BLACK MAGIC OF PAV BHAJI

Sameep Karve gets conjured by Black Magic of Pav Bhaji

  Mumbai is flooded with restros and stalls serving Pao Bhaji. Some are good, some are bad. Some are hyped, some are well, not so much. But a good Pao Bhaji always finds its customers.

Finally went to this place as it was from long time in my list and also heard a lot about this Kali Pav Bhaji and read some good reviews on Zomato also. Hence on a Saturday evening took a crowded harbour line local from Wadala and alighted at Vile Parle station. There I was greeted by my buddy Krunal who is residing in Mumbai from last 1 year and we both went on his bike crossing the heavy traffic of Vile Parle east through a fly over which connects East and west. We had to ask for the location at two places but finally found the thin nerved narrow lane of Police Line. This place is located in small area which is always flooded with vehicle traffic and it is a swanky road side shop having 7-8 chairs are available for sitting and 2 to 3 tables. Nothing to talk about its ambience. But this place is famous amongst the locals for its Kali Pav Bhaji and place is always crowded as its completely different in taste and worth a shot.This place has its own loyal share of patrons.

Well now coming to the Pav Bhaji, the Bhaji served here does not have red sizzling gravy as we normally have at other places but it has dark brown colour usually referred as black. The colour of Bhaji is the USP of this place which gives it an alternative name and makes it unique. Here you wont get a smack of Butter on top of the Pav Bhaji as it is served at all other places but they add a generous amount of Butter while making the Bhaji itself. Bhaji here is spicy due to  some Secret Black Masala  added to it but it is bearable to our taste buds and you wont have any burning sensations on having it and can be easily eaten. Pavs are served hot dipped in Butter along with the Bhaji.

Another Show stealer of the show is their Masala Pav popularly known as "Babu Pav". This is also their signature dish and only their Owners are aware of the culinary art of preparing the same. Here the Pav is not filled by Bhaji and topped with Masala which any other joint serves but they use their own secret masalas which is also Black in colour and roast the Pav in butter on a Tava. Just pull a piece of Masala Pav and put it on your tongue and there will be a spice explosion as its too spicy but very delicious in taste. If you are a spice lover then highly recommeded to have this.

Overall a good experience and worth to give a try atleast once. No doubt the place is over hyped but quite light on your pocket as our Total Bill was only Rs.110(Pav Bhaji and Masala Pav)

PATIALA PLATTER

Sameep Karve digs his teeth in Hot Parathas.

It was Sunday and just came to Baroda for holiday. Mumbai served me well and now it was the turn of my hometown-Vadodara. It was evening time and was having a normal chit chatting with my Chuddy Buddies. The conversation took us to our beloved topic food and our taste buds started to tickle so thought to have a sunset soiree and then we were thinking of options where to satiate our hunger. I recommended one place which was in my list from long time and this made our virtual travel to State of Punjab for some lip smacking Parathas and glass of Lassi. We headed straight to bylanes of Malhar point besides Zafaroon restaurant where there is an iconic eatery named Jashn e Paratha serving Hot Parathas and Patiala Lassi.

Jashn E Paratha welcomes you with a live tava counter on the outer patio of the commercial complex with decent sitting space in the mini restaurant.The menu has an impressive list of parathas, select biryani combos and desi beers – the Punjabi lassi and the Gujarati Chass. Asked the owner to surprise me with his signature paratha and hand picked the Patiala Punjabi Lassi (plain).

A ginormous 12-inch Parathas- Paneer Alu Methi and Cheese Garlic Parathas, slap-rolled by hand and given a tawa-tan in desi ghee headed up in my direction. Kissed with two bowtie-butter dollops from Amul, the paratha had a six-stuffing core complimented with an accompaniment of home-cultured dahi and fresh green chutney

Courteously given an 8-slice cut, the paratha is exceedingly rich in aroma and flavour. A mouthful is enough for you to vision the fertile plains on Ludhiana. A few chomps are enough for you to remember gobbling a similar monster you bit into as you raced up the Vaishno Devi hill from Katra. The piping heat on the crust gets a double dose of steam locked in the airy dough cavity holding the veggie-stuffing mix of potato mash, cauliflower, garlic grates, chopped onion, coriander and methi.
Patiala Lassi glass was shared by Me and one of my friend as we were already full with Parathas. The Parathas start from Rs.50 to Rs 120 and Lassi starts from Rs.60 to Rs.110.
As monsoon sets in, I believe the time to enjoy this waddey-waddey parothey is just right. Take the trip to Jashn E Paratha for sure…

BUTTER BATH AT SARDAR PAVBHAJI

SARDAR PAVBHAJI- TARDEO, MUMBAI

 Sameep Karve enjoys a Butter Bath at Sardar Pavbhaji

Pav Bhaji is one of the most sought after Mumbaiya foods. And when you think of Pav Bhaji, the first name that comes to your mind is Sardar Restaurant. This place is Pav Bhaji hub of Mumbai.

The history of the pav bhaji is as delicious as the dish itself. As per popular folklore, it originated back in the 1850’s when textile mills flourished in Mumbai. Textile workers, who didn’t have a lot of time to eat their lunch, wanted a light meal as they had to return to their physical work. A person saw this problem and in true mumbaiya sense came up with a Jugaad. He replaced the roti with a pav and the curry with a spicy concoction of vegetables. And thus Pav Bhaji was born!

Sardar Pav Bhaji located at Tardeo is not just another Pav Bhaji place. It is a temple, a shrine for all Amul butter pilgrims. If Butter was a religion, and Amul Butter its religious head, its Janmabhumi would be at Anand, but its karmabhumi will surely be Sardar. The owners of this place are responsible for hike in cholesterol levels of Mumbaikars. Take care of the timings as it is always crowded and normal waiting time is half n hour or forty five minutes. If one undertakes a Mumbai food pilgrimage, this is one halt that needs to be made. Ideal for families, the haunt is equally preferred by midnight owls as well. Located in the bustling Tardeo area, the street side joint is a walk away from Mumbai Central railway station. The sight of the red sizzling Pav Bhaji with a dash of butter will generate a pang of desire even in the most diet conscious person. Pav are soft and pillowy and literally soaked in butter.

Pav Bhaji here can be described by just one word- BUTTER!!! Eat at Sardar’s only if you love butter.The Bhaji here is not as spicy or hot as compared to others and the brownish black colour of the Bhaji is brought out by their secret masala. If you’re in for a cheesy kick, then order a Cheese Pav Bhaji. Cheese Pav Bhaji is an improvised version of the Mumbai street snack and the locals swear by the flavour of the same. Heaped with grated cheese, the bhaji itself jostles for space with a big blob of butter on the plate. Another dish that several diners favour is Masala Pav, in which the bhaji is stuffed inside the pav as the bread gets toasted to give the extra crunch.
In Earlier days I came to know from some of the taxi drivers near Mumbai central that Pav bhaji was served at around 25 to 30 INRs. There was a trend to enjoy a Movie at Maratha Mandir near Mumbai Central and then flock at Sardar to satiate your hunger pangs.

Although the rates have now changed significantly (touching Rs. 100), (Cheese Pavbhaji- Rs.150) what remains constant is the Butter Bath given to every Pav Bhaji. Every lot of Bhaji is meticulously prepared from scratch and serves around 70-100 plates of Bhaji. It remains open till late night up to 2 am.