Omelette Pav to Prawns Koliwada: Must-try dishes that have been on the menus of Mumbai's eateries for decades

Bun maska

Mumbai's restaurants and eateries serve up an inclusive, well-represented platter that rightfully defines it as a multicultural hot pot. In this diverse food scene, you'll come across many iconic dishes that remain unchanged and uncontested. We revisited a few standout dishes that have been etched on menus for decades because Mumbaikars keep coming back for more.

Salaam, bun maska!

Omelette pav from Cafe de la Paix

Farokh Shokri of Kyani & Co at Dhobi Talao reveals that the iconic eatery, which opened in 1904, sold only bakery products; the mawa cake (Rs 25 per piece), being the oldest. They served a tiny menu that included omelette and half-fry with pav. "When I took over in 1995, I decided to add Parsi dishes like salli boti (Rs 170), mutton keema pav (Rs 150), and dhansak dal (Rs 250), which I taught the staff, and they carried it down. However, when our main cook goes on a holiday, there is a change," he reveals. "Do customers spot the difference?" we ask. "No, but we do," he admits.

At Girgaum's 88-year-old Café de la Paix, owner Gustad Dinshaw Irani mans the kitchen as well as the café with one helper. "We source buns from a relative's bakery. Previously, this area was a junction for Tram number 4 and later, it was a spare parts market. Large quantities of tea in samovars went from our café during the diamond bazaar era," he recalls. Along with the regular serving of masala omelette pav (Rs 140), packed with chillies and onions, Irani has recently added new variations.

At Kyani & Co, Dhobi Talao; Café de la Paix, Girgaon.
Call 8928616793; 23824384

Continental turf

Grilled fish lemon butter sauce

When cannelloni (Rs 635) first featured on Gallop's launch menu in 1986, pasta sheets were not easily available. Owner Yajush Malik shares an interesting hack: they used to make a crepe for the filling of white asparagus in brine, chopped carrots, cauliflower, French beans and lots of spinach. "This was slathered in a white béchamel sauce, layered with tomato sauce and baked with cheese. The recipe still stands," he smiles. Another dish that stands out is the grilled fish in lemon butter sauce (Rs 895). The rawas is seasoned with salt and pepper, rubbed with lemon and mustard marinade and lightly grilled. "The sauce is made with butter cream, parsley and lemon. We had a patron who wanted his son to try it but he didn't like fish. She told him it was chicken, and he ate it. Now, he's a grown up, and orders the grilled fish regularly," he shares.

At Gallop's, inside Mahalaxmi Racecourse, via Gate 1, Keshavrao Khadye Marg, Royal Western India Turf Club, Mahalakshmi.
Call 69600111

Bhindi nostalgia

Fried bhindi. Pic/Anurag Ahire

This crispy snack was served for free as a bar bite, especially the theatre loving junta that spilled over from Prithvi for a drink. Soon, it emerged as a popular favourite on the menu of On Toes pub and restaurant in Juhu. "We opened in 1986; the fried bhindi (on the house) was introduced on the menu by 1989. Till date, even if people are not drinking, they order it while they wait for their order. We finely slice fresh ladyfingers and deep fry it. It is dusted with red chilli masala," shares owner Damodar Bindal.

At On Toes, 7, Mithilla, VM Road, JVPD Scheme.
Call 9619860907

Punjabi all the way

Paneer butter masala; (right) Prawn koliwada

Mini Punjab opened as a small kiosk in 1982 when founder Karnail Singh came to Bombay from Amritsar. "They only served prawn koliwada (Rs 410), and rawas koliwada (Rs 490). It is a simple desi home-style recipe of besan, ajwain, a house-blended masala and no garam masala," says third-generation owner Parvinder Singh. Over the years, the space expanded, and more dishes were added. Paneer butter masala (R340), being one of them. "It's made with in-house paneer, cashew gravy with butter, tomato paste and a tadka of mustard oil," he says.

At Mini Punjab, junction of 16th and 33rd Road, TPS Road, Bandra West.
Call 9833563225

Halwa, and some more

Papad churi, Dal fry, Moong dal halwa, Kutchi beer

Bhagat Tarachand was founded in 1895. In 1951, it opened in Bombay's Zaveri Bazaar. Today, there are several branches run by various family members. Bhisham Chawla, who runs seven branches including Zaveri Bazaar, Masjid Bunder, Malad and even one outpost in Indore, under the name of K Bhagat Tarachand, says, "The moong dal halwa (Rs 180) and dal fry (Rs 160) are two dishes that customers order without seeing the menu. The specialty of our dal is that we do a tadka of caramelised onions," says Chawla. Two sides that we love are the papad churi (crushed papad with masala) (Rs 120) and the chaas (Rs 50 per glass and Rs 150 per bottle), fondly nicknamed as Kutchi beer, literally served in recycled beer bottles. The perfect digestive.

At K Bhagat Tarachand, outlets include Malad, Masjid Bunder, Andheri, Borivali.
Call 8657991976; 8928255526

Southern calling

Pics/Anurag Ahire

A few years ago, owner Amarjeet Shetty tried to give the humble badam halwa (Rs 95), and upma (Rs 50), on his menu since 1939 a lift by making it richer. "We added more ghee and dry fruits but our customers caught the change and asked us to return to the original recipe. We have people coming to eat just that," says Shetty. The rava dosa (Rs 70), too, is special. "The USP is that it will stay crispy till your very last bite," says Shetty.

At Ramashraya, ground floor, Jamnadas Mansion, Laxmi Narayan Lane, outside Matunga Railway Station (Central), Matunga East.
Call 224102623

Kheer cravings

Crystal ki kheer

Crystal has been serving North Indian ghar ka khana since it opened in 1951. Crystal ki kheer (Rs 100) has been the most sold item on the menu. "My nani, Rita Khanna made litres of her special kheer at her residence and sent it to the eatery every day," owner Sanket Mehra tells us. "The eatery opposite Chowpatty started with the idea to cater to students and professionals living far from home," Khanna tells us.

At Crystal, Lily Cottage, Near Wilson College, Chowpatty Seaface, Gamdevi.
Call 23691482

Authentically Oriental

Aromatic shredded duck; Peking duck; A server carves the Peking duck. Pics/Sameer Markande

Since the restaurant launched in 2003, two dishes have earned loyal customers at Royal China - the Peking duck (half for Rs 3,400; full for Rs 5,500) and the crispy Aromatic shredded duck (half for Rs 1,750; full for Rs 3,200). Owner Neville Vazifdar explains the process, "We stuff the duck, we source from Thailand, with our secret recipe spiced with aromatic ingredients like star anise. There is a process of airing the duck that I learnt during a visit to China. This ensures the skin gets a crispy coat when barbequed while keeping the meat moist and tender. The ducks are then roasted over a coal fire to retain the flavours. The entire process takes two days. When a customer orders it, the chef bathes it in hot oil in a wok to make the outer skin crispier," he shares. A similar process is followed for the aromatic shredded duck but it is fried instead of roasted, and shredded before serving. Both are served with pancakes and condiments. "The Peking duck is carved at the table where a skilled server separates the skin from the meat. The extra meat from the full duck is served as a fried rice or soup as per request," he adds.

At Royal China, outlets in Fort and Bandra.
Call 9082940105