Mumbai may not be a city known for its garden restaurants. But as if to make up for the dearth in quantity, it does have Bageecha, the garden restaurant in the suburb of Malad. Located quite close to the sea, near the Aksa beach, a visit to Bageecha calls for longish drive. But, as you are bound to find out, it is well worth the effort.

The restaurant is multi-cuisine, with Mughlai, Chinese and some traditional Indian delicacies. They do a good job of most of the dishes on the menu. The fare also includes some dishes that are not usually found in multi-cuisine restaurants, like the Murg Aksa, a spicy coastal chicken dish inspired by the beach nearby. We recommend the Indian preparations over the Chinese.

One of the best aspects to Bageecha is that, though the restaurant serves non-vegetarian food, it does not treat the vegetarian fare as a poor cousin. They do an excellent job of their vegetarian dishes. The predominant clientele being Gujarati and Marwari also helps. We dare recommend the veg fare to even die hard non-vegetarians.

The tour de force at Baggecha are the desserts, especially the jalebi with rabdi combination. The jalebis are piping hot, and mix well with the cold rabdi. Be sure you have somebody to share it with as they usually serve five jalebis a plate. Bageecha also hosts a variety of food festivals from time to time. You will do well to keep an eye out for the festival menu.

You have the option of dining indoors or in the garden outside. Stick to the garden, now that the restaurant seems to have gotten over its mosquito problem. The large space that Bageecha offers comes as a surprise for a Mumbai restaurant. The greenery of the Bageecha complex on Marve Road is most welcome and the closeness to the sea ensures that the climate is pleasant.

By : Tushar Uchil