Highway Gomantak, Bandra East, Mumbai

Restaurant Name: Highway Gomantak, Bandra East, Mumbai
Phone: +912226409692, +912226453120
Address: 44/2179, Pranav CHSL, Service Rd, near Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority, Gandhi Nagar, Bandra East, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400051 India
Time: 11:30 AM – 10:30 PM
Meals for two: Rs. 500
Cuisines: Malwani, Maharashtrian
Facilities: Home Delivery, Takeaway Available, Indoor Seating

Here it is, my value for money ‘hidden gem’. It’s my most precious find, I discovered this no-frills, authentic home-style Gomantak eatery while researching India’s first city restaurant guide almost 28 years ago. Back then, it was a corrugated tin roofed shack. Ramesh Potnis sat proudly at the cash desk and his wife Shashikala bustled in the kitchen sending out thali upon thali. I’ve gone back to this place again and again. Each time, I come back with the same feeling of joy.

We went back recently, apprehensive that the pandemic might have affected the freshness of the seafood and the popularity of the eatery. We were wrong on both counts. On a Sunday afternoon, not only is it bustling (while maintaining social distancing norms) but the seafood and other dishes were as delicious as ever

Highway Gomantak, Bandra East, Mumbai: Table & Bench

With brown fans whirring overhead and with open windows, the place is well ventilated even without air conditioners. What started off as a corrugated tin roofed shack with a seating of 30, is now almost three times bigger than before, while retaining its no-frills look. Their menu is written on blackboards and they offer table and bench seating. My kind of place!

Bombil On The Highway

The Bombil fry is an all time hit. The plump Bombil is crisp and hot on the outside and wobbly and yummy on the inside. Ladle the authentic fragrant fish curry onto the heap of rice on your thali. Pull up your shirt sleeves, use your fingers to mix the curry and rice and enjoy. Savour some creamy coconut flavored, yellow curry with some tender yet firm fish at this restaurant.

Did you know that Gomantak cuisine is unique in many ways? “Every fish is treated differently here,” explains Sayali Potnis as she bring the dishes to the table. “Each one is made with specific spices that help digestion,” she points out. Delicate fish like Pomfret, Surmai, etc are cooked in a creamy yellow coconut curry. Strongly flavored fish like Mackerel, Halwa, etc are cooked in a strong red curry with certain Goan spices, which makes it easy to digest.

The menu is long and exciting, and offers seafood, some mutton, chicken and a few vegetarian options. The rawa coated surmai fry is a must try, as is the baby pomfret fry. All the dishes are made using the owner’s family recipes. Their kalwa (oysters, seasonal), kolambi (prawns), tisrya (clams), rawas, pomfret, mandeli, mori (shark) and kurlya (crab) are a must try. They even have a ‘vegetarian fish’ (it lives only on veggies) called Murdushi. Mutton buffs ask for the robustly spiced Mutton Sukke Thali.

I’m happy to note that no artificial colors or preservatives are used here (the colors of yellow, red and green fish curries from different chilies and spices).

Sayali has added tasty cutlets (fish, chicken and vegetarian), chicken dishes and thalis to the menu. A few more vegetarian dishes (tondlibhat, masale bhat etc) and a few desserts, too (made at the time of festivals like ukdiche modak) are available as well. Over 32 varieties of thalis are available here priced at ₹300-350 (non-veg) and ₹160 for veg thali.

Hook Line & Sinker

For almost 30 years, the Potnis family has been cooking. Salaam to Shashikala and Ramesh Potnis, who I enjoyed meeting have been associated with this restaurant. They’ve since moved back to Goa. Shashikala’s typical Gomantak homestyle curries, Bhujane, Udid-methi, Dabdabit, Tisryo and more, continue to delight. The next gen Sayali and Prrawal have added on more chicken and some vegetarian dishes and are planning to bottle their spices and pickles, too.

The palate of Mumbai maybe in upmarket restaurants, but the soul is in restaurants like Highway Gomantak.