Saturday, April 19, 2008

Saappaturaami-1

It is getting tougher by the day to find a friend (with a good appetite) who could give me company to eat out on week days. Most of my friends are the typical Mumbai ladkis-dieting variety, who have three.. sorry, a maximum of two idlis for lunch and say "I am full ya...."! So, with my limited company of two or three food.. sorry good friends, I try and explore new eat-outs every week.

Here's a new series dedicated to all the food lovers of the world especially to my friends - Ha and Ra from Mumbai and Van, Tees, San, Ush, Ras, Anu ,Sha, Aru, Raj, Sach, Kat - the Chennai 'foodie' queens and kings whose company I really miss. And yes, to my dear better-aaf who has never restricted me from tasting the fat-filled wide range of food items viz. Mishti Doi of Sweet Bengal, Vadapao from Mithibhai college, Tamizh saapadu from Mani's, Pesto pasta (home made), Natural's Mango icecream, Sizzling brownie from Cafe coffee day, Noodles from Noodle bar, Garlic Bread from Papa Jones, Apple-cinnamon cake from Bread talk, Rajasthani Thaali from Sarvodaya and much more...

btw,for those wondering, what or who on earth is Saappaturaami ? It is the tamil-ised version of the hep- socialite-Pg 3 ing term 'Foodie'


The Gujrati Club

For all those hungry souls dying of hunger at the Great Indian-Santacruz airport traffic jam, don't head to the horribly expensive Orchid hotel for food. Instead, take a left at Milan Subway, head towards Santacruz (west) station road and take the second gully on the left. You'll find an old bungalow which could easily be mistaken for a shooting bungalow but for its bright light and an old signboard that says 'Gujrati club'


Open from 11am-3pm and from 7-10pm on Weekdays and only for lunch on Sundays, this place serves only Gujju thalis. For lunch, they serve four sabzis, dal/ kadi, roti, rice, bonda / bajji type of thing. For dinner, it is two sabzis, dal / kadi, roti, rice, bonda/ bajji type of thing. The taste is simply superb. Please don't mind the sweetish tasting Dal. Gujjus are like that wonly! When I visited, they didn't serve dessert but I saw two maamas having amarkhand.hmm, may be dessert was reserved only for Gujjus. Quite possible, I say!


The best part is that, it is an unlimited thaali where you can eat eat and eat. The service is superb reminds you of the kind of service in a saravana bhavan or any such hotel in Madras. But the prices though are definitely not the Saravana bhavan type [one cup pongal=30 odd rupees!!]. At the Gujrati club, one thaali is priced at Rs.60/= which is very very reasonably by Mumbai standards.


Saappaturaami rating: 4 out of 5 (dessert enga?)

PS: I complete 11 years in Aamchi Mumbai today! Still remember the first day in Mumbai way back in 1997 at the Santacruz airport asking for "Yeh Peddar road mein jaane..." [I want to go to Peddar road]. My hindi hasn't improved one bit. Ask my colleagues / friends here.

9 Responses:

Gayatri said...

I have a gujju roommate from whom I had to hide the chakkara dabba everytime she went into the kitchen! But my god, she was an amazing cook.. now, you've got me craving for Gujarati food :)

Teesu (very very Indian, very very good) said...

Next time I come to Mumbai, we are going there;)

ATT said...

Good hai ki, you knew to pronounce 'peddar' road - else you would have landed at some 'poddar road' !!

Just a guess, next post on Hersch's bakery :-D

And my experience of 'service' with Saravana bhavan hasn't been good enough in Madras... my fav south indian eat outs there are Geeta Cafe and Karpagam Mess!! No Bhavans...

umm oviya said...

pasikudu!

Slogan Murugan said...

Saappaturaami! ROTFL :)

Anonymous said...

Talk abt food & I'm, drooooling already........hi 5
- san

Shammi said...

I shall drool from 5000 miles away and dream of feeding my inner (and outer) saapatturaami at this (and other places you mention) some day...

Karappu kuzhambu paNnaama irundha adhe porum :)

D LordLabak said...

Such a long list of must-eat food items ranging from noodles to thali....keyboard is wet I say.

Anonymous said...

Well, we can give you good company Blogeswari...got here from Asal Tamizh Penn! Besides this one seems to be a hidden gem pretty close to where we live:)

Glad to have found your blog!