New Bawa on the block

FOOD COMPETENTPACKAGING BASICSERVICE EFFICIENTCOST REASONABLEVERDICT 14People will tell you Mumbai is too fastpaced but there are a few places where time continues to stand still Youll notice it only if you are not in a rush yourself A few yards off the west exit of Grant Road Railway Station a neighbourhood exists in a happy lull The air is brimming with aromas of freshly made farsan flowers in full bloom and the tender perfume perhaps Tabu or Shalimar of grandmas clad in cute dresses heading to the peculiarly organised bhaaji marketEgg and chutney patticeThis is the Bombay of yore where cacophony becomes humdrum and it is also where a few strides away from the station a small takeaway popped up two months ago Helmed by Dilshad Karnade Parsilicious is the quintessential mohalla goto for sudden cravings And youd really have to set out looking for the place to be able to spot it chances are that it will slip the naked eyeIt is tiny primarily like a deli with a few snacks on offer through the course of the week and the mains available on rotation as daily specials Youd do well to call up in advance and place your order even more so if youre looking to try the dhansak a Sunday treat on say a Tuesday The nibbles seem to run out rather quickly mdash at 1 pm the counter already looks sparseMutton cutletFor this trial we pick an assortment of offerings mdash Russian pattice R55 mutton kheema cutlets R60 kheema pattice R60 chicken cutlet R55 and chicken farcha R110 and papeta ni marghi R150 for the mains An hour later a call from Karande clarifies that our order has been botched up for her staffer forgot to pack the chicken and Russian cutlets and the farcha and that shes sending someone over with the sameMeanwhile we tuck into the fare beginning with the mutton kheema cutlets The lace on an authentic Parsi version is as precious a trimming as the real deal on a Christmas mass dress Unfortunately on Karandes kheema cutlet the lace is droopy and scant And while the filling is tasty the cutlet itself is flat Parsi cutlets are typically robust You plough through one of them with garam rotli and you shouldnt want to transition to the mains is the idea The same fate meets the chicken farcha with a thickerthanusual egg batter and a willowy lace that is practically nonexistent Its our least favourite dish hereMutton patticeThe Russian pattice on the other hand is rolypoly perfect Theres a hit of spice each time you bite into the chopped chillies making the creamy potato white sauce and cheese filling come alive Its gooey without being icky and the coalition of otherwise opposing flavours makes this a starThe kheema filling in the papeta kheema pattice is khattumitthu sweetsour and generous but we would have liked the chutney in the eeda egg chutney pattice to have been piquant and spicy It is palatable still for you can enjoy the filling which is stuffed in copiously before you actually reach the eggThe papeta ni marghi an everyday chickenpotato gravy can be made in multiple ways A coconut milk version made famous by Katy Dalal is ohsodelicious Karandes dish chose the masalatomato route to offer a runny gravy thats tangy and would have gone well with white rice Rice wasnt available so we tried it with laadi pav Competent in taste we think Interestingly it tastes similar to the homestyle chicken and aloo korma that is ubiquitous in Bengali Muslim homes which has the same aromatic and shorbalike gravy often enjoyed with shortgrain rice polaoKarande has chosen to set up shop in what was once a bawa bastion Next door to Grant Road Station Nana Chowk already has the legendary takeaways Belgaum Ghee Depot we love your daal ni pori Farrokh Workingboxwalla and PAC survive the snappy women at the counter and the universe gifts you a delicious plate of dhansak and tikkha kavab and chicken patty mdash smaller than the competitions but of meltinthemouth variety They will keep her on her toes And while the whole point of starting a community food outlet should be to have everyone get a taste of another cuisine the real test is when your food can gather a crowd of bawas themselves waiting patiently to pick up their grub from the kitchen at the rear of the counter despite a matron telling them off Time laagseDilshad KarnadeAt Parsilicious Naushir Barucha Marg Grant Road WestTime10 am to 8 pm 10 am to 2 pm on SundaysCall 777706695044EXCEPTIONAL34EXCELLENT24VERY GOOD 14GOOD054AVERAGECatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates