Between breads

In defence of meat burgers, a new ruling in EU seeks to force restaurants to call green burgers veggie discs. Whatever you call it, Mumbai has a range of cool shakahaari buns to try

The battles around food are often hilarious. Presently, a new ruling in the European Union Parliament seeks to protect words that allude to meaty foods, like steak, sausage, escalope, and interestingly, burger and hamburgers. This would mean that veggie burgers can no longer be called, well, burgers. And a new term floating around is veggie disc. Imagine ordering a McAloo Tikki "veggie disc."

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But the pressures on vegetarian/vegan brands to abstain from using terms typically associated with meats is real. In July last year, when an airline company in New Zealand announced that it would be introducing a faux beef burger, it ticked off the acting PM of the country, Winston Peters. Rumour has it that these political moves are orchestrated by the meat lobby. At home, we've always found ways to introduce desi twists to international fare. Burgers are not to be left out, and Mumbai has many versions to offer. We rate some of the better ones.

One for the masses

The garlic roast burger at this joint contains a patty, nachos and fries. It has a chatpata swaad, and the buns, which are dry, come with white sesame. The creaminess from the mayo and the cheese is offset by a good dose of oregano and chilli flakes and the tanginess from the tomatoes, though we don't find anything garlicky here. It's sure to please the masses, if not the gourmand.

At Food Adda (Borivali East and West and Bhayander).
Time 9.30 am to 3 am
Call 61736022 (Borivali West)
Cost Rs 139

1/5

A feeble nibble

With a mix of juices, milk-based beverages, rolls, sandwiches and burgers, Modern Juice Centre manages to keep its patrons hooked. However, despite reccos from several corners, we find the paneer burger here to be tasteless. The patty has fresh paneer, but lacks seasoning. That, despite the soft buns, makes this a feeble version. A sweet and placid mayo doesn't help its cause either, but somehow, the chicken version tastes good.

At Modern Juice Centre, Puran Nivas Building, Colaba.
Time 10 am to 12 am
Call 9222123182
Cost Rs 95

1.5/5

For keto lovers

The wasabi paneer burger at this new café is a keto offering. The calorie-free almond flower bun is cakey, but interesting. Their lightly seasoned paneer patty is in the form of a disc. The freshness from the cucumbers complements the wasabi, and the addition of cheese helps elevate the otherwise weak paneer. This may have been a fantastic burger, except for the odd-tasting bun.

At Kale & Kaffé (Bandra and Andheri West).
Time 8 am to 11 pm
Call 9820161466 (Bandra West)
Cost Rs 300

1/5

Burger on cue

At this fast food joint, the BBQ paneer burger buns are slightly stale. The sweetness in the sauce shrouds the smokiness, which should be distinct in a good BBQ. Overall, the flavours fail to shine in what is a seemingly thrilling combination — paneer and barbecue sauce. This could have made for a cool dish if the paneer had been served in a patty form, dredged in sriracha or a spicy marinade to offset the barbecue.

At Serial Griller (Versova, Khar, Juhu).
Time 11 am to 12 am
Call 8291075655 (Versova)
Cost Rs 180

4/5

A winner and keeper

Located close to Mulund College of Commerce, this hole-in-the-wall is a hit with collegians for its VFM menu (the popular aloo tikki burger costs a measly R25) that also consists of frankies and pizzas, despite a McDonalds being located less than 100m away. Here, the schezwan cheese corn burger comprises a flavourful patty, corn kernels and a zippy schezwan sauce, all ensconced within soft buns — a complete winner.

At Burger Spot, Shanti Bhuvan Building, Mulund West.
Time 9.30 am to 9.30 pm
Call 9619257456
Cost Rs 65

3/5

Fresh from the tandoor

We are far past finding tandoori anything odd, and so, the tandoori mayo burger at this eatery makes for an interesting variant to try. The buns are soft, the lettuce is fresh and the patty is topped with healthy onion rings. The use of a house-made patty, which makes use of corn, carrots, and peas, instead of a flat aloo tikki, is noteworthy and the mayo too has a palatable smokiness.

At UFO Fries and Corn, Samruddhi Commercial Complex, Malad West.
Time 10.30 am to 6.30 am
Call 68493647
Cost Rs 110

Also check out

. Blue cheese onion rings burger At Hardy'z, Thane West. Call9730397337

. Spiced paneer burger At Munch, Mahim West. Call 24474410

. Chipotle burger At Parle Grill, Vile Parle East. Call 9920190507

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