Dec 21, 2007 01:54 PM
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(Updated Dec 24, 2007 08:44 PM)
Anybody who has ever gone shopping to Hill Road must have definitely had those mouthwatering paani puris outside Elco Market. So much so that any visit to Elco Market is incomplete without a visit to the stalls outside selling a variety of delicious Indian Fast Food.
Run by a family of Sindhis(viz. Mohandas, Parshu bhai, Anil or Deepak) since decades, this cluster of about 3 stalls serve everything that is typically ‘chatpatta’ ( spicy and saucy and delicious and lip smacking and .. how many adjectives can one find to describe Indian‘chatpatta’? )
Let me start off with Dahi Puri/Wada/Kachori. All curd items that are the right blend of soft melt in your mouth Indian pancake puffs served with condiments and spicy/saucy flavours. Hey guys and gals, help me out here – I seem to be facing a famine of adjectives and descriptive prowess)
Next, we have the Punjabi Chhole Batture – now that’s one item that drips with oil but comes piping hot and is served with rings of onion and a dash of lemon. Just the right kind for these drizzling days.
The great Bombay Pau Bhaji. A mish mash of all possible vegetables mainly potatoes, tomatoes, capsicum, onions, peas and a lot more served straight from the sizzling tawa with oodles of Amul butter and two soft paus (bread), a complete mini meal by itself. Varieties like Jain Pau Bhaji and and Cheese Pau Bhaji to name a few.
Besides the above three main attractions there are some sandwiches and Punjabi samosas.
They serve (open area) in clean steel compartmentalized thalis (plates) along with a small plastic glass of aerated soft drink complimentary ( a great touch to a road side eatery) Mineral water is available. Seating arrangement, though crude (plastic chairs on the foot path) it is definitely a boon to the shopping weary wife with her poor ( and poorer) husband in tow clutching on to all those bags for dear life. ( and wife )
You cannot leave without sampling his sweet delights.
The Malai Rabdi, Ras Malai, Malai Kulfi are simply heavenly and out of this world. Try his fruit salads if you are too calorie conscious ( Take my advice – to hell with all those calories when you are here – Just gorge and make merry for once ) If you can stomach them, they also serve great MaalPuras also besides excellent Gajar ka Halwa and Gulab Jamuns ( real big dark brown evil ones )
As expected they do roaring business and now have three generations involved in it. They have now taken over the Raymond’s showroom inside Elco Market and are now a proper fast food joint air conditioned pad. They already own a converted garage in the rear compound of Elco.
They also do excellent outdoor catering for marriages and parties. I must add here that they do a very good professional catering. I have experienced them when I had called them over some years back for a small gathering of 50 people. At the end of it all, I was extremely satisfied with their courteous staff and cooks and management about which all my guests had commended. At the end of the party each and every scrap of paper tissue and leftover garbage was swept clean and packed into bags and taken away by them. All this without any big tip or any sweet talk of any expectations or ‘baksheesh’. It was all a part of their routine job which they normally do after every party. I liked that bit very much. Very un-assuming low key profile folks with top of the line service and a smile aimed to please.
Their swank new split level 2 floor restaurant with a panoramic view of Hill Road is a pleasure and a delight. Service is quick and clean.
Goes to prove that good food is the secret of success and how !
ELCO CATERERS, Tel : 2643-7206
C-84 Elco Compound, Cell : 9820-555-916
Elco Market, 46 Hill Road,
Bandra(W) Bombay – 50
Regards
Raja ©
Disclaimer : I have no interests in their business.
