Thali Treat In Lonavala

The drive to Lonavala, which is situated in the hills on the main railway line to Pune, 106 kms south east of Mumbai, is magnificent, especially in the rains when the scenery is washed scrupulously clean. We were there on a day-long jaunt and this was when we had the pleasure of having lunch with the ever-smiling Anish Ganatra and his wife Brinda at their Hotel Chandralok. It is an excellent place with keen, friendly staff and superb, reasonably priced all-you-can-eat vegetarian Gujarati thalis.

On weekdays the menu reads as grandiose as it can be: two namkeens (farsan), three vegetables, one pulse preparation, dal or kadhi, steamed rice, phulkas and bajri rotis, butter milk, curds, salads, papads and of course the sweet dish. Every meal has a change in the namkeens, vegetables, and sweet dish. The above menu costs Rs 80 per person and for children (below 10 years) only Rs 40. Weekend, festival and holiday menus are along the same lines but with one sweet dish extra and an additional scoop of ice cream. All this could cost Rs 100 per person and Rs 50 per child.

When we had lunch there it was of course mango season and I can still remember the wonderful taste of the mango rabdi I had ended the meal with. Actually Gujaratis love to eat their sweets along with the main meal and I do just that but save up one bowl or two to be lapped up at the end of the meal as dessert. There were also soft and melt-in-the-mouth malai jams (gulab jamuns) as a second sweet. Anish says serving two sweets on weekends is the norm.

Let me describe the meal backwards now that I have begun with the dessert. The thalis were laden with the katoris all in a rounded row with enough space for the farsans, vegetables, dals, rotis, rice, salads and pickles. As we began with crunchy bites of makkai samosa I can say that when corn is in season it should be made good use of in a manner such as this. Even the ring dhokla looks intriguing. It is khaman dhokla steamed in a katori and served tempered with mustard seeds, curry leaves and garnished with coriander leaves and fresh coconut. At first glance it is difficult to recognise the vegetables in the katoris but as the tasting has already begun why not take a spoonful from each and find out? I asked for the names of the dishes from a passing waiter and he was helpful with them: Jodhpuri Gatta, Paneer Capsicum, Navratan Kathod. Accompanying was Surti Dal, Mutter Pulao and a free flowing choice of phulka, bajri roti and puris. I opted for one each of phulka and bajri roti and gave the puris a miss.

There is a choice of seconds and thirds of the vegetables, dal, breads and rice but how much can one eat! One can also reach out for the pickles, papads and khichiyas that are also quietly placed in the centre of the table while you are so engrossed in savouring so many palatable dishes set before you. Just as I was reaching out for the final bowl of mango rabdi as dessert, came a bowlful of ice cream as a sweet surprise. Like my kids say, ice cream doesn't need a place in the stomach, it just slips into the corners and adjusts itself!

As we somehow wipe off the last of the ice cream, Anish supplies the info that sheera, dudhpak and rajbhog, puran poli are also served to cater to the clientele’s taste on certain days. By now the feeling of being pleasantly full is overwhelming. And all we look forward to is a nice afternoon nap.