The Highway dhaba trail

The trip stayed at the wheel for hours, befriended gruff truckers, tried Sev Bhaji and pseudo Milky Hookahs to bring you a guide to the best dhabas around Mumbai. This one's for those who will give anything for a bona fide Dal Makhaniu00a0

For the true blue traveller, being on the road is not just about zooming past on a full tank. It's also about stopping by to soak in the changing hues. And a full tummy ensures you soak it up right. For ambience, dhabas have a rambling highway with the roar of a 20-foot trailer grunting its way down a slope, drowning out your conversation. The service will be prompt only if the waiter likes you. But the food rarely disappoints (if you choose your stopover smartly).

Getting to the right dhaba is not easy. It's about calculated thought a crowded dhaba does not necessarily mean good food, and a soulless joint might not be too safe. Most importantly, leave health and hygiene issues behind (it's lip-smacking food; who cares where it's coming from!).



Old Mumbai-Pune Highway

The Mumbai-Pune Expressway has made driving across the Khandala Ghat easier. But anyone who appreciates the joy of driving will tell you that it's a boring stretch -- the straight road rarely demands a gear change and the food malls are dreary. Why would you want to eat soggy pizzas when just across the Old Highway you can dig into garama garam Tandoori rotis?

Varsu Dhaba, Varsoli, <Lonavla>
When we started off on this trail, we asked ourselves, "What defines a dhaba? Should it serve Punjabi food, should it be open-air or have khaats?" We decided to expand the definition to include all good food places adjoining highways.
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Varsu Dhaba serves authentic Maharashtrian fare. The low seating seemed inviting after an hour and a half long drive. We ordered Fish Fry (Rs 250), Chicken Shetkari (Rs 220 for half plate) and Paneer Tikka (Rs 120). The prices are steep for a dhaba, but the fish was fresh and well-marinated, the chicken tender-juicy. The paneer was a disappointment; a stark reminder of the bias towards non-veg fare dhabas are known for. They serve in-house rabbit meat (Rs 800). It's not on the menu but will be whipped up on special request. One complaint: the management needs to do something about the vampire mosquitoes that haunt the dhaba.
Serves booze? No, but the waiter will tell you where the nearest liquor store. Go and buy your own fill.
How to get there: Take the second Lonavla exit on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. Varsu Dhaba is located on your right, barely a five-minute drive away.

Bhajan Singh Da Dhaba, < Somatne Phata >
Lovely aka Harminder Singh is the second generation owner of Bhajan Singh da Dhaba, that's been around for 20 years. The last few years have seen a transformation; from being frequented by truckers and locals to now hosting students and young executives. Unlike the more popular Toni da Dhaba and Sunny da Dhaba a few kilometres away, Bhajan Singh does not boast of frills (there are no flavoured hookahs here) but the food is tasty and cheap. We ordered Garlic Kabab (Rs 130) and Veg Seekh Kabab (Rs 80) for starters; both melt-in-the-mouth. The Kasturi Chicken Handi (Rs 135), Mutter Paneer (Rs 75) and Dal Makhani (Rs 55) are good main course options. The Mutter Paneer is one of the creamiest we've tried. Finish off your meal with fresh, buttery chaas, suggested our waiter DN Joshi (who loves to flaunt his fluent English).
Serves booze? Yes.
How to get there: After the second toll naka on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, take the exit to Somatne/Pimpri-Chinchwad and drive towards Pune on the old highway. Bhajan Singh da Dhaba is on your left, just after the toll naka on the old highway.

