What Sam says about_____?: MOMP – Mumbai on my Plate - Shiv Sagar, Delhi

Having studied in Mumbai for two years I was pretty excited when I heard Shiv Sagar is opening its doors to Delhiites in the heart of the city in Connaught place. Having survived on Pao Bhaji, Vada Pao, even triple Schezwan for 2 years I was super excited and all charged up to visit and see what’s in store on their Delhi Menu. Quite strangely destiny deprived me of even a single visit to Shiv Sagar while I was in Mumbai. But I am a believer in serendipity and serendipity has brought Shiv Sagar to Saadi Dilli. This place I will call MOMP – coz I can stuff entire Mumbai’s popular food on my plate and re-live college memories.

Being a hard core non vegetarian, the idea of pure vegetarian food doesn’t entice me much. But I am glad that Shiv Sagar broke my myth and forced me to re-construct my own self made food funda’s. It made me realize one important lesson – Its always nice to come home to soul Food and Shiv Sagar has what I call Soul Food. I may love Italian, I may love Mexican, but I learnt an important lesson that no other cuisine gives my gut the satisfaction of having a complete meal as this comfort food at Shiv Sagar. Each dish on the menu is very unique in taste and flavor and touches a chord inside your soul and appeals to the child within you who gets flashes of childhood memories showcasing those trip’s of meal outings one had with mom and dad over a plate of pao bhaji or bhel puri

The Mumbai giant opened its flagship outlet in Delhi only about a month back and the response has been more than over whelming. I have had friends who have waited, and visited and despite the waiting said that everything they ate was absolutely worth it. The location has been absolutely strategic and a great one by the way. And standing tall, just next door to an old Delhi favourite Saravana, Shiv Sagar will definitely make its neighbours sweat even in this Chilly winter.

The Ambiance is grandeur- par excellence, something you do not expect in a restaurant with this theme. Spread across two floors the place has beautiful hangings bamboo lamp shades adding a special touch, nicely engraved stone walls and a great seating space. The place has a perfect classy yet comfy kind of an atmosphere.

The Menu is Simply super. Very unique and I would say one of a kind in Delhi. No, I would not compare the menu to a Sagar Ratna, a Haldiram, a Bikanervala or even Saravana. Shiv Sagar’s menu may have items you get with competition but their menu is different and includes some unique and unusual items too like the Chilli Idli, the Bedmi Poori, some Super Veg sandwiches, juices Shakes and the unique Paan Kulfi and the Rose Kulfi. The menu has so many things that each of us has grown up with since Childhood. Whether its Cholley Bhatoorey, or Matara Kulcha or the Bhel Poori, the menu will catch the eye and attention of every age group and every generation. The menu ranges from pure Mumbaiya food to some North Indian and south Indian and some vegetarian Chinese favourites.

Service is super fast. You imagine the dish in your mind and the dish is on your table within minutes. The fastest service, I have seen in a restaurant that is super busy at any given point in time. The servers are attentive, make great suggestions while ordering and seem to know their food in and out (something which is missing in most restaurants across the city).

Now coming to the food. The food is comforting, satisfying, super in taste and quality and even freshness. What’s impressive is that most of their ingredients are procured and flown in from Mumbai afresh. Like the Pao’s they use in the Vada Pao or the Pao Bhaji, they are procured from Mumbai, hence the difference in taste than the pao’s you get across restaurants in Delhi. The chutney’s used in the sandwiches are made in-house and make the sandwiches super. The schezwan masala they use in Chinese dishes is also made in-house and you can feel the difference when you savor the dishes. Now coming down to the food verdict, here it goes.

A rack of Fresh fruit Juices – This took me to my chemistry lab back in school days. Loved the idea of freshly squeezed fruit juices served on a test tube rack and one can taste all juices on offer and finally order the one you like. The test tubes contained Juices are follows – Pineapple, Maramari and Ganga Jamuna (a mix of 2 fruit juices )orange, water melon, Anaar and fruit Cocktail. Loved them all, but loved Anaar the most.

Anaar Juice – Loved it and the masala in it made it super. My rating 5/5

Sev Poori – Beautifully presented, one of Mumbai’s signature street foods was superb. My rating 4.5/5

Strawberry Shake – Freshly made shake with fresh strawberries flown in from Maharashtra, was ummm yumm. My rating 4.5/5

Bombay Bhel – Another signature street food dish which I loved having in college and every time I went to Juhu Beach. The quantity is great and tasted just out of a Mumbaiya’s stall. My rating 4.5/5

Vada Pao – Definitely the best in delhi, and the great quality of Pao makes it even better. My rating 4.5/5

Shiv Sagar special Sandwich – This has to be the most awesome veg Sandwich I have ever had, hands down. They call it the Shiv sagar special sandwich but Sam calls it “Pure Heaven”. A layer of chutney filled bread with cheese and an awesome filling this rockstar of a sandwich definitely deserves a 5 pointer from me. My rating 5/5

Chilli Idli – This is a nice Chinese touch to fried Idli. I can bet if you do a blind tasting you can never guess that Idli coated with Chinese spices can taste so good. This was a stupendous dish. My rating 4.5/5

Chinese Bhel – I am a big fan of fusion street food and this one is very innovative and tastes great. A bhel made out of fried noodles is chatpata and satisfies your chaat cravings. My rating 4.5/5

Tawa Pulao with Tadka Raita – Noone can do a veg Pulao this great and the raita tastes even greater. The Pulao is mildly spiced and the tadka enhances the pulao to another level. My rating 4.5/5

Pav Bhaji – I am not a big Pav Bhaji fan, but I am happy the pav bhaji at Shiv sagar changed my very outlook towards Pav bhaji. OMG! This pav bhaji is even better than any place can make it in Mumbai. A must have at Shiv Sagar. My rating 4.5/5

Tripple Schzwan Rice – This dish was the revelation of Indian Chinese for me when I tasted this dish for the Ist time in Mumbai way back in 2002. This dish is not known to most north Indian’s but I love this dish and consider it a great innovation. Not sure who created this dish but the idea of noodles and rice having Manchurian sandwiched in between is super. And delhiites Sam says, you have to try this atleast once. My rating 4.5/5

Bedmi Poori – This is North India’s signature street food dish and it was served with Methi dana chutney. The crispiness of the poori with aaloo ki sabji was mind blowing. My rating 4.5/5.

Matara Kulcha – Another signature Dilli wala street food sold at every nook and corner of the city now available at shiv sagar is superb too. My rating 4/5

Rose Kulfi – I am sure none of you have ever tasted this great a Rose Kulfi. The rose petals on top make it a divine dessert. An absolute must have at Shiv sagar and deserves a 5 pointer. My rating 5/5

Paan Kulfi – The idea of a whole paan stuffed inside a kulfi in itself is delicious. But the paan kulfi with a whole paan stuffed inside is insanely delicious. Another great dessert. My rating 4.5/5

Strawberry Cream – I had strawberry cream in Panchgani in Maharashtra in a strawberry farm where they had made this dessert with freshly picked strawberries form the farm and mixed with whipped cream. Sinful, yet every inch down your waistline seems worth it. My rating 4.5/5

Shiv Sagar is one place I would love to come back to time and again with friends and family . I was super impressed by the ambiance, the food, the service and everything on the whole.