Chingrir chop at Lokhandwala

The Durga puja in Lokhandwala has a celebrity angle since it’s backed by playback singer Abhijeet Bhattacharya. The place is renowned for its bhog, or the vegetarian feast that’s served on the four main days of the festival. But our eyes are instead centred on the food stalls that occupy one corner of the ground in the nether regions of Andheri where the pandal is located. There are all the usual culinary suspects, starting from jhaal muri, to puchka, to a rather oily looking Kolkata-style biryani. But we try a chingrir chop (Rs 200) from a catering service called Westfield. Now, a word here about chops. Kolkatans have a massive thing for them. And the one that would rank above all others is made from shrimp. Little bits of the crustacean lend each piece an irresistible flavour, and we are happy to report that the one we try hits the sweet spot. In fact, a trip all the way to this pandal is worth it just to try out the chop.