Mumbai Food: Rooftop joint in Dadar is value for money

Certain political parties might be against the idea, but there is something about rooftop restaurants that you can't beat, especially in a congested Mumbai. Maybe it's because of the slice of open sky that you can call your own for a while. Or maybe it's because of the silent towering buildings spread out before you, which give an illusion of there being no hustle and bustle on the streets outside. Whatever it is, if all the necessary permissions are met and the powers that be are ready to play ball, rooftop restaurants can add value to an F&B industry that is constantly abuzz.

That's why we are happy to walk into Angrezi Dhaba in Dadar to find a high open area that is sprawling. The place is modelled after, you guessed it, a dhaba. It has kitschy décor. But we aren't quite sure if that's intentional. Sofas with bright bold covers like red and indigo are lined against one wall. Barrels that have been fashioned into chairs serve as single-seaters. One of the walls has murals of life in rural India. And though all this might not sit well with everyone, the patrons don't seem to mind.

This clientele ranges from college-going youngsters looking for reasonable drinks to families with children running around. That's a healthy sign, because such a diverse mix of customers bodes well for an eatery that's less than a year old. "The food can't be bad," we think while perusing a menu that's so hotch-potch that tandoori tacos share space on the same page with Jamaican jerk tangdi kabab. But we play it safe, asking for the humble but honest combination of daal tadka and butter roti. We are in a "dhaba" after all.

We also get a whisky sour, which, at '250, is one of the most reasonable versions of this classic cocktail we have had. It's not the prettiest one though, as we discover. But we take a sip telling ourselves, "Itna paisa me itnaich milega," and are glad to discover that it doesn't taste bad. And the fish fingers ('299) that we ask for as an accompaniment are decent enough as well.

Similarly, the dal tadka ('199), too, can be summarised as perfectly palatable and nothing more. This isn't gourmet stuff. But it's not a botched job either. Plus, the drinks are cheap and prepared by a bartender who knows his chops, though eventually it's the ambience for which we will return to Angrezi Dhaba if we are in the area. It's the rooftop that sold it to us.

Time 12 pm to 1 am
At Nakshtra Mall, 2nd floor, Dadar West.
CALL 9004687755

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