For the sixteenth episode of the Adventures of Cheap Beer, the trio of tipplers Suyash Barve, Karan Agarwal and Siddhant Mehta (who returned after a short break) visited Vithal’s in VT, the bar run by the famous bhel makers. They were joined by guest podcaster Mohar Kumar, a freelance journalist and part-time musician who, some of them were surprised to find, was not his namesake, the frontman of Hindi rock band Agnee. Though they encountered poor service and overpriced booze, the fantastic food at the vegetarian joint, which serves generous amounts of chakna, almost made them forget their initial displeasure. Here, in Mehta’s words, is how it all played out:
“We’ve been eyeing Vithal’s Family Restaurant and Bar for a long time and there is only one reason for this. Vithal is a Mumbai institution and we simply could not pass up the opportunity to eat their legendary bhel and chaat while sipping some beer. We tried the Golden bhel, sev batata puri, dahi batata puri and even the pani puri; they each exceeded our expectations. At first glance, the drinks seemed very pricey but the rates made more sense once our order arrived. Not only was the mixer (soda) free but we got five plates of chakna: roasted papad, peanuts, two types of salad and the best methi pakodas we’ve ever eaten! Wear sweatpants to this place because you’re going to need them.”
Vithal’s Family Restaurant and Bar, 15 A. K. Naik Marg, near Excelsior Cinema, CST. Tel: 022 6631 0741. Open daily, from noon to 12pm. Get directions here.