Jamjoji, Mumbai (Rs. 650-1,000 per person)

In case you aren’t in the know, ‘Jamjoji’ means ‘Let’s go eat’ in Gujarati. And that is exactly what you’ll be doing at this Parsi diner tucked away in a Reclamation by-lane. The décor is sparse, with walls adorned with framed pictures of eminent Parsi personalities such as Persis Khambatta, Freddie Mercury and Sam Manechshaw. In true Parsi style, the restaurant also has the ‘Faravahar’ – a tray of sandalwood sticks – the symbol of the winged God. The dishes have been named after the owner’s friends and family; you’ll see a Piroza Aunty’s Chicken Sticks as well as a Zenobia Zorabian’s Lagan Nu Custard on the menu. For starters, the chicken sticks are a great pick; the boneless chicken marinated in spicy green chutney is absolutely delicious and served in a generous portion. We moved on to the spicy, but oily Akuri. The Patra ni Macchi is a must for the main course. Even though I don’t eat fish, the person with me who did said the green coconut and coriander chutney on top was to die for. A surprise for the taste buds has got to be the mutton biryani, which incidentally does not appear on the menu! We ordered it at the suggestion of our server, which was a great idea! With our tummies filled with delicious fare, we could not leave without topping off the meal with the Lagan nu Custard. Little did we know that it would turn out to be overly sweet and lacking in the fluffiness characteristic of this Parsi treat.

Volume 1 Issue 10