Tuesday, May 15, 2007

5 Best Places to eat in Bombay!

For so many days, I've been debating about which 5 restaurants deserve to be the best in the city according to me, so for now, this is the list, (i might update it later though!!)

1) Red Box Cafe

It's a restaurant in Bandra, near Turner Rd. and it's one of my best places to eat. The ambience is fun, music is loud and peppy (like a disc, but not rock or anything, it's hip-hop, indian mix, country, and lots of things, they've actually got a d.j. who keeps changing songs and all..) The food is delicious!! Right from Sizzlers, to Pasta, to Main Courses, Burgers, Starters, Pizzas, they've got it all.. and it's all very reasonably priced.. As far as the desserts are concerned, they've got a good collection of pastries, My personal fav is the chocolate pyramid.. (just too yummy!!) The whole feel of going there, makes me want to go there again and again.. It's meant for a young crowd who don't mind the smoke or the loud music... ;)

2) Urban Tadka

This is at 4 Bungalows, Andheri. It's designed like a modern Dhaba.. Slightly expensive for the younger crowd, so preferably go with Family!! but food is typical punjabi! and very tasty.... even the Lassi is served in brass containers! they've got a cot (khat) hanging in one part of the restaurant for show as well! A must-go for the Punjabi Experience

3) Cafe Leopold

My townie friends would curse me if i didn't mention this place... It's been there for all these years and has had it's own share of publicity every now and then.. Even Gregory David Roberts (Shantaram) mentioned this place as one of the busiest places in his novel.. It's a great place just to get the feel of being in such a happening place.. and of course, it's the favorite location for the foreigners.. Somehow all of them seem to have this on their city maps! The location is good, especially the fact that the ground floor space is open on two sides! The food is nice, nothing extraordinary, but it's better if you want to have steaks or the likes..

4) Badshah Pani Puri Wala

I know i'm talking about restaurants, but if you're a chat freak like me, then you have to visit this stall at Chowpatty, Charni Rd. Go only here.. it stands out from the rest because :
- It's hygienic
- It's very tasty
- The service is great!!

5) Sardar Pav Bhaji

This is at Bombay Central, it's a very small place. No interiors or ambience of any sort.. Simple food eating place.. It's Pav Bhaji is the only reason why you should go there, for the simple reason that,
- Their Pav Bhaji has no added colour that's why it is brown
- That's all there is to it!

Well that's my list of favorite restaurants, i'll come up with an updated list maybe next month! :) Enjoy!

Sunday, May 13, 2007

5 Things you might not know about the local trains

  1. The dirt and garbage from the platforms which is sweeped by the workers is thrown on the tracks; thus generating more work for the rag-pickers or merely pushing the dirt under the carpet (carpet being the bed of rocks)
  2. The floors of the trains are cleaned by the beggar children and the passengers willingly pay them money for their "services"
  3. Surprisingly, there isn't any need for the beggars to clean the first-class compartments; either the people there don't litter or the railways ensure that the compartment is clean
  4. Most of the railways stations have toilets for men only, and if you're lucky to find one for the women, check again, there might be a lock on the door!
  5. There's a queue for everything :
- For the window seat there are "claims" so the moment you get one, you're flooded with requests about where you'll get down so that they get your seat, it's the most common reason for an argument as well!
- There's a claim for the "fourth" seat as well.. (There are only three seats)
- There are proper queues for exits at stations, in fast trains especially, if you are in the wrong queue you've missed your stop! literally...

Friday, May 4, 2007

This happens only in India!

BBC NEWS | South Asia | The Boeing 737 stuck in city road: For close to 5 days, this huge airplane was stuck on a road in Chembur.

Update: Funnily enough, this plane has disappeared as mysteriously as it appeared.