Raveena Tandon reviews Urban Tadka

Urban Tadka
8, Shiv Shopping Centre, 7 Bungalows, Andheri West
Call: 022 26328172
Rating: ****

Sanjeev Kapoor, India’s Master Chef, once said that we need more ‘good’ Indian restaurants than ‘fancy’ Indian restaurants.

Mumbai is known for its kaleidoscope of gourmet restaurants catering to varied taste-buds and ambience expectations. While some of these cater purely to gastronomic delights, others provide for  memorable experiences. 

This is one of his dreams come true.  A restaurant which enjoys a very rustic look still, has a chef from Delhi and achaar from Punjab!

Few places offer an irresistible combination of good food, great ambience and reasonably light-on-your-pocket experience. Urban Tadka (or UT as it is popularly known) at Seven Bungalows, Andheri, is one of them! Being a neighborhood eating joint, I have frequented it many a times. And have come back satisfied every time!

Since the place is popular, the waiting time for a table can be quite long (up to over an hour!) even on a weekday evening. Allotment of tables is on a first-come-first-serve basis. However, the courteous staff make sure that your waiting time is not as laborious.

With an ambiance that is rustic, you’re definitely going to be tempted to push back and enjoy the cushioned seating. The tables are huge and chairs are made of hand-woven strings. And do notice the leg of the table — it is actually a tree trunk. The authenticity extends to the food as well. You’ll be amused to see the menu card; it actually comes on a slate. Yeah, the kinds little kids carry to school. Everything is a must have, really! For beginners, the onions soaked in vinegar, papad, spicy curd, pickles start whetting your appetite before the gorgeous meal.

Veg, non-veg and sea food, you get it all here! For the main course, we order an assortment  of food. So here’s a list of must-tries and highly recommended dishes from my many visits here — Paneer De Tikkey, Wah Wah Choley, Nimbu Chicken (tangy, juicy, succulent), Banjara Murg Kebab, Baigan ka Bharta (lip smacking), Bhindi Masala (masaleydaar) Ambarsariya Murgh (you will lick your fingers off), Peshwari Meat, Daal Makhani (the best gravy blended of both rural and urban touch), Sarson ka Saag (reminds you of daadi’s hands)  and lots and lots of missi rotis and lachhedar naans (phew!). I’m already thinking of my next visit!

The management here seems to have its pulse on the food business knowing well that a good food product is never complete without equally competent service standards. The service is smooth unless the crowd is hiccuping the function. This is one joint that I can bank on for entertaining friends to some good, homely food away from home.

Final verdict: This place is definitely worth a trip at least once a month if not in a fortnight. I love going to Urban Tadka with my family. There is hardly anything to not like about this place. The food here is terrific, the interiors are extremely well done and the service is pretty great too. A big thumbs up to this joint .

Raveena Tandon is an actress and a foodie.