Midway stopover: Rajesh's Stall, Tata Power Colony,u00a0 < Khopoli >
If you are driving through Khopoli, old timers will tell you how a stopover at Hotel Ramakant for their "genuine vada pav" was mandatory when the Old Highway was the only route to Pune. The place still draws a fair share of crowds at the Khopoli junction but we suggest you miss the garlic-infused vadas here and take the winding road to Rajesh's Tea and Vada Pau Stall. Located near the Tata Power bus stop for ST buses, it's a popular stopover for bikers. A Khandala resident, Rajesh begins work at 7 am and shuts shop at 9 pm everyday.u00a0 The vadas (Rs 5) come out piping hot every half hour and Rajesh can pour you a made-to-order cutting chai (Rs 5) if you are ready to wait. The location is terrific -- a view of a distant waterfall running down the Khandala Ghat, and an overview of Khopoli through evergreen trees on the other side.
How to get there: Take the Khopoli exit on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, cross the ghat section on the old highway. Rajesh's is the only tea stall on this stretch, making it difficult to miss.

Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway

Every highway has its peculiarities, and the Ahmedabad Highway stands out for the number of vegetarian dhabas. It's easy to understand why Sev Tamatar and Rajwadi Dhokli will dominate the menu on this road -- the Gujarati traders travelling to Mumbai from Vapi and Surat are steady clientele. Also, the Gujju truckers who take this route, prefer vegetarian fare.

Welcome Kathiawadi Hotel< Virar >
From the highway, the dhaba's distant structure looks overcrowded by truckers. We expected them to be an agressive lot (regulars had warned us against overtaking any truck with a GJ-number plate). But these guys were busy with eating, all glued to a tattered black and white TV set beaming 80s Bollywood music. This one's a hardcore trucker dhaba with no frills. The menu is pure vegetarian, cheap and simple. It's hard to go wrong with dishes like Sev Tamatar (Rs 25) and Lasaniya Batatau00a0 (Rs 25). There are also typically Gujju dishes like Rajwadi Dhokli (Rs 30), Mix Kathor (Rs 30) and Special Undhiyu (Rs 35) that go well with Bajra Rotla (Rs 8). They serve you in the car too.
Serves booze? No.
How to get there: Welcome Kathiawadi Hotel is located just after the Virar railway over bridge used by goods trains. Keep a lookout to your right after you pass the bridge.

Kinara Dhaba, near Ghodbunder Bridge, < Mira Road >
At 3 pm on a Saturday afternoon, it's difficult to find parking outside Kinara. It's more of a resort, sprawled across a couple of acres. The sight of a children's garden at the entrance, made us want to backtrack but we remembered how many reccos this place had got and decided to stop for lunch. We chose to sit in the machaan area which had mini khaats and wooden tables stand under a bamboo canopy. Here, the crowd is made up of city-dwellers out for a spin rather than travellers. We even spotted small-time politicos with gun totting-bodyguards.
Once you get comfortable on the sagging khaats, fire away -- Mutton Bhuna (Rs 200), Veg Kadai (Rs 150) and Dal Makhani (Rs 100). The food, however, doesn't match up to the ambience. There was nothing dhaba-like about the food, particularly the dal that came overloaded with garam masala. Drive here if you want to laze over a hookah and beer.
Serves booze? Yes. It serves everything from beer and Breezers (Rs 120) to premium Scotch (Rs 520). Order a cocktail at your own risk. With ingredients called 'khaluha' and 'cointreaw', you can't be sure of which academy the bartender went to. Hookahs costs between Rs 200 and Rs 350.
How to get there: On the Western Express Highway, take the Kashimira exit. After you cross the Ghodbunder Bridge look out for Kinara on your left.

En route: JJ Kaju Factory, Kohli Village, Naigaon (E)
It's a new addition to this highway. The 9 month-old store has managed to build a clientele among businessmen who take this route. Their speciality? Kaju Cake (Rs 570); a sweet dish with a Kaju Katri like exterior and dryfruit stuffing. Kaju Katri (Rs 80 for 250 gms).
How to get there: It's just before the Naigaon Naka on the highway.

Mumbai-NasHik Highway

The best dhabas on the Nashik Highway are located between Padgha and Shahapur. Unfortunately, there is a massive road-widening project on in this stretch. Most dhabas have had to resize. Punjabi Dhaba, where Laloo Prasad Yadav stopped for a bite, has had to shut down because of the roadwork. It is being rebuilt and we hope that when its back in business it'll serve the same old Bajre ki Roti and Chicken Handi. Meanwhile, there are enough genuine Punjabi dhabas to explore. This is the highway that leads to Agra and sees the maximum number of Punjabi truckers, which in turn assures you authentic Dal Makhani with tons of white butter.

