Gujaratis (or Gujjus as they are popularly known) have always been one of
the most prominent communities of Bombay. In terms of influence on the city's
culture, they are second only to Maharashtrians. Even the city's Hindi dialect
(Bambaiyya) has a large number of Gujarati loan words. Known primarily as a
business community, they wield significant economic clout in the city. Most
areas in Bombay have significant Gujju populations, but Kandivali, Ghatkopar
and parts of South Bombay are undisputed Gujarati bastions.
When not chasing the next lucrative business idea, Gujjus are known for traveling the world (does the phrase 'Patel snap' ring a bell?) and dining out. On any given weekend in the city, one is likely to find Gujarati families queuing up at the popular food stalls or occupying majority of the tables at most restaurants. So much so, that most restaurants in the city have now expanded the vegetarian sections in their menu (most Gujaratis are vegetarians) and some even have separate Jain menus.
But while South Indian, Indianized Mexican and Italian are the most popular weekend cuisines among the Gujaratis of Bombay, how about their own food? While an authentic Gujarati meal is best experienced at a dining table in a Gujarati household, there is one good option if you want to try the cuisine while eating out. That is the Gujarati Thali. As the name suggests, it’s a one-person meal (obviously vegetarian in this case), which in most cases is an eat-all-you-can combination of Rotis, Dals, rice and countless sides and desserts.
There are a large number of restaurants offering the Gujarati Thali in Bombay. And while there is a restaurant serving the Gujju Thali in most localities in the city, the largest number can be found in South Bombay. Not surprising, given the fact that many of its areas like Walkeshwar, Girgaon and Kalbadevi are Gujju-dominated. While which one of these is the best can be a matter of great debate among Gujjus and non-Gujjus alike, my vote goes to a certain 'Shree Thaker Bhojanalay'.
Thaker has been at the top of the ratings on restaurant review sites and TripAdvisor for several years now. And while that is not the last word on the quality of food at a restaurant, a stellar score across websites after thousands of ratings and hundreds of reviews makes the case in its favor really strong. In fact, for the longest time, Thaker was Mumbai's restaurant #1 on TripAdvisor.
Finding this place is nothing short of a treasure hunt though. Tucked away in a tiny alley of Kalbadevi called Dadiseth Agiary Lane, this one is hard to find even with the help of Google Maps.
I have been here several times and it’s only after three or four visits that I could get here without stopping to ask for directions. But don't let this deter you - the reward at the end of this search is good enough! What's more, once you're in the right lane, a significant landmark in the city's history greets you on your way to the restaurant - Dadiseth Agiary, which lends its name to the lane, is the oldest Zoroastrian fire temple in the city!
The restaurant itself is on the first floor of one of the typical chawl buildings in the area and you have to spot the board announcing its presence at the building entrance if you don’t want to miss it. As you climb the creaking stairs, framed proofs of accolades gathered over the years greet you.
The air-conditioned and brightly lit interiors are in complete contrast to the dark corridors one passes through before entering. The staff, despite being super-busy at mealtimes seems to be trained in Gujarati hospitality, which makes dining here an especially pleasant experience.
Ordering can't get any simpler than at Thaker's. They have no menu as the standard Thali of the day is the only thing they serve. You get seated and a stainless steel plate with as many as ten bowls is dropped on your table. At this point it’s all empty and you have no idea of the assault that is about to begin.
Over the next five minutes, the large plate and the bowls begin to fill up. It’s hard to keep track of all that is served but here's most of it.
The Sides
- Kachori
- Dhokla
- Pakoda
- Chutneys (I could count at least four)
- Aachar (Pickle)
- Salad
- Farsan
- Papad
- Dahi Vada
The vegetable curries
- Potato
- Cabbage
- Mixed lentils
- Greens
The Dals
- The typical Gujju sweet variant
- The standard savory dal
The Rotis (Three to four types including Puris)
The desserts
- Puran Poli
- Aamras
That is what it looks like after one round by the servers. And while it looks like a lot already, what the picture does not capture is the virtual (and persuasive) conveyer belt that the waiters form as they keep refilling each and every item on the plate. It's all really good and it’s only after you fear having no place for dessert, that you finally ask them to stop. And there's still that heap of rice to finish.
