Delicious BITES
WHETHER IT’S AN ELABORATE
MEAL TO CELEBRATE AN OCCASION, A MEETING OVER BRUNCH OR JUST COFFEE, HERE ARE
SOME OF THE CASUAL DINING TRENDS DOING THE ROUNDS IN MUMBAI
Catching up over coffee or a meeting over a quick
bite at any hour is what millennials define as casual dining. From bigger
restaurants to small hole-in-the-wall eateries, the café culture is a trend
that’s seen good traction over the last couple of months. Restaurants are
taking note of people eating out more often and are striving to make this
experience memorable. “With more disposable income in hand, people want to try
out casual dining places that offer both, welcoming ambience as well as
delicious food. With the trend of casual dining picking up, a large number of
restaurants have started offering all-day dining across cuisines,” says Dilip
Datwani, president, Hotels and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI).
We bring you a round-up of the most popular casual dining trends in the city.
PIZZA AND BURGERS
Bursting with cheese and a multitude of toppings and
herbs, pizzas and burgers are the top eating choices amongst millennials today.
Ideal for a quick bite or binge, these two food items feature on the menus of
almost every casual dining restaurant or café. “There are a couple of cafés
that serve wood-fired pizzas or deconstructed burgers, which are slightly more
expensive, but delicious in flavour,” shares Jinay Shah, who eats out at least
thrice a week. What’s a pizza or burger without sides like potato wedges,
garlic bread or French fries thrown in!
LOVE FOR CHINESE
If there’s an all-time favourite cuisine, it’s the
Chinese fare! Be it paneer chilly or Hakka noodles or Szechwan
fried rice, almost every casual dining place offers a subsection of Chinese
cuisine, which is high in demand. While fine dining restaurants serve authentic
Chinese meals, casual dining places serve mostly a combination of Indian and
Chinese flavours. That’s the reason the humble Szechwan sauce has made its way
on to dosas, parathas and even pakodas.
An explosion of flavours make these combinations a musteat! College canteens
and small eateries have also started including dishes like Kung Pao paratha and
Chinese bhel in their menu.
FUSION FOODS
Like it or not, Mumbai is obsessed with fusion foods.
Simply defined as a cuisine where international meets Indian or a mix of
different Indian cuisines, there are a number of restaurants that offer
remarkable options. There are a dozen places that offer items like ice
cream pakodas,chocolate pineapple pizza or even Parle-G cheesecake.
“I enjoy fusion foods like pav bhaji sizzler and spring roll
ice cream. Depending on the place you visit, a meal like this can cost you
anywhere between ₹ 500 to ₹ 1,200 per person,” says Meena
Dalal, a housewife.
COFFEE, WAFFLES AND MORE
No one can do without a beverage along with their
meal. What started as a coffee culture has now transformed into a milkshake,
smoothie and tea culture. These beverages are now an integral part of casual
dining. If you’re meeting someone for breakfast, order a cup of coffee, if
you’re meeting them for lunch, you could order a smoothie or some tea in a
variety of flavours. A quick accompaniment like waffles or pancakes can serve
as a dessert element to the meal! So, go take your pick!
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