Located in the heart of South Bombay, The Bombay Havelli is the new place of worship for those like me who believe that food is divine. This place is a vegetarian’s delight and an opportunity for the die-hard meat lovers to experience an unexplored part of the food culture. The place rates high on ambience as they have taken the extra effort to actually provide the Havelli ambience. The minutest of the details have been incorporated to make you feel like a king.
Now, coming to the royal feast that we savoured at TBH.
The Sidhu in the the menu told us to “Ho Ja Shuru” with the starters.
1. Global Platter – We opted for this to be able to try the various offerings at once. A mix of Indian and Overseas appetizers arrived in style. Cheesy Parmesan Potatoes and Beiruti Hummus with Zatar Pita formed the overseas part whereas Indian offerings of Patra, Coconut Pattice, Rajwadi Dhokli and Cheese Tukdi completed the platter. While each dish is unique in its own way, they complement each other brilliantly to combine into the platter. The Rajwadi Dhokli, Cheese Tukdi and the Parmesan Potatoes were the top must-try dishes for me from the platter.
2. Kolokithi – We wanted to try something that is not found at other restaurants. Someone raised the question, “What is this Kolokithi?” and we had our next dish. Zucchini chips served with hummus arrived. Yet again, the presentation was impeccable. Light and mildly flavoured, this dish scores high with those cannot handle spicy dishes. Though I found the dish needing a little more seasoning, overall I would call it a good dish if not a must-try.
3. Sev Khamni – While we savoured all the starters, our jain friend was still going through the menu. It was the first time that he was given a separate Jain menu and he didn’t have to bother asking which dishes can be made as per his preference. Finally, he decided to try the Sev Khamni. And the relentless foodie that I am, I ended up having quite a sufficient amount of this huge portion as well. Light on the stomach, heavy on the taste buds, this khamni indeed took me to Surat. Just as promised in the menu.
4. Papad Churi – While we were wondering what to order for the mains, we called for some papad churi to ensure that our taste buds were always working. Basic dish that needs to explanation. Hard to go wrong with. Gives the chaat kind of a feel with the goodness of papad.
Moving on the mains, we wanted to try the Gujarati, Rajasthani and the Parsi dishes so we opted for something from each cuisine.
5. Dal Baati Churma – One indulgent dish. Good texture on the baati, flavoursome dal topped with enough ghee that is a must for the dish and the sweetish churma formed a great combination which explains why the management recommends this dish. Rate this as a “must-try”
6. Ringna no Olo ane Bajra no Rotlo – For the non-gujarati readers, this is traditional gujju-style baingan ka bharta with flat bread made out of bajra. Served with some jaggery on the side, this dish is a winner. The thing with Gujarati dishes is that they need to feel homely, even if served in a restaurant. TBH has managed to achieve that with this dish. Sometimes, you just need a dish that highlights the beauty of the cuisine on offer. For me, this was the dish of the day.
7. Mr. Batliwala’s Veg Dhansak – Yes, you read that right. It is Parsi. It is Dhansak. It is veg. A dish so unique that it was just fitting for it to be served with a unique presentation. Arriving in bottle (see pictures for reference), the rice and dhansak dal gave us a peek into the lovely Parsi cuisine.
8. Masala Fada Khichdi ane Khichdi – Just had to try this. While khichdi brought a lot of frowns and questioning looks, I was adamant that I wanted to try this. And it was probably the best way to complete the main course. The table went silent for a while as everyone savoured this wholesome khichdi and kadhi under the pretext of “just tasting”
Just as we were about to close after the lovely meal, the last page of the menu asked a very important question.
“Kuch Meetha?”
With pleading eyes, I looked around the table and convinced everyone to not go without having the desserts.
9. Jalebi with Rabdi – This dish gets the Gone in 60 seconds award. No further comments.
10. Motichoor Gulab Jamun Parfait – Motichoor ladoo, Gulab Jamun and Rabdi. What more can a dessert lover ask for? While the combination might scare you, it is well balanced in terms of its sweetness. We didn’t end up feeling sugar loaded which is the sign of a great dessert.
All in all, I would say that the TBH experience was a delight. It is good food that leaves you feeling warm and satisfied. While the prices may seem higher, it is important to note that they are inclusive of taxes and quality does come at a price. It is a refreshing change to be eating a new place which isn’t a pub or a wacky themed restaurant.
Eat. Review. Repeat 