MAHESH LUNCH HOME

"A shark on your wallet, but a snapper on your plate"

Forgive me for my peculiar moods, but today was one to not suffer fools gladly. I moved in mysterious paths from my hotel to Mahesh, avoiding puddles, dog poop, beggars splayed out in pentagram formations and the odd rat scurrying home with dinner. My mind was adrift in oceans of pensive thought. The future stood before me like a sheet of rain, diluting my optimism and blurring the path forward.

This temperament may have induced slight exaggerations on my eating experience, but c'est la vie. Life is lived by real people and we are not machines.

The doorman held open the keys to the kingdom and in I went. To a completely dark, empty room. For a moment I thought my earnest pursuit of off-peak dining had yet again rung true, but alas, I was steered upstairs to a room replete with rambunctious revellers. I avoided the waiter's suggestion to sit between two tables of loud customers and instead begged for the corner table concealed by a frosted glass window. He succumbed.

I did not dilly-dally with the menu but asked straight out to recommend a starter and a main, preferably a main with gravy and a spicy one. He told me to rest assured, asked if I wanted salt or sweet in my lime soda to which the answer was "neither", and then disappeared to relay orders to the chef. 

In mirrors of fragrant smoke, I dined, succulent spiced prawns kissing my lips, a deep red curry with achingly moist fish carried on a flying carpet of crisp/fluffy garlic naan. I sipped my tart lime soda and eavesdropped for a second. The curry was balanced and spicy but just lacked a touch of depth if I'm being pedantic. The prawn starter was delicious but a tad dry. 

When I asked for the bill, my eyes did a double take. Not only were the dishes wildly over-priced but they generously added their service tax, manager tax, water tax, electricity supplement, dog biscuit charity donation, and waiters' mental state fund all to the already spicy tab. It pained me to pay it, for tho the food had been satisfactory, the amount of coin leaving my wallet was not planned.

Hence I walked out into the monsoon air of Mumbai, rubbed my belly, tapped my pocket, and walked home into oblivion.

These recommendations are just personal opinions based on my palate, things change, chefs get fired or replaced, places open-close, relocate, so take it all with a pinch of MSG  and discover your own gems too. But please do try a few of these, they have been researched exhaustively.