Feasting to your heart’s content is a part and parcel of this joyous celebration. Let’s take a sneak peek at the best eateries in town.
Jamshedi Navroz (21st March) and Afternoon’s 27th Anniversary (25th March) call for good food and tinkling of glasses for Parsis/Iranis Zoroastrians. Such celebrations are incomplete without sumptuous meals. Shernaz & Baji Avari give you a guide to plan your visit to well-known restaurants and their specialities on these auspicious days, subject to changes in the menu, as per the availability of the ingredients. Kindly check before reservations at the concerned restaurants.
Hornby Pavillion at I.T.C. Grand Central – Reservation on Tel: 24101010. “Eat, drink and be merry” is their motto as they serve buffet/lunch/dinner with tempting Parsi dishes like Prawn Patio, Sali-ma-Murg, patra-ni-Machhi, Cocktail Pulao with tempting desserts like ‘lagan-nu-custard’, ‘mawa-nu-khaju’ and ‘malai-nu-khaju’!
Royal China at Sterling Cinema, Fort and at Bandra. We recommend their Dim-Sum, Prawn Dumpling, Chicken/Seafood Dumpling, Roast Pork Puff, Sesame Paper Prawn Roll. Their signature dishes are Peking Duck, Crispy Aromatic Duck, St. Prawn with garlic. For the main course, you can order King Prawns with soya sauce, yellow bean/ginger spring onion, Singapore Chilly Crab, Steamed Fish (red snapper/pomfret), Roast Chicken, Mushroom Oyster sauce, Chicken Chilly Black bean Roast Duck Cantonese style, Chicken Tenderloin Dry Red Chilly, Roast Pork Cantonese Style, Tofu Asparagus and Soya Chilly. Reservations at Fort on 22077513/2492, 66355310/11 and at Bandra on 26425533/511 and 67049553/55.
West End Hotel (The Gourmet) at Marine Lines. They serve buffet lunch between 12.30 p.m. to 3 p.m. and buffet dinner from 8 p.m. to 10.30 p.m. Reserve your tables for your family members and friends on 40839155/40839119, as they will be serving all Parsi delicacies to satisfy the gourmet within you.
Coffee Shop at Comfort Inn Heritage at Byculla. Reservations on Tel: 23714891/23734901. It serves authentic Parsi specialities such as Prawn Patio, Patra-ni-Machhi, Murghi Na Farcha, Fillets of Fish. Savour their Lagan-nu-custard.
Fresh Catch at Mahim. Reservation on Tel: 32968981. Their specialities include ‘Best in Town’, Bombil Tawa, Crab Meat Garlic Buttred, Kala Mari/Chilli sukken, Prawn Rechad, Prawns Adithya, Sippi Open Doors of Kumta, Fish Roe, Poached Tawa Fried, Gaunti Chicken with Neer Dossa.
Y.A. Bhesadia Catering Services Bookings on Tel. 9821084513/ 9920079498. They are lovable and official caterers of P.V.M. Gymkhana. On the above occasions they will serve Chicken Rashida, Mutton Aflatoon, Chicken Reshma, Sali Boti, Patra-ni-macchi, Kid Ghosh, Pulav & Biryani.
Sea Palace Hotel – Near Gateway of India. Reservations on Tel: 61128000. On the above occasions do visit their Multi-cuisine restaurant serving Indian, Chinese, Continental & Oriental dishes. Also visit their Café Marine – an open-air restaurant which serves an array of mini meals with Indian/imported wines and spirits. They also serve cocktails, mocktails and starters to whip up your appetite.
Ideal Corner at 12/F/G Hornby View, Gunbow Street, Fort, Mumbai. Tel. 22621930. They serve their specialities such as Shiraji Gosh-no-pulav, with masala dal, Aloo Tikhi Boti Sathe, Jardaloo Marghi Sali Sathe, Marghi Na Farcha Tarela papeta sathe, Patra-ni-machhi (full pomfret) Elda-chutney to pattice (full egg), Shiraji Tarkari-no-pulav masala sathe, chutney no pattice, lagan-sara tarkari-nu-stew, badam-pista nu custard and rotis. Take away parcels available in foil/containers. Kindly pick up the same at 11.30 a.m. 21st March.
Calorie Care Tel. 24122100/11. Today Parsis/Iranis have become very conscious of their calorie intake. Hence we recommend that they will deliver freshly cooked calorie control meals on the above days for your house parties. (Read their write-up on Page 17)
Hotel City Point at Dadar T.T. Circle. Reservations on Tel. 24138635. It is very convenient to Parsis/Iranis residing at Dadar, Parel, Lal Baug and Byculla, as they can book their Diamond, Pearl and Coral Halls for their family members and guests ranging from 10 to 500 for private parties on Jamshedi Navroz (21st March) and on Afternoon’s 27th Anniversary (25th Mach).
