Mamma mia Italiano………………….
Have noticed the change in eating habits of our children .Ask
them what they would like to eat when we go our to a restaurant . Nine out of
ten times the answer will be either MacDonalds burger or Pizza or Pasta. Why any
one , even my little Bhakti loves these food which we qualify as junk food. But
then if you still wish to eat healthy you have an option in Italian food . The
pastas and spaghetti are a real hit with kids because of their cheesy taste and
soft texture. Also you have options in soups and salads which can be tried to
complete a healthy meal. To think of it even in Matunga you now have these option
of Italian dishes in regular multi –cuisine restaurants like DP’s or Garnish. But
if you want to try authentic Italian food do try the newly opened Café 792 or
Chilliflakes in the Parsi Colony.
If you enter the Parsi Colony from the Dadar TT end on the Jame
Jamshed Road in the premise of Dina Manzil you will find Café 792 a small but
interesting Café serving Italian dishes. An interesting fact being it is named
after the plot number it is located at. In Matunga you will find each address
will have a distinct plot no. eg 283 or my residence is at 601/C . It becomes
very easy for anyone to find a particular building by this plot no. An old but
established area identification code laid down in the British era which is
still useful. You will find similar examples of such unique identification in
various part of Mumbai. In Khar you will have the road numbers like the famous landmark 16th Raod Khar of Bollywood beauty Ashiwarya Rai before
she married into the Bachhan household. Same is the case with Navi Mumbai where
the entire geography is divided into Sectors and Building nos. Say for example
Sector 17 in Vashi is the most popular and posh area with all the well known
landmarks like the MacD’s , Vashi Bus Depot , the Vishnudas Bhave Auditorium
and Navratna Ratna restaurant situated in and around this Sector.
Coming back to Café 792 it is a small but cosy restaurant . The
interior is very simple with display counters and an open pantry. There is no
seating space in the interior. But the exterior is done beautifully. The landscape
is beautifully don with the seating space in the exterior. Sort of a gargen
restaurant with pebbles, trees and pathways.Run by Jehan Norgolwala who’s
father Gustad Dehmiri is partner in the Mumbai’s famous landmark Café Leopold .
Now coming to the food they mostly serve non
vegetarian and very few options for veg food. Few dishes are pre made while
some are made fresh in their kitchen.You can try their Chicken Lasagna a minced
chicken dish with Italian spices and herbs and cheese for that tantalizing
taste and served with pita bread . Very filling and good to taste. You can also
try their Diced Steak with mashed potatoes , the steak is barbecued perfectly to
make it succulent and soft served with the mashed potatoes which makes and
great combination. This can be eaten alone or with brown bread or multi grain
bread that they offer. Another interesting dish is the Chicken & cheese
quiche, a crumbly fried katori of maida filled with cheese and chicken cooked
with herbs and finally baked to perfection.Want to try some salads try out
their Chicken Salad with lots of fresh veggies like celery , broccoli and
mayonnaise. A good option if you are a weight watcher. They also have good
option in sandwiches like the Junglee Sandwich shredded chicken and mayo and Pesto Mozarella sandwich for the veggy lover with bell peppers , cucumbers and
mozzarella cheese. To try something different have their cold cut turkey
sandwich so yummy it is sure to be polished of in few minutes of its arrival.
Another specialty of this restaurant is their
Parsi dishes like Chicken Dhansak and Dhan Dal Prawn Patio , very authentic in taste from their
Parsi kitchen.
If you want to try out some pizza and past do head to a small
eatery near the Five Gardens called Chilly Flakes and now renamed as Areezos. Its
small in the sense it operates out of a garage and has option for seating only
10 people at a time. The option in the menu is limited but what is served is
lip smacking. If you love to eat Veg pizza’s , go for Fiama Pizza in thin crust option with topping of Sauteed Spinach, Roasted garlic, Goat cheese
and Caramelized onions.The toppings are in well proportion so that the pizza can be enjoyed rather than eating the dry base
in some cases . Another unique preparation is the Verdure Pizza with raosted
peppers , goat cheese , asparagus and fresh herbs. Or try their Truffle Pizza
with Fontal cheese , white winter truffle oil , fresh parsley and black truffle
salt.
For the non-veg lovers there’s the standard BBQ chicken pizza
with chargrilled chicken , tomato sauce, peppers and fresh parsley to give that
great after taste. Or try something special like the Bombay Masala Chicken –
with home made chicken mince (kheema) marinated in Indian spices and mixed with
smoked mozzarella cheese, onion , green chilies and chipotle mayonnaise. Another special pizza is the All American Pizza a preparation in lamb which is rarely
offered by any other outlet that I know.
Another specialty are their Hot dogs and burgers (more American dishes than Italian) but good option
instead of the usual sandwiches. You can try their Classic Chicken hot dog with
chicken sausage with mustard sauce giving that pungent flavor but nice texture.
There is wide variety in Burger section of the menu like the Mushroom burger (
mushroom , potato and chilies) and Veg burger (potato and corn patty with
ample cheese and mayonnaise). In non-veg you can try their Sloppy Joe Chicken
with char-grilled chicken cooked in BBQ sauce and served with smoked mozzarella cheese
Or you can opt for their Works Burger with fried eggs , tender loin
patty , grilled onions adding some crispiness and rocket leaves and saute mushroom giving added texture.
And to finish off you can order for their Penne Alfredo Pasta
rightly done in white sauce with fresh
herbs and aged cheddar cheese available in both veg and chicken option and
recently introduce bacon option. For that matter burger is also available in
bacon and pork option , though not my personal choice in non veg items those
who like their meat can try these options. Also they have Spaghetti Algi E Oleo
– spaghetti tossed in garlic , chilly flakes and extra virgin olive oil with
grated Parmesan cheese.
To cool off you can order for their coolers like Lemon ice tea
or Lemonade or the orange cooler served out of small but cute jars .These can be
enjoyed with your main order or just after.
Once done you can always walk off the extra calories wolfed down
around the five gardens which is a hop and a step away.
So enjoy the Italian food and come out smacking your finger with
a expression “Mamma mia Itliano”
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