Rich Bikaneri swaad not for the frugal spender

If you don't mind shelling out 50 bucks for a Sev Puri, head to Bikaji Food Junxon. WHAT's ON enjoyed the chaat but spotted a few loose ends begging for attention

Interiors of Bikaji Food Junxon at Malad. pics/ Soma Das

NOT-SO-CHEAP CHAT
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If you don't mind shelling out 50 bucks for a Sev Puri, head to Bikaji Food Junxon. WHAT's ON enjoyed the chaat but spotted a few loose ends begging for attention

Bikaji is a name synonymous with Bikaneri namkeen and bhujia for over a decade. Bikaji Food Junxon at Malad (W) is their first restaurant venture.

Ambience: The interiors of the eatery juxtaposes bright coloured walls with subdued lighting. The higher level has a wall dedicated to caricatures, symbolising various aspects of life in Mumbai. The food counters are located on the ground floor, and you have the choice between sitting on the ground floor or heading to the higher level (the latter gets too congested though).

Process: Once you enter, you have to stand in a queue, where you pay to get a coupon for the order you place. Then, you proceed to the section where your food is prepared and served. When we approached the coupon counter, we had to repeat our order twice to get noticed, as the attendant was very distracted.

Range: Pick from a variety of chaats, sweets, snacks like Pav Bhaji, Kachori, Rajasthani Thali besides South Indian, Chinese and Continental dishes. All snacks at Bikaji have a distinct flavour and are generously loaded with ghee, and chomping down just one portion of each will stuff you up. The diet conscious clan should stay away from this restaurant.

We tried: The Raj Kachori (Rs 49) is topped with a colourful garnish of chutneys. The curd and the spicy-sweet chutneys artistically pour out of the Kachori stuffed with pomegranate seeds. The Bikaneri Kachori (Rs 8) was simple but delicious, and was served along with the classic Bhujia sev. The Papri Chaat (Rs 49) was delectable and not too spicy. However, the Grilled Sandwich (Rs 49) was strictly average and the Ras Malai (Rs 30) was a tad pricey considering we were served only a single piece.u00a0
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Service: Being a self-service eatery, we couldn't help wonder about the need for so many attendants hovering all over the place. Perhaps, they are supposed to guide you. When we spoke to one attendant, he was clueless about the coupon system. We noticed flies flitting above tables, and also heard patrons complain about the defunct air-conditioning.

At: Accord Nidhi, near Palm Court, Link Road, Malad (W).
Call 28818888