Panchagani Hill Dhaba, Yawai Gaon, < Bhiwandi >
The location might have prompted the owners to name it Panchgani Hills Dhaba. We suggest you get a seat in the outer area that offers you a great view of the sunset. If you get there early evening, like we did, you will have to wait a couple of hours before being served main course. We weren't sure if we'd have the patience to sit out for the kitchen to get started so we requested the waiter to get us some starters and chai. Bhajias (Rs 40) are a safe bet with tea. The waiter recommended Garlic Chana (Rs 45), which appears under the Chinese section on the menu. It's the most innovative snack we've tried. Boiled Kabuli Chana is coated with a Chinese masala and deep-fried along with whole garlic cloves, and topped with generous sprinkling of chaat masala. It's an odd combination but it works. Advice: Carry a breath freshener.
Serves booze? No.
How to get there: After crossing the Kalyan Phata on the highway, cross a petrol pump with the newly opened Dara's Dhaba. Panchgani Hills is on the right just after the petrol pump.

Hotel Rajkiran, Cherpoli Village, <Shahapur>
It's difficult to understand what works for Hotel Rajkiran. It can't be the ambience. On busy days, chairs and tables are placed haphazardly to fit in maximum numbers. It can't be the lack of competition because there are enough dhaba-like places around. So, it's probably the huge portions that they serve, and the fact that beer is the focus.
There were 15 cars parked outside when we stopped for lunch at Hotel Rajkiran. This place defies the one dhaba rule -- you can't relax here over a meal. You will have to stare down people who are occupying a table way after they've settled the tab, so that you can settle down. But once you grab a seat and learn to ignore the pandemonium, you'll have your order served in minutes.
We ordered Chicken Kolhapuri (Rs 68 for half plate), Veg Kadai (Rs 140) and Dal Tadka (Rs 48). The food was hidden somewhere beneath the thick layer of oil but we loved the generous portions. One dish can feed 4 people. The chicken had a gaothi masala. Yum.
Serves booze? Oh yeah! Beer is the focus.
How to get there: A few kilometres after you cross Shahapur, the road winds through a small hillock. Hotel Rajkiran is located just before this hillock to your right.

Mumbai-Nashik Highway
This is a nondescript looking dhaba but that's the beauty of eating on the highways. Even a small, blink-and-miss place can surprise you with its food. This one is yet another victim of the road widening project. Right now, a dirt road leads up to the place. Owner Amar Singh Sidhu has no regrets. Regular customers still stop by and when others see enough cars parked outside, they troupe in too.
The dhaba is as authentic as it can get. There are khaats split across two sections by a wooden plank: one for small groups, others for larger families. An old, thoroughly bored waiter-cum-cook rambles around the place trying to make sense of your order. Go slow with him and he'll get all the details right. We ordered Sev Bhaji (Rs 40) and Chicken Masala (Rs 60) with Tandoori Roti (Rs 5) and Chaas (Rs 12). The Chicken Handi gets full marks for being the best chicken dish we tasted across the highways. It wasn't all that high on oil and masala either. Superb!
Serves booze? No.
How to get there: Keep a look out for Amar Punjab Dhaba on your left once you cross Shangrila Resort in Padgha.

Pop goes the soda
As soon as you get out of city limits on any of the highways leading out of the city, you'll spot these handcarts marked by green bottles. These are Goti Sodawallas who are seen only around the outskirts of Mumbai. Goti Soda (Rs 6) is essentially nimbu paani mixed with soda. There is also an orange-flavoured version available. Goti Soda gets its name from the goti or kanchey (marbles) that are used to close the mouth of the bottle. To make the drink, the vendor pops the goti into the bottle and pours out the soda into the glass.