Cheap eats: Bandra local's food guide

The last thing that can be said about my neighborhood is that it lacks food options.

In Bandra, restaurants and cafés spring up then close abruptly, with alarming frequency.

That's why, to me, cheap-eat staples define this district and not trendy fly-by-night food.

I grew up on the following mini-meals, which I know will always be there, whenever I'm hungry. Even after the last cockroach leaves Bandra.      

Bandra breakfast: Belgian waffles

Popular with NRIs and expats, Mocha Mojo has a menu that resembles a hardcover novel. Extra points if you finish browsing through it in under a minute.

The Belgian waffle (Rs 110) is an all-day breakfast.

Soft and crisp, it comes with maple syrup, butter and cream.

Delicious, filling and value for money. Team it with a chocolate shake.

Mocha Mojo, Classic Corner Building, next to Holy Family Hospital, Bandra (W);+91 (0)22 2642 1484

Bandra lunch: Goa sausage bun 

Ah MacCraig’s. Candies’ younger, quieter, more likable sister.

The food is good, the prices are reasonable and the ambiance is welcoming.

What more could you ask for from your daily deli?

One item in particular stands out: the choris pao, or Goa sausage and bread (Rs 40).

Outside of Goa, or a Goan home, this is where you can still find the authentic taste.

The very smell of the spicy pork will leave you salivating.

MacCraig's, Shop 18, Gasper Enclave building, corner of St. Johns and Pali Road, opposite HDFC Bank and Gold’s Gym, Pali Naka, Bandra (W); +91 (0)22 2641 1985

Bandra tea-time: Patties and fugias

American Express Bakery, a landmark Goan establishment on Hill Road, is probably older than most of the Bandra’s residents.

It used to supply bread to many of the city’s hotels and restaurants.

You can’t beat the value-for-money snacks here, especially the sandwiches, quiches, patties and rolls -- all available in a chicken or mutton option.

Prices range from Rs 30 to 50.

American Express Bakery, opposite Holy Family Hospital, Hill Road, Bandra (W); +91 (0)22 2642 2857

And where there’s talk of Goan cuisine leaving its mark on Bandra, the East Indian influence can’t be far behind.

Unfortunately, East Indian food isn't as freely available as Goan food is.

With a few exceptions.

Kalpana, a roadside stall on Chapel Road, is popular with the immediate neighborhood crowd for cheap burgers, chicken lollipops, puff pastries and rolls.

Kalpana is a typical Bandra family run establishment, with food freshly made every afternoon, in the home across the road from the shop.

It's open everyday only between 2 and 4 p.m., because that’s how long their stock lasts.

The fugias aren't to be missed. These are East Indian sweet breads, made by deep frying dough balls.

A bargain at Rs 12 for a packet of 10.

One bite of that sweet warm bread and you momentarily forget all your troubles.

Kalpana, Chapel Road, Bandra (W).

Bandra dinner: Carter Road shawarma 

Open till 1 a.m. everyday, Carter’s Blue roadside stall serves up some of Mumbai's meanest shawarmas and rolls.

So what if they’re just chicken and not lamb? They don’t have to be authentic to be delicious.

At Rs 100, they're worth every bite.

The stall is frequented by college kids, people strolling along Carter Road and even the party crowd looking for a snack.

Carter’s Blue, opposite Cafe Coffee Day, Carter Road, Bandra (W); +91 (0)22 2295 1507