Alright, let’s keep cranking the Bombay restaurant reports out. Here is another lunch eaten at one of the city’s stalwart Malvani restaurants: Chaitanya. You might remember that my second report from this trip was of a very good lunch at Shri Datta Boarding in Lalbaug. Well, not that there’s a competition but I would say that this lunch at Chaitanya was even better. I took a subset of my students there after a morning outing a few weeks ago and between us we tried a large number of their seafood thalis and also a veg thali. There wasn’t a single less than deeply-satisfied customer in the bunch. Herewith the details.

Chaitanya is located in Dadar West. It’s a small restaurant with two cozy dining rooms and I don’t think there’s such a thing as a time when they are not busy. We arrived a little before 1 pm on a Wednesday, which is not yet prime lunch hour in India, and there was a big crowd already waiting outside. I talked to the manager/proprietor and he suggested getting our orders in while we waited so they could have everything out as soon as we sat down. I think he then squeezed us in once two tables opened up next to each that could hold a total of 10 people.

We sat down and the food began to emerge quickly as promised. We began with some of their prawns rava fry and their bombil fry, both of which dishes have become firm favourites of pretty much everyone on the program (well, not the vegetarians). Both were very good, though I think the bombil fry at Highway Gomantak remains my favourite. And then the parade of thalis began.

We got two each of the following: the mori/baby shark thali, the bangda/mackerel thali, the surmai/kingfish thali and the pomfret thali. A veg thali for the vegetarian in the group and for me a special prawn thali at the proprietor’s insistence. The pomfret, surmai and bangda thalis featured the main event in rava fry form while the thali also included a separate fish curry along with that quintessential prep of dried shrimp and onions, another fish gravy and some really excellent sol kadhi. The mori thalis, on the other hand, featured the main event in a rich curry. The special prawn thali was a true prawn overload with more prawn rava fry, prawn biryani, prawn curry and prawn masala—in addition to the dried shrimp and onions, fish gravy and sol kadhi. The veg thali meanwhile was pronounced excellent as well with two dals, two veg dishes, sol kadhi and a very nice modak for dessert.

To mop everything up we had a selection of bhakris, vades, chapatis and ghavne. And there was rice as well for anyone who wanted some with their curries.

For a look at the restaurant, the menu and the food, launch the slideshow below. Scroll down to see how much it all cost and to see what’s coming next.

As I said, the food was very good. And with the proprietor/manager keeping an eye on us, we felt very taken care of as well. As for the cost, it was very good value. With tip the total came to just about $100 for the 10 of us. I recommend Chaitanya highly to anyone looking for Malvani food in Bombay.

Okay, next up will be a restaurant in a very different genre: The Bombay Canteen. I might have that report out on Tuesday.