Something fishy

Open any Bombay guidebook, or ask anyone to recommend good places to eat here, and invariably TRISHNA will come up! This legendary seafood restaurant in a small lane adjacent to Kala Ghoda art district, is a magnet for tourists and gourmet Bombayites alike. It is far from elegant (I would even call its interiors gaudy) and not even remotely classy. But while there, you will see some of the richest Indians sitting next to hippies and enjoying oil and butter-dripping delicacies. It is always full. And getting a reservation on the same day is nothing short of a miracle, even after they opened a second room. When you finish eating, you are expected to leave immediately and free up a place for those waiting in line at the entrance. So here, you can't linger on and order tea or coffee - it is simply not served.

The menu is huge. You get seafood starters and mains. Indian, continental and Chinese. However, I always end up ordering the same thing: butter pepper garlic giant prawns; tandoori pomfret, and shrimps (or calamari) koliwada (deep fried with a special spicy batter). I absolutely love their yellow lentils, garnished with cumin fried in ghee (clarified butter). And of course, you can't have a meal here without the customary naan or roti.

It is a place to indulge, and 'healthy' is not in their vocabulary. I invariably hate myself after eating here and promise to never come again. But with guests, we always end up here, and enjoy it every time.