Eating at Crystal

Rest: Crystal
Location: Opp Choepatt beach Next to Gant
Meal : Lunch
Company : Ze Wife.

Crystal is this small almost invisible place bang opposite Chowpatty beach. Hard to believe since its on one of the most heavily trafficked thoroughfares of this city. The place has been around for what seems like forever. It is not much to look at, in fact the place seems deliberately run down but get their a little into peak hours and you have a 20 min wait guaranteed.

The ambiance isn't much to talk about, there are small tables with make do chairs, the entire place cant seat more than 50 at full capacity. This lack of visibility and ambiance is part of the reason that few South Bombay locals (me included) frequent the place.

Most of the people eating here are professionals passing by, students from nearby colleges and hostels as well as others who aren't from the city. What the place lacks for ambiance it makes up for in character. Its almost a Hindu version of an Irani complete with sourly waiters and the old man at the cash counter (you don't tip the waiter directly, you leave it with him and he passes it off in front of you)


Now, the food. Well food is amazing.When i say amazing I don't mean in the Dum Pukth or Kebabs n Kurries sense. Its not classic, studied cuisine but a great deal more utilitarian, stripped down, simple. It tastes like something your mom would cook or something you would get at a Dhaba in the north.

However, the food is still different, fairly light made with little masala or ghee, so you know the acids wont work overtime.

There is a wide variety of options and we picked the paneer, rajma (must have with rice) rotis, paratha, yoghurt, dal fry , rice, thums up x 2. Topped this off with their specialty dessert, the kheer.

Overall, the food was very very good, the rajma would have worked better with the rice alone so avoid it with the rotis. The Dal fry was ok, worked but the overall menu is something i will be keen on trying out soon enough.

Food : 9/10 Service 8/10

Damage : 199 ($5) believe that?