can opt for a snack 

Or if you like me, have a sweet tooth then tuck in to the desserts.

Theobroma is a dessert lover's heaven. It has such irresistible charm that it takes all your will power from ordering one of everything you see.

WHERE: Cusrow Baug, Shahid Bhagat Singh Marg, Colaba Causeway, Colaba, Mumbai

Note: All these visits to the listed eateries were before  Feb 2020 well before COVID 19 changed our lives. 

WHERE I WENT: BYCULLA BYLANES

WHAT I LEARNT

 

Byculla is a one of the oldest neighborhoods in South Mumbai, India. The area is replete with historical places of significance. While in the old days, Byculla was an elite locality boasting of opulent residences, today its main attractions include the Jijamata Udyan zoo and the Dr. Bhau Daji Lad museum.

WHAT I SAW

 

FIRST STOP: MAGEN DAVID SYNAGOGUE

 

My first stop is the Magen David Synagogue. For the uninitiated, a synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer and worship. Built in 1864 by David Sassoon, a leader of Bombay’s Jewish community, this remarkable synagogue is among the few left where prayers are held twice daily. This imposing blue Victorian structure is half camouflaged by trees and a school building on one side but once you walk through the gate, one can’t help but be impressed by the sheer size and beauty of this structure.

Some glimpses of the interior.

ENROUTE: KHADA PARSI STATUE

Sandwiched between 2 flyovers in the area, this statue is a challenge to photograph.

 

The Khada Parsi is the statue of Seth Cursetjee Manockjee a 19th century Parsi businessman-education reformer. This 40 feet tall cast iron monument was erected in his memory in 1860s by his son.

SECOND STOP: REGAL RESTAURANT & BAKERY

 

One of my most favourite things to do is to stop by at quaint cafes and vintage restaurants for a cup of tea and some bun maska. It’s a very “Bombay thing” for me and while I have always enjoyed by hot cup of brew, this is an acquired habit that has the flavours of the city. (I will need a separate post on my love for tea.) So I stopped here at Regal.

 I walk in to the welcoming aroma of puffs and khari fresh out of the oven. They also have a small grocery section and a proud refrigerator with a badge of honour.

I’ll have the usual please, thank you.

 

Does the Godrej Company know this?? A functioning refrigerator that’s 55 years old and still running!!!

ENROUTE: PALACE TALKIES

 

Right next door to Regal Bakery is the Palace Talkies, which is perhaps one of the rare single screen theatres in Mumbai that is still screening films.

THIRD STOP: GLORIA CHURCH.

 

Across the road is my next stop. This is a Church I have seen in many a Hindi film and I’m curious to take a closer look. The Church was closed but I was able to admire the glorious exterior of this huge structure. Gloria Church (Also known in Portuguese as: Nossa Senhora de Gloria) was built in 1911-13 on one of the oldest Roman Catholic church sites in Mumbai.

 

According to the church website, The present Church of Our Lady of Glory which celebrated its centenary in 2013 was built in 1912 and completed in 1913.  Previously the Church stood in Mazagaon for over three centuries.

I would love to revisit when these doors are open and I am able to admire the interiors.

ENROUTE: MUSTAFA TIMBER BAZAR

 

I walk past Mustafa Bazar which is home to more than 100 timber shops and dealers. 

I see wood in all shapes and sizes in the huge yard.

A workman and his tools. 

FOURTH STOP: HASNABAD DARGAH

 

I stop outside the gates of what looks like a huge house of prayer. This has been often called the Taj Mahal of Mumbai so I really wanted to get a closer look.

As I approach the gates, I am stopped by the watchman who tells me that entry is restricted only to a certain sect of the Shia community. However I got lucky as he has to open the gates to let a car drive out and I managed to get a glimpse & a photograph of the Dargah. 

I later learnt that, Hasnabad Dargah or Aga Khan Hassan Ali Shah’s Maqbara, or Mausoleum, is the resting place of the 46th Imam, Aga Khan I, Imam of the Nizari Ismailite sect of Shiite Muslims.

The sun is now up and blazing. I have been walking for the last few hours and I’m tired. I still have a few places on my list but I decide to leave them for later.  As I hop into a Kaali Peeli (taxi cab) to head home, here are some more enroute images of my fun morning in Byculla bylanes.

 

ENROUTE: LIFE IN THE CITY COMMUTES

Every cab has a story and most cabbies are story tellers.

Byculla station

WHAT I LOVED

 

Byculla does not have the touristy crowds of Colaba or the glamour of its SoBo neighbors and is often missing from the must see sights of the city. But there is an unique appeal to the beauty that stands out amidst the clutter. There is history that thrives almost nonchalantly alongside the modern-day chaos. I will return to the bustling bylanes of Byculla to explore more.

Lockdown Life and Lessons

Some observations and lessons learnt in the last 60 odd days when we stayed indoors. 

These are personal observations and do not compare with others. I wanted to pen these thoughts, pause at this point of life and preserve these life lessons for my future self.

For one who is used to travelling and capturing the sights and sounds of the city, this was a new experience. I needed to take a closer look at my life and realign what I thought was "normal"

So when the streets were empty and we are privileged to be safe indoors, 

I learnt to look at the rising sun from my balcony with a heart full of gratitude.

I  learnt to appreciate that I didn't need an exotic location to capture blue skies and cloud scapes

I learnt life lessons from this tree.

I spent more time in my room.

I learnt to appreciate the rest….the bonus free time.

I watched my boys spend time together.

I learnt some of the essential ingredients of Indian cooking and just a dash of this and a handful of that could transform the flavours of a dish.

I rediscovered the joys of comfort food. How the humble curd (yoghurt) and rice gets elevated in status with a garnish.

I learnt patience as I helped my mom make these savoury snacks.

I have learnt that hope shines through the dark clouds of anxiety and despair. And soon this will pass.

I learnt that these are some of most important tools during lockdown. The broom and the shopping trolley.

I rediscovered the happiness of sharing a cup of tea with a loved one.

So, I also learnt that just like my laptop I also need a recharge when my energy levels are low.

I discovered how sometimes the virtual friendships we form are most endearing.

I was reunited with my college mates after 27 years thanks to the virtual world.

I learnt to capture a moon rise.

I learnt to accept the new normal.

The new normal is our safety circle.

The new normal that does not feel normal but certainly is the only normal we know now.

I learnt that, its ok if you have missed the sunrise...it’s not a race...just admire the view.