Mumbai
Get A Parsi Feast Delivered To Your Door From Pala Fala In Mumbai
The Mumbai rains are upon us with a vengeance, but that doesn’t mean you need to stop enjoying exquisitely prepared food. Avoid splashing through puddles and getting whacked by umbrellas by ordering in; this week, why not try some authentic Parsi eats from Pala Fala, a new eatery in Worli’s Atria Mall?
Pala Fala: The Story
While there’s no dearth to Parsi restaurants in Mumbai, Pala Fala was started to “bridge the gap between old fashioned Irani cafes that lack modern day restaurant facilities such as home deliveries, buffet, online ordering etc and modern age sophisticated Parsi restaurants that lack authenticity.
Along with authentic Parsi dishes like Aleut Paleti – made with kidneys, livers and other offal – Bharuch Akjuri, Sali Chicken and Patra fish, Pala Fala also offers Lebanese, Italian, Mexican and Chinese cuisines because “the modern Parsi is a globe trotter; he wants his pasta and lasagna as much as his traditional Parsi meal…”
In keeping with their modern avatar, Pala Fala also offers home deliveries from 11 am to 11 pm within a 45 minute radius (from Colaba to Andheri). Thanks to this option, Mumbaikars can enjoy hot, authentic Parsi food in the comfort of their own homes. A part of their online ordering menu is the Lagan Nu Bhanu Box – a unique package which puts together dishes that are popularly served at a Parsi wedding like Sali Chicken, Patra Fish, Mutton Pulao, Dhansak Dal and Custard.
What better way for jus to try out Pala Fala’s fare than through this absolutely tempting box?
Tasting The Lagan Nu Bhanu Box
The box arrived at our door early one evening last week; a tall, quirky box decorated with caricatures of posh Parsi folk and embellished with the ‘Pala Fala’ rule list with gems like “inter colony volley ball tournament dates shall be declared government holidays”, “if you marry before the age of 69 you will have bad luck for 11 years” and – our favourite – “all vegetarians are ghelsappas. Period.”
Considering that sentiment, it was no surprise to find the Lagan Nu Bhonu box packed with non-vegetarian delights.
We started our meal with some banana leaf wrapped fish, or in Parsi speak Patra Ni Macchi. We solemnly swear we’re telling the truth – this Patra Ni macchi was the best we’ve ever tasted – the green chutney coating the fish was sweet, tangy and faintly spicy while the fish itself was incredibly tender.
We followed up the fish with a couple of mutton cutlets, which combined mashed potatoes and tender, subtly spiced mutton mince in a deep fried batter that melted in our mouths. We then moved on to another mutton dish, a preparation which is the star of any Parsi meal – the Mutton Dhansak.
Had with a side of fragrant rice, the mutton was wonderfully soft while the accompanying dal was sweet and smooth. With a couple of chapatis we also scooped up the other main; Sali Chicken made with tender, well spiced chicken a flavourful gravy and topped with crispy potato fries.
We rounded off our meal with a serving of Lagan Nu Custard, a thick, creamy sweet dish with a fait, smoky flavour and oodles of sweet syrup.
Looks tempting, does it not? Well, believe you us, it tastes as good as it looks – head over to Pala Fala’s website and place an order to see for yourself!