Mumbai Masala: A Hidden Gem At Girgaum Chowpatty

You might have passed by this restaurant hundreds of times and yet missed it. That is how low profile it is. Crystal faces the sea at Girgaum Chowpatty near Wilson College. It’s a small joint with a mezzanine floor totally lacking any frills. It has posters of old Hindi movies, and film songs are played non-stop. What is simply amazing about this 73-year-old vegetarian eatery is the food. I went there after a long time and ordered ‘khada pav bhaji’ and ‘mooli paratha’. Both dishes were great in taste. In khada pav bhaji, the vegetables are not mashed, unlike in normal pav bhaji. Served with soft ‘pavs’ lathered in butter, it was the best ever khada pav bhaji I’ve ever had in recent times. As for the mooli paratha, it was looking like Dara Singh; thick with a generous filling and yummy. The prices are very reasonable. Thanks to the owner, Sanjay Mehra, who believes in giving full value for money to his customers.

Learning Lessons From Others

Malabar Hill residents are understandably worried about the frenetic redevelopment activity going on in their tony neighbourhood. Rocks are being brazenly blasted, and trees are being chopped with impunity. There is an urgent need to pause the redevelopment and conduct a comprehensive seismic study before giving the green signal in the long-term interest of the residents. It’s surprising that the ministers living in their official bungalows in this area have not felt the need for such a survey. Mumbai should learn a lesson from Bangkok, where several towers collapsed like a pack of cards during the recent quake.

Mumbai Needs Communal Harmony

Mumbai is witnessing a worrying trend. Despite the frenzied communal riots of the early 1990s, the city has by and large preserved communal harmony. But of late a steady polarization is taking place. Many have stopped greeting each other during their festivals. Apps have been created for contacting plumbers, electricians and carpenters and masons belonging to a particular community. Hope wiser counsels will prevail and Mumbai will follow Ganga-Jamuna tehzeeb as before.

Tailpiece

How do trees access the internet? Well, they just log in!

(Compiled by S Balakrishnan)

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