Canteen capers

The Bombay Canteen is a sprawling, hipster-chic space in Lower Parel—all wood, glass and exposed brick. A tea light twinkles on each table and water is poured out of Rooh Afza bottles.Tiny appetisers—'Chintus'—float out of the kitchen every so often. I grab the cheese straws (going for a modest Rs. 40) that are served in a topli. Crisp and airy, they were demolished before my very eyes by my Matunga-dwelling friend, Ashwin. I distract him with another 'Chintu'—Scotch eggs, which he finds too watery.We order our drinks—beer, watermelon cocktail and Dark Monsoon, a gingery rum concoction. My cocktail is delicious; fresh watermelon spiked with a pucker of kala namak and afterwards, the slow burn of vodka. Suitably fortified, we ask for the Chhota plates, Charcoal-Grilled Chilli Calamari and the Pulled Pork Tacos. Natasha, a Worli resident, loves the tacos. But! "Perhaps some more spice? They seem a bit bland," she says. The calamari is smoky, spicy and meltingly soft. "I've had so much chewy calamari but this is wonderful," agrees Ashwin.Next, we order Roast Chicken Cafreal, Macaroni Prawns with Kaddu Shrimp Rasam and the astonishing Lauki and Lotus Root Curry for Natasha. "I prefer the moreish prawns to my chicken," mumbles Ashwin, who nevertheless admits that the chicken is tender and well cooked. "I've never seen such gussied-up lauki!" smiles Natasha, who loves the coconutty Indonesian-style dish.Time for pud! Natasha and Ashwin cry off, claiming fullness, but I order the Guava Tan Ta Tan, which comes perched on a puff pastry with chilli ice cream. Unfortunately, the puff pastry is a bit rubbery, but it all tasted excellent with the lal mirch ice cream. My 'stuffed' friends polish off most of it before I can pick up a fork.This review was conducted anonymously.