Fish Curry Rice, Manpada, Thane West

Restaurant Name: Fish Curry Rice, Manpada, Thane West
Phone: +917738335443 +917738335494
Address: SG 27, Dosti Imperia, Ghodbunder Rd, Manpada, Thane West, Maharashtra 400610 India
Time: 11:00 AM – 03:00 PM, 07:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Meals for two: Rs. 600
Cuisines: Maharashtrian, Goan, Seafood, Malwani
Facilities: Home Delivery, Takeaway Available, Indoor Seating

I’m rejoicing for two delicious reasons. The family run, award winning Pune based Fish Curry Rice (FCR) has dropped anchor in Thane. I’m equally thrilled to check it out with two sporting foodies who (on my last minute request) had lunch with me in Thane. It was great to meet my foodie blind date, the talented Rachi Gupta, a trained chef from Ducasse France, whose artisanal bakery has been making waves in Chembur. It is always a delight to catch up with Raj Anand, too, my dynamic globe-trotting foodie friend, be it in Paris, Singapore or now in Thane. He’s been spearheading and hand-picking brands for leading international fashion and home decor trade shows that take place in Paris, New York, Miami and Las Vegas. We eat our way through the menu over a fun lunch. Raj gives us his vegetarian take.

Fish Curry Rice, Manpada, Thane West: Decor

This is a no-frills, simple, cheerful, bare room with a red-tiled roof ceiling. Single bulbs hang on ropes on top of bare, wooden tables.

HOOKED COOKED BOOKED Meals

The Bhat family recipes offer home-style flavors. The seafood is fresh. Each dish brims over with its own distinct flavor and texture.

Velvetty mellow coconut-infused Prawn Curry (Hooman), Bangda Curry (Tikhla) caress our palate. Hand pounded masalas lend depth of flavour to the robustly spiced Crab Masala, Kalwa Masala and thick gravy of Prawns Sukha. Fresh seafood, fried to perfection, be it the Mudhushe Fry or Prawns Fry are worth trying.

Three innovative must try dishes are — Bombil with its added kick of home made thecha comes on top, as does the Prawns Aluwadi, which is FCR’s take on the traditional Maharashtrian aluwadi (colocasia leaves encased minced prawns). One must also try the whole Baby Pomfret Pedavan, served with green chutney, steamed in a turmeric leaf.

We begin with the savoury kokum drink Tival (served in a katori) and tasted our way through the thalis (mutton, chicken, fish). However, FCR’s focus remains seafood.

Raj’s vegetarian meal with its crisp fried Veg Kachrya, tasty dal and vegetables passes muster. End with the hot gulab jamun, the only dessert on the menu.

Currying Flavour

Almost two decades ago, I spent a whole year researching and writing Pune’s first ever food guide. It was exciting to sniff out eateries, especially the local regional ones. However, since Fish Curry Rice opened only in 2009, I haven’t dined at the Pune flagship. Our Pune Times critic Jayesh Paranjpe rated it highly in his review. As did Kunal Vijayakar and for the Times Now Foodie show, we awarded the Pune FCR as well. We missed Kunal at our lunch review. Our verdict on the four month-old Thane FCR? It distils the homestyle flavours of Goan Hindu food and every now and then puts the staples through mildly inventive paces (prawn aluwadi, steamed fish on a turmeric leaf being our top favourites). Kudos to family Bhat. To the theatre producer-turned restaurateur, the late Sudhir Bhat who Founded FCR in Pune. Kanchan Bhat and the young Sudhir Bhat, thank you for bringing FCR to Thane. We look forward to FCR opening in Other parts of Amchi Mumbai, too.