A Chicken and Egg Problem in Matunga

This was published on 23 Dec 2007 in the Mumbai Mirror and on my site www.manfrommatunga.com.

Last month, a colleague called and asked this question: Where, in Matunga, can I have a party with music and non-vegetarian food, for about 40 people?

Apparently I am now some kind of an “Ask Me Services” for where to eat in Matunga. This colleague wanted to host a farewell party for a friend and since most of the women in her group lived in the Central Suburbs and could use Matunga station for travelling, she wanted to have the party in Matunga only. And…with music and non-vegetarian food.

On first thoughts, you’d ask…so what’s the big deal! When I said that, she retorted that she wouldn’t have wasted my time and hers calling me, if it wasn’t a problem!

Virtually all restaurants and dining places in Matunga are vegetarian, except for Fu-Yong, Rasna Panjab and Ahar. Rasna often allows parties on its first floor but the ambience is not party-like and music becomes a problem. The other two are not for parties. Dadar and Sion have alternatives, but they didn’t want to have anything to do with Pritam, Ramee or Great Punjab or for that matter, Peninsula; it had to be Matunga.

Not that Matunga lacks halls. Matunga Gujarati Club for one has two of them; but it is strictly vegetarian. Ditto for the others, which are mainly marriage halls, meant for large crowds. And, none of the other restaurants have attached halls.

Finally, after asking around for advice, it all came down to just one place. Matunga Gymkhana. Of course, you have to be a member or at the least know a member, but that’s not a big problem. Matunga Gym offers non-vegetarian food, music can be setup in one of the party halls or on the terrace and it is in Matunga, just 200 meters away from the station.

When I finally called my colleague back, even offering to help with the booking, she had already come to the same conclusion herself and had already booked the terrace. And, in the end, they had a great party.

When you think about it, it must be a bit tough for non-vegetarians in Matunga. I mean, you can’t even buy non-eggless cakes (i.e. regular cakes made with eggs) in any shop in Matunga today.

Post-script

Last week, we attended a 50^th wedding anniversary celebration in Ivy, in Chembur. The couple, the family, relatives and friends, were all mainly from Matunga and they were all vegetarian as well. Since it took almost an hour to get to Ivy from Matunga, the obvious question in everyone’s minds was…why Ivy? After all, it’s not like there are no choices for vegetarians in Matunga! The answer…all halls in Matunga are too infra-dig. Ouch!