Over the years I have seen many restaurants close shop and I do miss some of them from time to time. Komla's in High Street Phoenix for example. They used to have such nice South Indian thali. When they closed down, I was hoping to run across an outlet in some mall or other but then a friend informed me that they had winded their operations across India. That was sad. Mah Jong in Khar was another of my favorites. They used to make a mean crispy threaded chicken. Spaghetti Kitchen closed down at Phoenix and so did Copper Chimney. The silver lining is that there is one outlet of Copper Chimney at Kala Ghoda. Just love their Biryani, Kebabs and Mint Chutney. I also miss an outlet serving Maharashtrian Thali at Shivaji Park.
And then there was Flora. It was this restaurant that gave me my first taste of Chinese food during my childhood years. The chef back then used to dish out utterly delectable fare such as dry chilli chicken, chicken fried rice, whit prawns and crab corn soup. A couple of years ago we had trouped back to Flora but the menu had changed completely over the years. Whatever we ordered didn't quite have the same quality as the food dished out there in the 80s. I know it is foolish to expect the same taste after a gap of about 20 or so years. But I have been searching for the same taste ever since. Whenever I see Chilli Chicken (Dry) on any menu, I order it - only to get disappointed every single time. Only the chilli chicken served at China Bistro buffet came anywhere close to the one that used to be served at Flora. I also tried my hand at making crab corn soup at home but obviously couldn't get the same taste. I can't remember what the prawn dish was called but still vividly remember the big white prawns - perfectly cooked and perfectly seasoned. I am not a big fan of seafood - except for pomfrets. So the fact that I am still drooling over their prawn dish after decades is a testimony to the cooking prowess of their chef from the 80s.
I sometimes wonder if I would see Time Machine being invented in my lifetime. If I do and it becomes affordable enough for common man's use (a long shot!), I have a list of places and periods to go to. Most of them are moments in India's and world's history. But a trip to my maternal grandparents' house sits almost at the top. Now a visit to the Flora of the 80s has got added to it.
Thank You Flora!
And then there was Flora. It was this restaurant that gave me my first taste of Chinese food during my childhood years. The chef back then used to dish out utterly delectable fare such as dry chilli chicken, chicken fried rice, whit prawns and crab corn soup. A couple of years ago we had trouped back to Flora but the menu had changed completely over the years. Whatever we ordered didn't quite have the same quality as the food dished out there in the 80s. I know it is foolish to expect the same taste after a gap of about 20 or so years. But I have been searching for the same taste ever since. Whenever I see Chilli Chicken (Dry) on any menu, I order it - only to get disappointed every single time. Only the chilli chicken served at China Bistro buffet came anywhere close to the one that used to be served at Flora. I also tried my hand at making crab corn soup at home but obviously couldn't get the same taste. I can't remember what the prawn dish was called but still vividly remember the big white prawns - perfectly cooked and perfectly seasoned. I am not a big fan of seafood - except for pomfrets. So the fact that I am still drooling over their prawn dish after decades is a testimony to the cooking prowess of their chef from the 80s.
I sometimes wonder if I would see Time Machine being invented in my lifetime. If I do and it becomes affordable enough for common man's use (a long shot!), I have a list of places and periods to go to. Most of them are moments in India's and world's history. But a trip to my maternal grandparents' house sits almost at the top. Now a visit to the Flora of the 80s has got added to it.
Thank You Flora!
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