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'Chatpat' Mumbai fare
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If you're the kind that enjoys snacking on bhel puri, chat and dahi batata then the Mumabi food fest is worth checking out
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THE MENTION of Mumbai food brings to mind the roadside cart laden with pav bhaji and bhel puri. But this is not fare right off the streets of Mumbai. The venue is the Garden Café of the GRT Radisson Hotel, where a Mumbai food fest is on.
The `Chatpat Chowpati Food Fest' brings together the best of Mumbai cuisine and aims to recreate in Chennai the Mumbai experience of eating out. Featured are delicious dishes from Parsi, Marathi, Gujarati and Goan cuisines.
Elango Rajendran, executive chef, GRT Radisson says, "Mumbai has a strong influence of Parsi, Goan and Gujarati culinary styles."
There are a variety of starters to choose from. "As Mumbai is known for snack items, we have included as many as possible in the menu. These are also called travel snacks as some of the dry ones can be stored for about three weeks," says Elango. Kandhvi roll (a thin besan pancake, tempered with mustard and coconut), khamag kakdi (cucumber salad with coconut) or khaman dhokla (steamed gram flour cake tempered with coconut) are for those who do not prefer spicy starters. However, for those who relish such snacks, there is methi kakre and lasoon kakra, (dry roti which is a speciality of Gujarati cuisine), mini samosa, moongdal kachori, Laxminarayan chiwda (mixture) or assorted crispies.
There are simple salads too if you don't want to get adventurous with the starters. Although there is not much choice for non-vegetarians in this section, there is a lot of variety to look forward to in the main course, which is an interesting combination of all four cuisines. For Parsi food buffs, there is Parsi pulao, Parsi vegetable cutlet and murghi na farcha (Parsi speciality chicken, coated with egg frills). "The brown rice that is used in the Parsi pulao tastes sweet, which enhances the flavour of the dish," says the chef. Kolhapuri mutton (a Maharashtrian mutton dish with coconut and spices) or the calvachi usal (beans prepared Maharashtrian style) are a worthwhile choice for those who want to savour authentic Maharashtra fare.
Seafood is no doubt a speciality in Goa and the food fest offers some of the best dishes — Goan fish curry (Goan fish with coconut and cocum). Undiyu (mixed vegetable and methi dumplings in a Gujarathi special gravy), stuffed ladies finger and tempered toor dhal are some of the other interesting dishes.
The desserts are a delight with the lagan nu custard (Parsi egg custard), bibinca (layered coconut pudding), aam ka shrikand, perada (fudge made with guava fruit), Bombay halwa and mohanthal. A range of fast foods such as bhel puri, pani puri, papdi chat, vada pav, sabudana vada, dahi batata and sev puri complete the buffet.
The Garden Café is filled with posters of the latest Bollywood blockbusters and charts with names of various places to create the Mumbai ambience. The buffet is priced at Rs. 300 for adults and Rs. 225 for children. The festival is on from 7 p.m. to midnight, till September 7.
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Chatpat Chowpati Food Festival, Garden Café, GRT Radisson On till September 7 (from 7 p.m. till midnight)
PRASSANA SRINIVASAN
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