Specials

Fuel wins all the way! Seagrams has this one.

Fuel is basically a smooth vodka with that non alcoholic vapour after taste which Smirnoff is known for as compared to low end brands like White Mischief, Romanov, Alcazar, etc. It also costs only about (Rs.270) i.e. 60% of the cost of Smirnoff which is a killer selling proposition.

Shark Tooth (ST) - It's Smirnoff (or rather Diageo's) answer to Fuel (Seagram's) for eating into Smirnoff's share in the Vodka market

Fuel has quickly become a favourite of mine. So I was looking forward to what Diageo has in competition but Shark Tooth is really around Romanov quality and nowhere in competition with Fuel.

A very strange thing is that they have launched ST in 2 variants ST and ST Extra. ST being 10 bucks more than Fuel and ST Extra being about 75 bucks more.

I tried the ST Extra (2 large - 120ml) and it's sad. (I shifted to Fuel later) for the next peg. I shudder to imagine what the normal ST would be like.

Ukadiche Modak are my absolute favourite things to eat in this universe! The maxim of 'no gain without pain' holds 100% with regards to preparing them. The bliss of eating modaks you have had a hand in preparing is unparalleled. Modaks are Lord Ganesha's favourite eatable, not without reason, and so they are usually made during the Ganapati festival. The bland english name is sweet steamed rice dumplings - nowhere near justice. As with most sinful things, don't bother if you are going to worry about calories.

Amazing ukadiche modak to be eaten with loads of pure desi ghee. The first target is one dozen. Read on for the photo recipe.

Here is a photo recipe for Undhiyu - a most amazing Gujarati dish. Undhiyu usually made in the winter has lots and lots of veggies and greens and is an extremely healthy meal in itself. There are many varieties including a non-veg. one with Mutton made in the Surat area. You get some oily version of Undhiyu in any decent Gujarati thali place in Mumbai.

The following photo recipe was of a Vadodara version cooked by my Aunt:

Make this Php code when needed.
add the < and ? and ? and >
phpinfo();

Well, there are biryanis and there are biryanis. For Malabari biryani (Mallu Muslim stuff) nothing can beat Hotel Fountain Plaza, which is in a lane next to Handloom House, just off DN Road. (Not to be confused with Fountain Inn, which serves Mangalorean food and isn't far away).

For two weeks in a year, Iranian Sweets Palace (in Mumbai) opens it's doors and sells excellent traditional Baklava - an Iranian/Egyptian/Turkish/Greek desert. The shop is the only one in India selling the real thing for two weeks before Navroze. In 2005, your chance to visit this shop is till 21st March, though you should go the previous week, from 11am to 8pm.

Amongst the first things when it comes to telling about delicacies in mumbai/pune to a delhite....

'Beta ! vahan ki pani puri zaroor try karna!'

and we keep hopping from place to place to have the much hyped pani puri which could leave an everlasting taste...!

contrast to the age-old belief that pani puri is the regional term for gol gappas...i have found that there is a significant difference in the two snacks...

while here in mumbai/pune they serve hot chanas dipped in the spicy water....nowhere in delhi you will find anything hot in any of the gol gappas ...

From India Travel Forum.
Some stations on Indian Railways are famous for the regional specialty food items available there. Below follows a list of some of them. Compiled by Sukrut Thipse.

Pune - Tea, Misal, and Patties in the canteen
Karjat - Batata vada / vada pav (Potato snack)
Lonavala - Chocolate Fudge / Cashewnut Chikki (cashewnut brittle candy)
Neral - Seasonal Jambhool fruit
Khandala - Seasonal Jamoon fruit (plums)
Solapur - Kunda (sweet barfi)
Kolhapur - Sugarcane juice
Miraj - Saar and Rice
Hubli - Hubli rice (Curd rice (yogurt rice) with onions, chile peppers, and pickles)

24-hour coffee shops in Mumbai

• Oberoi - now called Hilton - Nariman Point - very good lounge with a sea view - though you can't see at night - have bottomless coffees for about 80! :)
  
• President - Cuffee Parade - Also Library Bar with live music but closes at about 1 am.
  
• Rodas - Hiranandani Powai - midnight buffet available here
  
• Leela - Intl. Airport - Good lounge for coffee - the bar behind the lounge closes at 2 last I know
  
• Hyatt Ragancy - Itnl. Airport - Great glassy lounge - standard coffees/smoothies available
  
• Grand Maratha Sheraton - Intl. Airport - excellent coffee shop and ambience - great food

Midnight Buffets in Mumbai

• Le Royal Meridien - Intl. Airport - 325 per head all days - as good as you expect a midnight buffet to be - good salads and deserts - ok main course food - 12 to 3 - but 12 to 2 on monday
  
• Rodas Parabola coffee shop - Hiranandani Powai - 225 per head on weekends and 199 per head on weekdays - again good salads and deserts - deserts get over - not on mondays
  
• Renaissance - Powai - haven't been there - only weekends - 350/400 per head
  
• Lotus Suites - they have stopped their midnight buffets
  
• Leela, Marriot, Oberoi, Taj - when last called upon, they didn't have midnight buffets