Food: If you're a thali lover this restaurant will make you smile

Some of the best thalis that we've tasted have been in Gujarat. Not overpriced like the ones in Mumbai, these pass the taste test with flying colours. The thali restaurant scene in Mumbai has been dominated by a few names; joining this landscape is Panchavati Gaurav. The relatively newer chain has outlets across several city malls, so when one opened at Phoenix Paragon Plaza in Kurla we were keen to give it a dekko. This was in late 2015.

However, the space had to faced a temporary closure due to certain issues with restrictions. Now reopened, the restaurant remains a huge draw. The offerings are similar to other thali restaurants in Mumbai, so you will find staples like dal baati churma, kadi chawal, rotla and moong dal halwa. And the restaurant does each of it in fine form. Our hunger pangs were filled to a large extent with the halwa and the farsan.

Interior shots of the Panchvati Gaurav at Phoenix Market City, Kurla in Mumbai. Pic/Swarali Purohit

The average parts were the veggies that served with the breads. Thankfully, there's a lot else on your plate to distract you. In addition to the thali (Rs 396 plus taxes), one can also order a Smoke Chaas (Rs 40), which you should try for the drama and a Khichhiya Papad (Rs 30), a tasty, typical cut-vegetables-topped papad that can feed three light eaters easily.

What we liked the most was the service at the restaurant. In spite of a full house, our attendants didn't slip up and gave us all the attention that eaters need such that there wasn't a single instance when we had to seek out an attendant for a refill. With our tiny appetite, we didn't have the heart to refuse most of the second/third helpings.

Head to Panchavati Gaurav for its popular staples, farsan and sweets, and of course, the service. With some tweaking in the vegetable preparations, it will make for an even better, more delicious veggie outing.