Big is beautiful

Who among us doesn't remember switching on our non-HD televisions in the late '90s and 2000s in a bid to journey into the riveting world of food that expanded way beyond our borders. One such show that not only rocked the ratings of the channel it aired on in the US, but also kept Indians glued to their seats was Man vs Food. You'll have to agree that it was fun to watch popular host Adam Richman gorge on insane eats. Though largely hinged on competitive eating, the episodes often featured Richman exploring giant portion sizes of food. And it's just one of those things that doesn't go out of style, like the little black dress and wine. So, we roped in chefs at restaurants, the owner of an iconic South Indian eatery and the second-generation proprietor of a 44-year-old sandwich joint in Borivali to give us the lowdown on the biggest treats available at their establishments. If gluttony could truly take you to hell, which one of these would you sin for?

A table long dosa
Can you imagine eating a dosa that is of the same length as the average height of a pre-teen? At this iconic South Indian eatery, the family dosa (R279 for plain; R292 for masala) is four-feet-tall and meant for sharing. Dakshinayan's co-owner Hemul Gandhi explains, "People like these fancy things and when they see this dosa, they are in awe. So, we started serving this variant in 2010."

At Dakshinayan (Juhu and Malabar Hill).
Time 11 am to 3 pm; 6 pm to 11 pm
Call 23676701 (Malabar Hill)

An extra large pizza
At this music-themed restaurant, the chefs and the owner decided to stretch the three ends of the pizza base into a triangle. "And that's how the 24-inch bigshot (R999 for veg; R1,199 for non-veg) pizza slice was born! If you're thinking of ordering this pizza, you'd better be hungry," quips Nikhil Sachdev, the owner. "The mammoth-sized slice takes up the entire table space and it's fun to witness the reaction of customers," he adds.

At The Playlist Pizzeria, Veera Desai Road, Andheri West.
Time 11 am to 1.30 am
Call 8655884151

The king of sandwiches
Around since 1975, Borivali-based Bipin Big Sandwich is the master of weirdly large sandwiches. "My father introduced the junglee sandwich in 1976. When I took over after college, I introduced other flavours. Then, when the movie came out in 2015, we started doing the Bahubaali sandwich [R350]," owner Krunal B Mistry tells us, about the snack that weighs 2 kg and has a strange mix of layers that range from baby corn to pineapple and cheese, and schezwan sauce and tomato.

At Bipin Big Sandwich, Prem Nagar, Borivali West.
Time 3 pm to 11 pm
Call 9892210373

A thali for all
With over 25 dishes that hail from northern India, the Dara Singh thali (R2,400 for veg; R3,200 for non-veg) at this eatery is a treat designed for big families. "We wanted to bring back the lost tradition of sharing food from one plate," says co-owner Harmeet Singh. "Our youngest customer was a kid who was thrilled to see such a big thali," he adds, sharing a picture where the kid seated on a table is dwarfed by the gigantic platter.

At Mini Punjab Lakeside, Adi Shankaracharya Marg, Powai.
Time 12 pm to 11.30 pm
Call 9699958688

Bigger, better, burger
"They say, it's your life, make it large. And that deserves a bigger burger," shares Pawan Raina, business head at this café and bar, while speaking about the WTF burger (R625) that uses a one-pound veg/non-veg patty and is loaded in the true sense of the word. Interestingly, the establishment also hosts competitions designed along the lines of Richman's escapades. "The challenge is to finish the burger under 10 minutes and though many customers drop out on seeing the size, winners are awarded with a 'Slayer' T-shirt," Raina explains.

At D:OH All Day Dining & Bar (Andheri and Thane)
Time 11 am to 1 am
Call 61701315 (Thane)

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates