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Sarika Mehta

The official lunch break is the time when the hard working Mumbaikar sets out to... discover a new eating joint!

Mumbai works up a good appetite... after all it is one of the most hard-working cities in India. As the clock strikes noon, the `working class' takes a welcome break. It's lunchtime! Millind, an advertising professional, attaches a special significance to this part of the day. "This is the official break and it gives me my space. Apart from that, this is the only time during a weekday that we have fun and get to discover new eating joints." This, of course, holds true for people working also on weekends.

Nariman Point is one of the city's largest commercial areas that satisfies the food cravings of those with deep pockets, as well as those with a more modest sum to spare. It's hard to miss the fare available off the pavements. Sulabh has been serving non-veg and veg thalis at his pavement stall for several years now. "People love the non-veg food I serve because it is made South Indian style and costs only Rs 15 per thali." The corporate crowd can be spotted enjoying their pavement meal. Don't talk of hygiene levels, though. A city with a voracious appetite seems to have an equally robust digestive sytem! The city's office-goers, in turn, provide livelihood to scores of women who cook and supply desk lunches.

The Manora New MLA Hostel canteen offers the luxury of air-conditioning. The non-veg thali is popular here as it is moderately priced and tastes good. But don't expect to get a table all to yourself. Given the limited interior space, table sharing is the order of the day. "Everything here is very tasty. From the Chinese and Punjabi food, to the snacks and sweets," says Sahil Desai, a regular. For the extra-hungry there is a mini buffet priced Rs 60.

In the mood for a stylish (hence expensive) meal? Try Relish, where the soups and sandwiches make for a hearty meal. Top it off with a dessert and going back to work would seem less painful. Kavita S., who works at Nariman Point, says, "It is a decent place but people with my kind of salary can afford it only twice or thrice a month."

Moving to Churchgate, the line thins between the classes and masses of Mumbai. The most happening place this hour of the day is the station itself. It offers the most delectable hot frankies and the creamiest of cold coffee. The revamped Chinese restaurant is buzzing with activity. Then there is the legendary Shiv Sagar for South Indian, Italian, Chinese and even its own version of Mongolian food. "We mostly run in for a quick idli and juice," says Aparna, a call centre executive.

Most of working Mumbai survives on idlis, sandwiches and juices. When in the mood for dessert, Croissants is the place to be or, perhaps, Gaylords bakery.

Meanwhile, the upwardly mobile health-conscious sect just have to Jazz By the Way. At Rs 200, one can gorge on a plethora of salads, soups and sandwiches. Dessert included! Corporate meetings are routinely held over lunch here, since the unlimited buffet buys a lot of time. But health comes expensive in Mumbai...

Walking down to Fort, there is Trishna and Mahesh Lunch Home for seafood lovers. Though they could be classified expensive, they are flooded with clientele by lunchtime. Much of the stock exchange empties itself into the eateries at Fort. Slowly gaining in popularity is a small joint called Deluxe at Pitha Street, serving authentic vegetarian food from Kerala. "The food is very tasty and reminds you of home," says Lakshmi Abraham. The most charming part of the experience is food served on a banana leaf.

For people with no time to step out of the office for lunch, desk lunches come in handy. Churchill, Kailash Parbat, Noodle Bar and McDonald's cater to this segment.

Mention Mumbai and lunchtime in the same breath, and you cannot afford to miss out on the dabbawalla and his unique modus operandi. Delivering home-cooked meals on the dot at office desks has earned these men nothing short of world fame. Coming a close second to home-cooked meals are the catered tiffins that cost about Rs 25 each and are delivered at your desk. You can even order `health tiffins' by paying Rs 1,000 a month.

Yes, lots of work and plenty of food choices make Mumbai tick round the clock.

Picture by Shashi Ashiwal

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