Ankit Jain
When discussing Maharashtrian cuisine, the first delicacy that pops into anyone’s mind is the evergreen VadaPav and if one happens to be unconventional enough, then MisalPav it is. You see, the Maharashtrian cuisine is one of the regional cuisines of India which is grossly underrated and woefully represented. Thus, when The Earth Plate at Hotel Sahara Star held a food festival dedicated exclusively to this cuisine, we at R4review were delighted.
Honestly, we walked in expecting counters full of fish-based dishes as the Maharashtrian food served at several restaurants in Mumbai is majorly seafood. Thankfully, The Earth Plate did justice to the Maharashtrian cuisine and includes dishes from each and every region of Maharashtra and not just the Konkan.
The choices in the appetizers section were endless and every bit delicious. We kicked off our food adventure with some Sol Kadhi and piping hot MisalPav from the live counter. The Pav was perfectly buttery and the Misal aptly spicy. The Sol Kadhi was a perfect drink to accompany the MisalPav. Next entered the gigantic thali; one look at the thali and we were convinced that our Karma is paying us back handsomely. The beautiful bounty in front of us was completely mesmerizing. It was hard for us to allow ourselves to dig in, for deranging that thali felt like a sin. But once we did, it was even harder to stop. Everything was perfect, right from the masala bhath to the tasteful curries. The fresh bread from the live bread counter was like a cherry on the icing; we were spoilt for choice between Kombadi Vade, Amboli, Bhakri and, the humble Chappati! For the seafood lovers, the unlimited supply of Prawns Koliwada, RawaBombil Fry, Fried Surmai, et al from the live fish counter happened to be like a dream-come-true.
The course we looked forward to the most was the final one, that is, the desserts. And why wouldn’t we? The Earth Plate offered reinvented desserts like Gulab Jamun Mousse, Boondi Cheesecake, Rose Pastry, etc. along with the traditional sweetmeats like Udakiche Modak, Chikkis of different varieties, PuranPoli, Anjeer Barfi, Sandesh, Gajar Halwa and many more like these. We thoroughly enjoyed the humungous dessert spread and, craved for more and more even when our bellies were about to explode. I have no reason to complain, frankly. Undoubtedly, the food was fantastic. But the staff at The Earth Plate is the main reason behind an experience this memorable. Kuddos to them.
Overall, this festival is a hit and we definitely recommend checking it out. After all, where can one find such a vast selection of finger-licking goodies from the Maharashtrian cuisine under one roof?
Food: 4.5/5
Service: 5/5
Value For Money: 3.5/5
The Maharashtra Food Festival provides an opportunity to all the vegetarian and non-vegetarian to enjoy the delicacies of Maharashtra.
Me and my wife really enjoy reading your blog!