Gearing up for Eid

Come Ramzan and the aroma of delicacies such as malpua, kheema samosa, firni and and the likes wafts in the air. While nothing beats an iftar daawat at a friend or neighbour’s home, the options this city has are many. From Mohammed Ali Road to Bohri Mohallah, and the khao gullies of Mahim and Kurla...the list is endless. We ask downtown residents their favourite joints to visit, and the must-haves during Ramadan. 

NO BEEF, NO WORRY
I’m a big fan of the iftar. I went to Mohammed Ali Road last year, and I went to Mahim this year. I’ve been eating the chicken seekh kebabs but my friends have convinced me to have the mutton, which I’ve tried out without worrying too much since beef is banned.
- Sridhar Iyer, works at Worli

A YEARLY RITUAL
Every year, I head to Mohammed Ali Road (after sunset) at least three times during Ramadan with my best friends. I follow a similar trail each year. We first begin with the baida and meat rolls; then we move on to the kebabs and the kheeri. A friend of mine tries some khichda and haleem, while I love a round of satay chicken. A must-have during this time is a pot of firni and those cute (and sometimes colourful) rasgullas with rabdi. Of late, I also visit Bohri Mohallah; the Jilani’s Bheja Fry and Gurda Fry is also awesome. We make a dessert stop at Taj Ice Cream for fresh fruit ice creams; my favourite being Custard Apple. At Mohammed Ali Road, we only patronise the roadside food stalls. It isn’t Iftar if you are walking in to a swanky restaurant to eat.
- Melinda Warty, works at Parel

A FEAST OF SORTS
We eat at Bohri Mohallah and not at Minara Masjid, which I think is just hyped. At Minara Masjid, we were served uncooked food many times. But I love the kebabs out there. I also visit Kurla; J.J. Halwai has the best-ever malpua loaded with rabdi, kali jalebi, mawa kala jamuns and the list goes on. One thing is for sure—evenings are a feast during Ramadan.
-Smruti Shirke, Santacruz resident

A YEARLY DEAL
I prefer having homemade food for iftar. Also, during Ramadan, my neighbours in the building send each other iftari delicacies. If we decide to take a stroll through the mohallah, like the Muhammed Ali Road, I love to savour on bhuna—either chiken bhuna or mutton bhuna. I love eating mutton kheema samosa, Russian kebabs, bhajiya and of course the malpua.
- Farah Qureshi, Andheri resident

dna RECOMMENDS:
What: Ramadan menu at Neel.
Must-haves: The celebratory feast at Neel includes typical lamb favourites such as Gosht Ki Pasliyan, Kofta-E-Sheek Nizami Haleem, Purane Chawk ki Nihari, and Changezi Raan Biryani.
Where: Neel at Tote on the Turf, Gate No. 5 & 6, Mahalaxmi Race Course.
When: Till July 17.

What: Iftaar menu at Kangan.
Must-haves: Relish the best of traditional Ramadan specialties like gosht khichada, Calicut meen roast, maplah biryani, Awadhi nalli nihari and many more delicacies. Where: Kangan-The Westin Mumbai Garden City, International Business Park, Oberoi Garden City, Goregaon (E).
When: Till July 18, 7 p.m. to 11.45 p.m.