The good stuff

A new delivery joint in Oshiwara is the perfect antidote to midnight hunger pangs, served with a dose of Punjabiyat

We will not lie. When we chanced upon Thooso, a new late night delivery joint in Oshiwara, the name made us cringe. A few weeks ago, we remember having an animated conversation with our colleague during the auto ride on our way to work about a place that tried to play on a profanity by replacing it with the word fork (no prizes for guessing the word). And we both agreed how off putting it was. Had we been younger, we would be quick to dismiss both the places and would have probably yelled "Wannabe," in a fake American accent. But with Thooso, we are forced to reconsider.

Let the feast begin

The word, which literally translates to "stuff yourself", might be suggestive in a patronising manner, until you dig into their humble and soulful food which evens out the suggestiveness with an open-armed invitation to really stuff yourself.

On a sultry October night, the kind that is possible only in Mumbai, we rummage through the menu and decide to call for a starter, a practise we hardly exercise at home and save for the fancy restaurants. Packed tightly in in plastic containers and doubly-wrapped in a net bag, the food arrives after 45 minutes. The portions can amply suffice eager appetites of two. The juicy chunks of achari chicken (Rs 280) are coated in a thick curd-based marinade, cooked to perfection and pleasantly charred, with an earthy and smoky redolence that is characteristic only to the Indian tandoor.

Achari Chicken

We dip it generously into the pudina chutney that comes along with the dish and savour the pieces as we stare into the screen, captivated by the lives of Frank and Claire Underwood, often wondering if the former's America Works plan (in the third season of popular TV series House of Cards, a political drama based in the US) was an indication towards former US President Barack Obama's controversial Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Oh don't get baffled! That's the official name for Obamacare. Rings a bell, right?

We are distracted. Beguiling as the plot may be, our roommate is devouring the food fast and the paranoia of missing out on the creamy top layer of the dal makhani (Rs 250), or the more succulent pieces of the murgh hara pyaaz masala (Rs 290) is one that keeps gnawing at us. Truth is, the piquant dal — decidedly prepared by a seasoned cook, for the urad dal grains, are neither invisible nor over-boiled — with its rich texture and the effervescence of tempered whole masalas, surpasses the excitement of what will happen next.

The plot thickens

The murgh hara pyaaz masala, dotted with fresh green chillies is the right kind of spicy, which is flavourful without making our eyes water. The gravy made with onion and tomato is thick, luscious and a salutation to the indulgence that is characteristic of Punjabi fare. The chicken, too is of melt-in-mouth variety, and blends perfectly with the butter garlic naan (Rs 80 per piece), soaking the doughy chewiness of the bread and transforming it into velvety niwalas (bites).

It is still not clear if Russia will cooperate, and Mr Underwood is faced with a predicament beyond his control. But his wife Claire, who had been lurking in the shadows for two entire seasons, is beginning to establish herself as a force to be reckoned with. We are still struggling to finish our plate of food well into their bilateral negotiations, and by the time we learn that there is after all, not going to be a deal between the two nations, we are, for the lack of a better word, stuffed!

TIME 7 pm to 4 am
AT Royal Sand Society, Adarsh Nagar, Oshiwara, Andheri West 
CALL 33126063

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Thooso didn’t know it was us. The Guide reviews anonymously and pays for meals

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