Jan 13, 2020, Monday. 2000 hours. Malad Inorbit
The happiness of the world, a blessing of divine
The richest of food and the finest of wine
Owning the world, having everything at beck and call,
I want to be a Maharaja who takes it all.
The Precis:
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#gujaratithali #allveg #service #quality #hygiene #dalkhichdi #kachori #indiandesserts #celebrateroyally
The Prelude:
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Maharaja Bhog is a Gujarati / Rajasthani thali restaurant that started under the aegis of Maheshwari Foods and Hospitality Private Limited. This is the first restaurant opened up in Inorbit mall, Malad in 2004. At present they have five restaurants in Mumbai, one in Pune and Kochi each, and five in the overseas market. I would have loved to meet the Managing director Ashish Maheshwari, and I hope so next time.
The Picture:
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We the threesome, after a hectic round of shopping in the Inorbit mall, decided to try this place out. The facade itself seemed premium, It’s a huge dining hall, with a lot of servers bustling around. High ceilings. Golden decor walls. Zillions of mini cuboid chandeliers hanging atop. Comfortable seating with large tables and cushy chairs. We were more particularly amused by a display of a range of spices enclosed in glass showcases embedded on the wall such that they seemed like mosaic tiles. Awesome.
The Pampering:
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As we took our seats, we had large brass thalis plonked before us. And so too for the rest of the cutlery - eight bowls, one mini platter, three glasses, and two spoons. Everything screamed premium. And then we were offered a handwash in a maharaja style - a surahi and a plate affair. There is also a quaint tradition of their bringing over a miniature cow piggy-bank and seeking to drop a coin (one of their own coins) in it. As a sort of worship.
The Platter:
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1) Soon we were offered a welcome drink - a kesar-chandan sharbat. The sandalwood scent was strongly present, and it was as good as it came.
2) And then the fun started. Each day is a different menu. You had mini tikkis aka barsa-dola (potato and peas, served crisp) and deep-fried papadams and a white dhokla (Kulfi dhokla, if you may), served with three types of chutneys - beetroot, mint, and imli. Also, a platter of dal dhokla.
3) Four veggies – Kathiyawadi undhiyo, aloo-tamatar, mutter-paneer and white peas-soya (mentioned here in the ascending order of preference). The last one, in particular, was awesomeness personified.
4) And then you had the staples – Fulka chapattis, roti with gur and white butter, and methi roti. Dal khichdi, and veg pulao. A bowl of spicy daal, a tangy hot kadhi, and a sweet Gujarati kadhi (yummy).
5) You also had a glass of chilled masala chhaas as an accompaniment. The chhaas was thankfully thick but mildly flavoured. Low on masala, having green leaves very finely chopped into bits.
6) But the creme de la creme was the sweets. Anjeer Dry fruit halwa ( a simple recipe but a marvel yet - anjeer and mawa married together did wonders), Angoori basundi (the right consistency and sweetness) and Kesari Jalebi with rose petals sprinkled on it.
The Postlude:
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So this was a robust combination of the food, the premiumness, the opulence, the quality, and the service coming together. Kudos to the Ops Manager Vijay Pal for running the place like a tight ship. I shall definitely visit again.
The Proclamation:
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I have not solicited this place for a review.
I have not asked for any quid pro quo - either in cash or in-kind - for my review.
I have not used any strong-arm tactics for seeking patronization at this place.
I have not asked for doggy bags and "extras" gratis at this place.
I have not asked for, neither am I engaged in, offering any PR services to this place.
The Parameters:
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The Food Quotient: Food Quality: 5 / 5, Food Choices: 4/ 5, Food Portions: ---, Food Presentation: 4 / 5
The Other Determinants: Location: 4.5 / 5, Cleanliness: 4.5 / 5, Warmth: 4 / 5
The Hygiene Factors: Ambiance: 4.5 / 5, Space Quotient: 4 / 5, Delivery Time: 4 / 5
The Conclusives: Pricing: 4 / 5, Overall Experience: 4.5 / 5, Will I visit Again: 5 / 5.
The Ps:
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Bouquets/brickbats can be addressed to sanjaynpunjabi@gmail.com or mentioned in the Comments section below.
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Sincere thanks to stalwart blogger-influencers like The Bombay Glutton, Palki Hattangadi, Sanjay Thampy, and a few others whose writing I envy.
A big and grateful shout out to all my 76000 followers, a warm handshake from miles away for making me the Numero Uno in the country.
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