Kailash Parbat situated at 1st Pasta Lane, Colaba. Reservations on 22046079/22831913. It is ideal for Parsis/Iranis who are strictly vegetarians. They are famous for Sindhi & Punjabi cuisines. Their specialities include Kuneja Bhee with Aloo Took and Rice Specialities of Pulavs and Biryanis or sp. Punjabi Thalis. Taste thir sp. Navroze Falooda with icecream.
Yoko Sizzlers at Fort, Bandra, Malad, Powai & Kandivali. As the name suggests, Parsis & Iranis are crazy over sizzlers such as Shashlik varieties in chicken, fish, mutton and vegetables. Kick start your lunch/dinner on the above occasions with scotch-broth soup or iced tea in peach and lemon flavour to whip your appetite, with their main course to be followed by sizzling chocolate brownies. Reserve your tables at Gunbow Street next to P.M. Road, Fort on Tel. 66364606, 26395852. This restaurant is owned by Anjum Rizvi and Shabib Rizvi and managed Ishpat Husain.
Madhyantar Fast Foods (J.H. Bindal & Sons) at Birla Matushri Sabhaghar at 19, Marine Lines. Reservation on 22066470. It is a perfect place to unwind, feel refreshed and relaxed after seeing a Gujarati Parsi play at Birla Hall. Start with fruit juices or milk shakes. If you go at lunch time, go for their mini-lunch, thali or a-la carte menu or bite into hot grilled sandwiches. Taste their South Indian dishes, snacking items like samosas and pattice and delicious chaat menus.
Oye Kake – This newly opend A.C. restaurant at 13C Cawasji Patel Street, Fort, for the last 7 months (Tel. 22871882/40027788) excels in authentic mouth-watering pure veg. Punjabi and Amritsari delicacies, truly satisfying the gourmet in you. “Amritsar Ka Paani, Punjab da Tadka” goes their slogan. Yes, the food turns out delicious and tempting as it is cooked in sweet river water delivered from Amritstar accompanied by the flavours of Punjabi tada says their young enthusiastic and enterprising owners Pankaj Gupta and Abhir Dhawan. Get going with sumptuous starters like Paneer Tikka, Hara Bhara Kababs or veg. platter.
Munch their piping hot Kulchas and Parathas like Aloo Paratha or Cheese Kulcha. You can have a choice of any 2 stuffings in your parathas and kulchas. Delight in the flavour of Amritsari Pulao, Pindi Chole and Dal Makhani. Paneer Kadai, Amritsar Special with mushroom, corn, cheese and brown gravy add to the subji delights. Pamper your sweet tooth with Mitthi or Dry Fruit Lassi, Phirni, Punjabi Kulfi Rabdi or Fruit Cream. Private parties and buffets can be organized in their 52 covers restaurant. Flag off this Navroze festival soaking in the Punjabi flavours of Oye Kake. The experience is truly memorable.
Café Excelsior opp. New Excelsior cinema. Reservations on Tel: 22074543/22001299.
Try their chicken/mutton biryani, kheema Sali kheema kaleji, chicken/mutton dhanshak, patra-ni-machhi, Sali/mutton & chicken, gravy with mutton/chicken cutlets, chicken farcha and prawns biryani. Also go in for Lagan-nu-custard, Sagan-ni-sev. They also serve Chinese dishes.
Britannia Restaurant at Ballard Estate (only lunch between 12 noon and 4 p.m.) You will be delighted to eat their signature dish – the chicken/mutton Berry Pulav, patra-ni-machi (pomfret), Sali chicken/mutton and chicken/mutton cutlets. To savour your sweet tooth try their caramel custard and chocolate mousse. Reservation on Tel.: 22615264/ 30225264.
Gaylord Restaurant at Churchgate – Their spcialities are Butter Chicken, Mugh Makhani, Chicken Chasseur, Mutton Rogan Josh, Baked Alaska. They also have a rich choice of salads and ‘eggciting’ range or dishes for the ‘eggatarian’. The Bounty of The Bay offers exotic Pomfret Meuniere and Pomfret Portuguese and an array of sumptuous sizzlers.
Pratap Lunch Home – The best of seafood specialities awaits you. Recently renovated with A.C. and fine décor, they are constantly innovating their dishes and keep adding to their menu. Their specialities include Kori Roti, Prawns Gassi, Prawns Chilli Roast, King Pomfret Kala Mari, Chicken Tandoori Roast, Tandoori Pomfret, Crab Meat, Manglorean or Crab Meat Haryali. They are located near Afternoon’s office at 79, M.B. House Janmabhoomi Marg, Fort, Reserve your tables on 22871101, 22871818.