Mumbai's budget-friendly neighbourhood store: Kalpana aunty's oven

Beef burger Pic /Suman Mahfuz Quazi

Kalpana aunty's oven

Tucked in the quaint lanes of Hill Road, Kalpana's Bakery is a rundown cornershop that fits perfectly into its idyllic environs. With fresh batches of beef and chicken chops filling the space with inviting aromas, and a bunch of ladies waiting impatiently with hand-written notes and tote bags, this gem of a place is a food haven.

A fresh batch of chicken chops Pic /Suman Mahfuz Quazi

Here, the chicken patties (Rs 30) has a nice and crispy filo coating, though the filling itself is overtly sweet, and sparse. The bottom half of the patties is burnt and much too oily. It's a different story with its veggie (Rs 30) cousin, which has a yummy and wholesome filling of potato, carrots, onion and garlic. But our favourite here is the cutesy chicken puff (Rs 30), which has a scrumptious filling. The mince is meaty and peppery, comprising potato, flour and little bits of chilly and garlic. It's reminiscent of the kind of confections you get at a colonial-era club.

The nondescript bakery Pic /Suman Mahfuz Quazi

The chicken roll has a muted sweetness, which complements the gooey, creamy mashed chicken. The bread, slightly harder around the edges, would have been better had it been fresh.

(Clockwise) Chicken patties, Veg patties and Chicken puff Pic /Suman Mahfuz Quazi

But it's safe to say that it is a blessing to find a beef burger for Rs 40 in an expensive city like Mumbai. What makes this a double treat is that it is yum! It comes with fresh slaw, cucumber and onion. The patty, studded with chillies and coriander and donned with ground pepper, is hefty and fulsome. The chicken chop (Rs 25) is similarly delicious with a thick coating, the right chicken-to-onion ratio in the mince and a flavourful potato mash. It's tightly packed and holds itself together, unlike the ones at the popular Cafe Andora, which is a stone's throw away.

At Kalpana's Bakery, 14 Chapel Road, Hill Road.
Time 1.30 pm to 9 pm
Call 9833847021

Check out the other neighbourhood gem here

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