Good Food, Palatable Prices

Background: This was published on Nov 22 2005.

Here is the archive link.

Man From Matunga: Good food, palatable prices

In a previous pseudo-socialist lifetime, mesmerized by Ayn Rand and living on endless cups of canteen chai, an article that Mr. Anil Dharker wrote, helped us fill at least three days of “serious” argument time, between our bridge breaks. Though my memory is a little weak twenty years later, it was probably in the now defunct Sunday Observer, that he wrote about a Rs. 10,000 dinner for two, that could be had at the Rotisserie, at that time the new French/Italian restaurant at The Oberoi.

Used to situations where even a Rs. 1000 bill in a “five-star” hotel restaurant was an expense you undertook only on the most memorable occasions, we were aghast that anyone would even think of dropping ten times that amount at a restaurant table. 

Today, a simple vegetarian dinner for four with a decent bottle of wine, at restaurants like Wasabi, the Zodiac Grill or any of the ITC Grand or Hyatt Grand restaurants, puts you back by Rs. 10,000 or more. With a few exceptions (thank God for Bellissima with its seven course dinner for under Rs. 800), fine dining in Mumbai has become ridiculously expensive, especially when compared to many other parts of the world. For example, a dining experience at the Sirocco, in Bangkok, on the 64th floor terrace of one of the tallest buildings there, costs a quarter of that amount, the wine included. 

Which is why it feels so nice to dine out in Matunga. You can take twelve people to the Matunga Gymkhana and keep the bill for vegetarian food, to under a thousand rupees, and that too, thanks to Nandita and Amit, for above average food. Or you can go to Rasna Punjab or Peninsula for “Punjabi” food, for rates maybe a little bit higher, or to Fu Yong, for probably the cheapest, decent Chinese food this side of town.

A few of us school-friends “try” to meet every three-six months. Our usual adda is Rasna Punjab, where the food is cheap and the drinks flow freely and cheaply. Once, a little tired of the same interiors, we decided to go to the Sports Bar in the Phoenix Mills Complex. The place was too loud to begin with and after two rounds, when someone actually looked at the prices, we shuddered, paid the bill and promptly drove back to Rasna to finish the other two rounds, topped finally with a little dinner.

Matunga must be the only place where the food gets cheaper as it gets better. You can take twelve people to any of the Udipi restaurants, and the bill will be cheaper than even at Matunga Gymkhana and that too for some of the best South Indian food outside the South Indian states. 

And if you want to see really jaw-dropping prices, with some jaw-shutting food, think of trying the “khotto” and “mudho”, the next time you want to dine out. But more of that next week…..

PS: Having said all this, I did go to the Rotisserie when I was courting my girl-friend and managed to have a terrific seven course vegetarian meal for one-fifth of Mr. Dharker’s amount, with amazing service to boot, since we were the only table that night. She was so impressed that I am sure this played no mean part in her decision to finally agree to marry me.