Mahesh Lunch Home

Mangalorean food was never in the spotlight till this seafood eatery set its imprint on our shores, starting off in 1977 with its first outlet in Fort to four more in Bombay, one in Bangalore and Poona each, as well as Dubai. The gassi preparations, that’s curry in the Konkan region, are oh so tempting and those prawns in a memorable butter garlic with pepper sauce, too. Mahesh Lunch Home, established by SC Karkera, is quite literally home for the best Mangalorean seafood in Bombay. This was endorsed by Busybee, the first food writer of the country. The proprietors of Mahesh say but for Busybee, they would not have reached the culinary heights that they have.

Get a glass of beer to go with your Surmai Tawa Fry, why don’t you! Fish Tikka comes with a choice of four sauces: malai, Hyderabadi, red masala, pepper; pick yours and enjoy. Prawns Koliwada is another scrumptious starter to add to the list of must-haves. Vegetarians, paneer and mushroom are substituted well in similar sauces giving you a Mushroom/Paneer Butter Pepper Garlic. Prawn Gassi goes wonderfully well with a neer dosa. You must also try the Kori Rotti, a traditional Mangalorean delicacy of chicken with a crisp roti meant to be soaked in the gravy and relished. Chinese and Indian staples are on offer, ranging from fried rice to biryani – chicken, mutton, seafood, egg, veg – and the Fish Biryani is one to write home about.

Dessert is pretty straightforward, so go with the brownie with ice-cream or the  caramel custard.