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It
isn't just coastal-style seafood that Mumbai is known for; the
city has a sprinkling of old-world vegetarian eateries. Unlike
their peers in other Indian cities, Mumbai's white collar pros,
I-bankers, brokers, ad agency types and the like frequent these.
The food is good and the service is fast. Most importantly, it
is alright for the head of an I-bank to be spotted at one such
restaurant, something that wouldn't have been kosher in Delhi.
BT's man on the spot tries four such haunts.
MODERN HINDU HOTEL
Banana Leaf Bonanza
 It
is part of Mumbai's history, and there are enough captains of
finance who lunch here (U.R. Bhat, who runs Dalton Capital is
one). Why, of the owner's two sons, one is a VP in a multinational
bank (the other is the CEO of a multinational publisher). The
food is served on banana leaves, and popular enough for 250 people
to head for Modern Hindu for lunch every day. Since there are
only 24 covers that could mean a bit of a wait. "My old customers
are Tamils," says owner A.K. Hebbar, "but now the crowd
is cosmopolitan."
- When: Founded in 1826
- Where: Apeejay Chambers, Fort
- What: Mangalorean
- How much: Rs 35 (for an unlimited
thali)
 A
RAMA NAYAK'S UDIPI SHRI KRISHNA BOARDING
Time For Lunch
Time was, Shri
Krishna boarding's owner Satish Rama Nayak will tell you, when
employees of the Manipal-headquartered Syndicate Bank would take
the 10.00 a.m. flight from Bangalore to Mumbai so that they could
land on time for lunch at the establishment. Nayak himself eats
at the restaurant, and believes not changing the menu has helped.
Still, when a student from a local college pointed out to the
man that most of his customers were over the age of 40 he responded
by launching (a couple of months ago), a for-young-snacks-only
restaurant called Idli House.
- When:
Founded in 1942
- Where: LBS Market Building, Matunga
- What: Mangalorean
- How much: Rs 24 (for a limited thali);
Rs 60 (for an unlimited thali)
CRYSTAL ICECREAM AND
SNACKS
Perfect Price Point
 There
is no question of increasing prices," says Kamal Khanna,
the owner of Crystal, speaking of the importance of constancy
in his business. Actually, little has changed at the establishment
on Marine Drive; only two electric fans have had to be changed
in the past 50 years. On weekday afternoons, Crystal is packed
with brokers, I-bankers, advertising pros, and students. The highlight
of the menu: the kheer (pudding), the recipe for which came from
Khanna's wife.
- When: Founded in 1956
- Where: Chowpatty
- What: Punjabi
- How much: Rs 50 (for an unlimited
thali); Rs 120 for a meal for two (a la carte)
 THE
FRIENDS UNION JOSHI CLUB
Home Away From Home
Formed to provide
Gujarati food for the growing number of Gujaratis moving to Mumbai-India's
former Prime Minister, the late Morarji Desai was a member-The
Friends Union Joshi Club is a throwback to an era when Gujarati
entrepreneurs ruled the roost in a city whose currency was cloth.
Today, says co-owner Jeetu Purohit, "with the textile business
not growing, our business has gone down." Still, as Ashok
Purohit, another co-owner puts it, "the food is homely and
Gujarati," and that is still a draw in Mumbai.
- When: Founded in 1945
- Where: Kalbadevi Road
- What: Gujarati
- How much: Rs 70 (for an unlimited
thali)
-reported
by Krishna Gopalan, Anand Adhikari and Mahesh Nayak
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