South Mumbai home cook's takeaway service offers mouth-watering pies

Caramelised Onion and Brie Pies

Mother knows best, they say. And, in this instance, we can vouch for it. Home cook Zarine Davar, who launched her takeaway service Mama Z's less than two months ago, managed to win us over with just one word - pie.

(Front) Chocolate and Caramel Pie; and Banoffee Pie. Pics/Shraddha Uchil

Although Davar, a Cuffe Parade resident, has been taking party orders for a long time, she wasn't open to launching a commercial venture, and only did so at the behest of her daughters. We hear her forte lies in making desserts, but that doesn't mean she can't whip up a mean savoury pie.

The items come neatly packaged and labelled with a bright blue logo

Currently, Mama Z's menu lists only three items - Caramelised Onion and Brie Pie, Banoffee Pie, and Chocolate and Caramel Pie. We ordered the goodies from Scootsy (you can also call directly), and they arrived on time.

First, we dug into the Caramelised Onion and Brie Pie. We ordered five mini pies ('300), but you can also get a whole pie ('1,400), with eight slices. It looks humble - the crust holds a cheesy filling, topped with a tiny dollop of caramelised onion right in the centre. However, it is only once it lands on your mouth that you truly appreciate its beauty. The complex creaminess of the brie - a perfect specimen from The Spotted Cow Fromagerie's larder - broken by the appearance of mildly sweet onions, surprises us with every bite.

The crust, meanwhile, is buttery yet light, and perfectly pliant.

The Banoffee Pie (150ml for '300, 750ml for '950) and the Chocolate and Caramel Pie (150ml for '350, 750ml for '1,050) are both eggless, and come in cute little glass jars. The chocolate version features layers of ganache, whipped cream, crunchy biscuit crumb and salted caramel sauce. This delightfully well-balanced caramel sauce (of which we could have a whole jar in one sitting) makes an appearance in the Banoffee Pie too, which also comprises layers of cream, biscuit crumb and, of course, slices of banana.

Mama Z's plan is to expand the business slowly but steadily. By next week, the menu will include chicken liver parfait, tiramisu, spinach and artichoke dip, and a lemon meringue dessert. The food is a tad pricey, but if the three dishes we tried are anything to go by, we can guarantee that anything coming out of this mama's kitchen is worth spending on.