Mumbai Monsoons & Muthuswamy Lunch !…..Marvelous Mouth Watering Sunday

You’ve not tasted Mumbai if you’ve not tasted Muthuswamy’s South Indian All Vegetarian fare…..

Years ago…more than a decade really,this enterprising South Indian began catering to private parties and Events in Mumbai…his fame spread quickly and for compelling reasons

His variety is spectacular….the ingredients are fresh as is the preparation….some like ‘Dosa’ and ‘Appam’ and ‘Idli’ are churned out at live counters right in front of your eyes……the quality is never compromised…..the accompaniments are fabulous…three to four types of ‘Chutney’…’Rasam’…’Sambhar’

Oh ! he does not run a restaurant…so you want a taste of Muthuswamy,you got to either host a Party yourself where you retain him to cater…he is a bit expensive now…. or scout around for great value for money Club and Private Events to be invited to where he does 

….I remember several years ago at a Sunday Pool Party with Kids & Friends , and when Muthuswamy was building up his reputation,he personally took out the ‘Appam’, I had served myself, from my Plate….“Sir, not Good not to eat Hot !” …and promptly prepared a Fresh Hot ‘Appam’…instantly we connected and he had got a new ‘Fan’ who was much younger and more handsome then and who also was thoroughly enjoying the food fare in his swimming trunks ! 

His ‘bisibele’  is the best I’ve tasted…and today I had just two helpings of it !

…and this Wet Sunday….yes! the South West Monsoon has hit Mumbai a few days earlier than expected….Muthuswamy recreated his Magic once again  at the Club with the Rains pouring down on the Lawns and the Golf Course creating a visually soothing and lovely setting just like the English Countryside….. 

….our Club was hosting this Muthuswamy Lunch,like it does every first Sunday of the Month for a few years now….and while we have tasted his fare several times before elsewhere we have never patronised it at the Club till today….it is always in demand and is always a full house in the airconditioned Dining Room…..with tables being reserved several days in advance……..we had therefore booked early and had requested for our choice of table,which was graciously given…..the Buffet is laid out in the Open Air Patio while the seating is in the Dining Room alongside….this opens out to the lawns and the Golf Course…. 

…..and my two children…actually young adults…15 soon to be 16 daughter and 21 soon to  be 22 son… and my young wife on this side of 50 spend a lovely afternoon bonding for a few hours…just us….believe me, in the hustle and bustle of Mumbai ,all in the family need their own space…the week gives it to them at the individual level…and the weekends are targeted to be collective family bonding specials….but try getting time and day committments from young adults for these specials !..Phew !…beating defending champion Nadal in the French Open today might be easier !….incidentally the Final is live as I blog and Nadal had come back from behind to win the first set 7-5 aainst the crowd favourite Roger Federer and it’s 5 all in the second with Federer having broken Nadal when he was serving for the Set    

…and this is the ‘Envy Fare’ that we relished at the Muthuswamy Lunch today…my son is a known ‘Butter Sada Dosa addict’  with only chutney and no sambhar !….he joined us a little late today after a Jamming session of his Band…he composes the songs and plays the electric guitar…….and he polished off eight Butter Sada Dosa  !…hardly bothered with any other variety of fare on offer !…..I prefer Neer Dosa…had three of them !…..and everything else on offer once or twice……and it’s not good grace to comment on the food fare that the women in my Life relished…so i won’t…but what I disclose is that we were not part of the Baba Ramdeo’s Official  ‘Fast’ that began yesterday…and that’s our Offical View too !….we just pray this Civil Society Led ,Anna Hazare inspired Fight against corruption and for a more comprehensive and strong Lokpal Bill to be drafted for acceptance in the parliament does not get diluted in strength because of Baba Ramdeo…My view is forget getting personal about persons…..focus and fight for the cause…..Unprecedented Corruption in India….my family actually discussed this issue this afternoon…a bit agitatedly too,I must confess….. while savouring the Muthuswamy fare  

So this was the Muthuswamy  South Indian Only Vegetarian Buffet Spread this afternoon   

• Cool Masala Buttermilk….aka ‘Chaas’
• Live Counters preparing Fresh Idli (Thaat,Tsaat,Ghee..even Chinese Sczhewan style)….white butter,’pudi’,two sambhar types and three Chutnies (Garlic,Cocunut and Coriander) as choice of accompaniments
• Crisp and Hot Mysore ‘Bonda’ (Type of Vada) with Coconut Pieces within 
• Steaming Hot Rasam Vada
• Live Counters for Dosas & Utthapam (Neer,Chinese,Mysore Rawa,Masala,Cheese…..any way you like it)
• Hot Vegetable Stew with Sevaiyya…no ‘Appam’ today
• Pre Prepared Small Single Serve Leaves bearing well presented and pre mixed Curd Rice
• Hot and not to spicy and perfectly Blended Bisibele ( this is a South Indian Dish of pre mixed Rice and Dal with the spices)
• Hot and Sweet Moong Dal Payasam
• Fresh Coconut Ice Cream

All….washed down with some Filter Coffee….finishing off with the mouth freshner South Indian ‘Paan’ 

I blog this late in the evening after a lunch induced extended Sunday Afternoon Siesta

Cheers !

Addendum on June 6,2011…A Correction really

Thanks to Roshan’s response (check it out) ,I’m now updated on this that Muthuswamy actually does run Arya Bhavan at Matunga East ,the Udipi Centre of Mumbai….I called them to check this out…it opened  @ two years ago…..However as I’ve replied to Roshan as a response on this blog post it is unlikely one can relish every speciality of Muthuswamy every day at the restaurant…. must be spacing them out over the week and month…..thus to get all in one huge Spread at one place at one time,one needs to scout for to attend an Event he is catering for specially….

Also checked out his website http://www.muthuswamyindia.com …. it states 1947 and 1955 at two different pages when he actually began his catering services….that’s 64 years ago !…and not just over a decade ago….Cheers