Mahim in "town"??? Was spoken….
Let’s try and sample Bombay or Mumbai……
My "town" begins at Tardeo and extends to Fort and then Colaba. Where the Chillia, Parsi and Irani eateries () still exist. Baba Ling's is here too along with Olympia- great Chillia food. Rustam's ice cream sandwiches at Brabourne stadium. With Pyrks at one end and Asiatic Irani, Gourdon and Purohit's at the other end of Veer Nariman Road. Interestingly, Kamlings has evolved from a small family run restaurant to a regular eatery. My first three course there cost my a princely five rupees. The coastal food now. Kori gassi and prawn gassi are delicious at Fort. Kerala cuisine is best at Tulsi at Gunbow Street. At an Irani, do ask for Brun maska chai or “pudding”. It has it’s own signature.
Mohammad Ali Road meanders along past the Crawford Market and it’s food, meats and shops, past the whole sale markets pitching in with it’s own Bambiyya chchap Muslim brands of food which is scrumptious. Even for vegetarians. Minorities are vegetarians too. Bohri Biryani near Minara Masjid. Daal tadka or chaawal tari maar ke. Authentic Kutchhi muslim food in that area too. Sarvi kabab rotis and paya soup at Nagpada. Bhuleshwar has Khau Galli and vegetarian Gujarati fare. The crossing of JJ hospital offers mouth watering kheema pao, kheema ghotala or baida ghotala at any hour. By lunch onwards sup on tandoori chicken, seekh & boti kabab. Relished by daily workers and the well off. Matunga East, The place to savour Udipi and Tamil food. Yes, the sambar differs. Mani's (coin idlis for breakfast, Ram Ashray and Arya Bhavan- try the Iddyappams) serve piping hot breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. Dadar houses the Malvani fiery food joints, Sindhudurg that has mutton or chicken sukka, bombil fry, paplet masala, sol kadi a must try. Finally Aram at Mahim, for Kutchhi vegetarian world.
Buses No.1 and 4 Ltd ran through the night. The latter, till Andheri west, depot.
The seven islands of Bombay were Colaba (Kolbhat), Old Woman’s Island (Little Colaba), Isle of Bombay, Mazagaon (Mazhgaon), Worli, Parel and Mahim.
The nearby islands of Trombay and Salsette were merged to form Greater Bombay. Bandra, Khar etc. etc. are parts of Greater Mumbai.
Bhau Daji Lad Museum, formerly Victoria and Albert Museum, walks you back in time to these islands.
Bombay’s pre- Independence architecture is a confluence of two brilliant designer minds. The intricate gargoyles and bejeweled columns of the city show the Italian jeweler at work. And perfect execution by the British mind.
That, my friends is the Bombay I was born in. A truly compolitan city. The Island city of Mumbai. Where Dadar is too; the husband, whilst putting on his black topi would tell his wife "Me Mumbai la challo…" (I'm going to Mumbai), meaning Fort, and walk out with his black umbrella. Still happens in parts of Girgaum and Dadar.