By the time you've finished the desserts, getting up to go to the wash basin looks like a daunting task. But as you drag yourself back through the dark corridor and dingy staircase, you know for sure that you will return to subject yourself to this again
When not chasing the next lucrative business idea, Gujjus are known for traveling the world (does the phrase 'Patel snap' ring a bell?) and dining out. On any given weekend in the city, one is likely to find Gujarati families queuing up at the popular food stalls or occupying majority of the tables at most restaurants. So much so, that most restaurants in the city have now expanded the vegetarian sections in their menu (most Gujaratis are vegetarians) and some even have separate Jain menus.
But while South Indian, Indianized Mexican and Italian are the most popular weekend cuisines among the Gujaratis of Bombay, how about their own food? While an authentic Gujarati meal is best experienced at a dining table in a Gujarati household, there is one good option if you want to try the cuisine while eating out. That is the Gujarati Thali. As the name suggests, it’s a one-person meal (obviously vegetarian in this case), which in most cases is an eat-all-you-can combination of Rotis, Dals, rice and countless sides and desserts.
There are a large number of restaurants offering the Gujarati Thali in Bombay. And while there is a restaurant serving the Gujju Thali in most localities in the city, the largest number can be found in South Bombay. Not surprising, given the fact that many of its areas like Walkeshwar, Girgaon and Kalbadevi are Gujju-dominated. While which one of these is the best can be a matter of great debate among Gujjus and non-Gujjus alike, my vote goes to a certain 'Shree Thaker Bhojanalay'.
Thaker has been at the top of the ratings on restaurant review sites and TripAdvisor for several years now. And while that is not the last word on the quality of food at a restaurant, a stellar score across websites after thousands of ratings and hundreds of reviews makes the case in its favor really strong. In fact, for the longest time, Thaker was Mumbai's restaurant #1 on TripAdvisor.
Finding this place is nothing short of a treasure hunt though. Tucked away in a tiny alley of Kalbadevi called Dadiseth Agiary Lane, this one is hard to find even with the help of Google Maps.
I have been here several times and it’s only after three or four visits that I could get here without stopping to ask for directions. But don't let this deter you - the reward at the end of this search is good enough! What's more, once you're in the right lane, a significant landmark in the city's history greets you on your way to the restaurant - Dadiseth Agiary, which lends its name to the lane, is the oldest Zoroastrian fire temple in the city!
The restaurant itself is on the first floor of one of the typical chawl buildings in the area and you have to spot the board announcing its presence at the building entrance if you don’t want to miss it. As you climb the creaking stairs, framed proofs of accolades gathered over the years greet you.
The air-conditioned and brightly lit interiors are in complete contrast to the dark corridors one passes through before entering. The staff, despite being super-busy at mealtimes seems to be trained in Gujarati hospitality, which makes dining here an especially pleasant experience.
Ordering can't get any simpler than at Thaker's. They have no menu as the standard Thali of the day is the only thing they serve. You get seated and a stainless steel plate with as many as ten bowls is dropped on your table. At this point it’s all empty and you have no idea of the assault that is about to begin.
Over the next five minutes, the large plate and the bowls begin to fill up. It’s hard to keep track of all that is served but here's most of it.
The Sides
- Kachori
- Dhokla
- Pakoda
- Chutneys (I could count at least four)
- Aachar (Pickle)
- Salad
- Farsan
- Papad
- Dahi Vada
The vegetable curries
- Potato
- Cabbage
- Mixed lentils
- Greens
The Dals
- The typical Gujju sweet variant
- The standard savory dal
The Rotis (Three to four types including Puris)
The desserts
- Puran Poli
- Aamras
That is what it looks like after one round by the servers. And while it looks like a lot already, what the picture does not capture is the virtual (and persuasive) conveyer belt that the waiters form as they keep refilling each and every item on the plate. It's all really good and it’s only after you fear having no place for dessert, that you finally ask them to stop. And there's still that heap of rice to finish.
By the time you've finished the desserts, getting up to go to the wash basin looks like a daunting task. But as you drag yourself back through the dark corridor and dingy staircase, you know for sure that you will return to subject yourself to this again
For Address, Reviews and other info:
https://www.zomato.com/mumbai/shree-thaker-bhojanalay-kalbadevi
1 comment:
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