Grabbing some grub until a few years ago meant picking up a burger at McDonald’s or biting into a pizza at a corner joint. These were largely the indulgences that one allowed oneself while breaking away from the regular fare. But that was then. Mumbai’s grub quotient today has shot up, taking a cue from America’s love for junk food, with cheesy, decadent items making it to the table in a big way — quite literarily. These are basically greasy dishes that are loaded with cheese, chocolate, cream and/or sugar.
Ishaan Bahl, founder of 145 Kala Ghoda, believes that more than just an increase in the demand for American food, it has more to do with a demand for a variety of food. “American food culture offers this variety to our patrons. There are so many food videos doing the rounds on social media, but very few people really have the opportunity to visit America and indulge in this food scene first hand. And so, we are offering these food dishes here in the city.” Bahl’s menu includes Mac and Cheese Cones and Mac and Cheese Hotdog. “The Mac and Cheese Cone is a big, giant cone filled with Mac and Cheese and has been a hot favourite ever since we put it on the menu,” he says.
However, generalising American food as gluttonous and grub won’t be right. Aastha Gupta, founder of It Happened In New York, says, “If you notice, New York doesn’t really have a food culture of its own, it is an amalgamation of several cuisines from around the world. The rise in popularity of American food culture is due to the influx of fast food franchises like McDonald’s, Burger King and so on. To be fair, there are a lot of American food options that are not only the greasy side.”
Abhishek Honawar, co-owner of Woodside Inn, concurs. “Globally, there are only two most consumed food cuisines — Italian and Chinese. American food takes after these two cuisines. The reason New York is a big name in cuisine is because they are good with adapting and even better at creating food chains. The food scene in America has a lot to do with convenience foods. The food options are decadent and rich in base flavours like sweet, savoury and cheesy — something the satisfies the cravings of the body.”
The Woodside Inn Stake Out Burger, a classic at The Woodside Inn is a super-size burger with three different kinds of meat — chicken, pork, tenderloin, bacon, and onion rings. The burger, including all its fillings and garnishes, weighs approximately 750 grams.
Double Cheddar Beef burger is a quintessentially American treat. Abhishek, of The Woodside Inn says, “The combination of cheddar cheese and beef is what makes the burger truly American.” The burger comes with a double serving of cheddar cheese and while it is a heavy burger, Abhishek likes to describe the dish as “rich”.
The Red Velvet Milkshake at 145 Kala Ghoda is a gooey red velvet sponge blended with cream, milk and vanilla ice cream and gems with a calorie count of over 650, whereas the Nutella Milkshake (pictured) is served in a chocolate-coated mason jar, loaded with chocolate-flavoured toppings like KitKat, Gems, Nutella and Nutties. These freak shakes have been a hit favourite among customers ever since 145 Kala Ghoda launched a year ago.
The Triple Double Burger at Jamjar Diner weighs roughly 600 grams, is approximately 7 inches tall and is made of double tenderloin patty, double cheddar and double bacon.
