Sassanian, Marine Lines
98, Marine View, Dhobi Talao, Marine Lines, Mumbai Phone No : 022 2200 6198 / 2209 8001
2130 hours, 9th August 2014, Saturday:
Established 1913, the signboard announces. Any eatery which has survived a hundred years in the country deserves an applause. And if it has maintained its values, its old world charm and its quality of products, it deserves a bow too.
That's Sassanian for you.
Established 1913, the signboard announces. Any eatery which has survived a hundred years in the country deserves an applause. And if it has maintained its values, its old world charm and its quality of products, it deserves a bow too.
That's Sassanian for you.
Started in 1913 by Rustom K Yazdabadi as KR Sassanian Restaurant and Bakery, the joint is now managed by Meheraban Kola, his sister Dilnaz and brother-in-law Shahrukh at present. Meherban's father Khodadad became Yazdabadi's partner in 1947. They became family after Meheraban married Yazdabadi's great great granddaughter in 1978.
Sassanian is a cafe cum restaurant cum bakery. So you have the wannabes singing paeans of their way cliched bun maskas, you have the hungry folks settling down here for their Keema Paos and Chicken Dhansaks and you have the eveningers dropping by for picking up their mawa cakes and their butter kharis.
We reached too late here to grab a quick bite. The bakery section then had pity upon us and allowed us to enter and buy stuff. They have an enviable collection of all types of cakes, pastries, some kheer like stuff, brownies, biscuits, kharis, nankhatais and plastic glass packed (presumably) raspberry drinks.
We quickly picked up a large sized plum cake, the coconut nankhatais, the brownies and the mawa cakes. By this time, the old man sitting at the counter had already enquired why we had been let in, and was assured that we were there only for take aways. Back home, we were eager to try out the products. And its then that I realised the meaning of the proof of pudding... and all that jazz. I started with the plum cake first. It was amazingly rich in plums, the way it actually should be. It was rich, not too dry nor too greasy and carrying the right texture and sponginess. Every mouthful came in with juicy, sweet raisins and plums and the cake had the precise flavour. The mawa cakes, if at all, took the cake, though. These were loaded with finely grated cardamom and dried fruits. I had tasted such only when I was a little child centuries ago, and the nostalgia hit me like a ton of bricks. The nan khatais were crunchy with a crusty top and a softer core inside. Made up of dried coconut and having the appropriate sweetness. You simply cannot have just one. |
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The negatives: The Hospitality quotient. If only the old grump at the counter smiled. If only the waiters were more civil and a tad more welcoming. If only there was an air of joviality around rather than the quietness and the curtness.
Verdict: Applause worthy.
The ratings, they go like this:
The Food Quotient : Food Quality 4 / 5, Food Choices 4 / 5, Food Portion 3.5 / 5 Food Presentation : 3 / 5
The Other Determinants : Location 3.5 / 5, Cleanliness 2.5 / 5, Warmth 1.5 / 5
The Hygiene Factors : Ambiance 3 / 5, Space quotient 3 / 5, Delivery time 3 / 5
The Conclusives : Food Price 3.5 / 5, Honesty 5 / 5, Overall Experience 3.5 / 5, Will I call again 3.5 / 5
PS: Bouquets / brickbats on the review can be addressed to [email protected] or mentioned below.
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