The Chinese Next Door? - Magnolia, Baner

Maybe not for 24 years, and maybe not Alice, but I've spent quite some time living next door to Magnolia. Every time I saw her calm, removed facade, I yearned to get closer.

And finally, one magical Sunday, I did!

Okay, jokes aside, Magnolia is a surprisingly brilliant place. Surprising because it looks like a standard neighbourhood hotel that you go to for urgent food needs at the last minute. However, we were shocked by the hidden talents that Magnolia showed us!

At first, we thought it was a Chinese place (I mean, with a name like Magnolia, what else were we to think?) and we stuck to Chinese. While that blew our minds in itself, eventually, we discovered that they do more, and very well, at that.

Stand-out dishes? The bhakri-ki-tokri. I kid you not, we ate bhakris as they were because they were so delicious!

Apart from this, the Chinese and Thai food is phenomenal.

We had the Thai Red Curry and Noodle soup, the Thai Chicken and Vegetable soup, the Chicken Manchow soup (over a long period of time, of course) and they're all lovely! And the best part is that their quantity is amazing. Having become used to scanty portions, it was a good surprise to see the hearty bowls of soup.

The Thai Chicken Spring Rolls are amazing! The taste of all the essentially 'Thai' elements really sparkles. You have the fresh lemon-grass, the ginger and those wonderfully herby flavours of the cuisine.

We also had the Okra and Chicken dish, which was a great experience. Spiced to perfection, we became fans of the Okra (for the insane non-vegetarians that we are, this was a feat) before the chicken.

The noodles and rice selections also are up to the same standards. Everything is fresh, delicious and wonderfully presented to you.

As for service, I have not seen such an eager set of people before. They're the right mix of helpful and discreet. They notice things like empty water glasses before you have to call, and this is even when the place is full of people. They're very courteous over the phone as well, if you're calling for delivery.

And the best part of the whole thing is, even their delivery service is prompt and detailed. They send you mouth-fresheners in a little packet!

I have eaten and ordered from Magnolia multiple times and I have never been let down neither by their service, nor their food. I say great job, guys! Hands down, the best I have seen.

Points for value for money, taste and excellent service.

China(in)Town - Roadside Stalls

Pardon the terrible attempt at punnery with the title. But then, it's in keeping with the topic of this post, if you think about it, really.
The roadside Chinese vendors in the city are just that... Attempts at Chinese. And personally, if you're going to bastardize the cuisine (which I have no problems with, whatsoever) you might as well do it like the street-vendors do.
I mean, honestly, there is nothing more satisfying than digging into a plate of warm rice or noodles that you know you bought for 25 bucks. And this exists. On the road that runs parallel to the main road from Flora Fountain, you have a couple of guys who're hidden amongst the roti-sabji and rice-and-fish guys who sell you Chinese.
This food is freshly cooked, it's catered to your taste. If you ask for extra spicy, they make it that way, or less, depending on you.
The quality is great. I mean, Chinese people would probably hate it. But the truth is, it's a great meal and a cheap one. And the usual worries about food-poisoning are lesser, believe it or not, because the guy is cooking the stuff for you in a kadhai that's been sitting on a flame since he started work at noon. And everything is nicely hammered around by him and his men. So no issues.
Only problem is the grease content. But then, you're eating off the streets... And even restaurants have a higher level of grease, come to think of it...

Other than these guys at Fountain, there's also a guy near the Nirmala Niketan college at Churchgate. He's brilliant. 10-odd bucks more expensive than the Fountain guys, but the food is amazing. I kid you not, he's magical.

Another great place (although horrid for your liver, I'm betting) is the MAFCO stall on Nepeansea road. More expensive than the other guys for sure, but justified by quantity and taste.

Do I sound like someone who has travelled the city looking for Chinese? Yeah, I have actually... These Chinese-food cravings hit me out of the blue...

I found some in Pune as well... Will update that soon :)

Till then, when in Town, and low on cash (along with the YMCA) you should go to the Roadside Chinese guys.