Kolkata roll call in Malad

Kolkata street food shack Hangla's has opened a new outlet in Mumbai

While Israeli snack bar Willy Walla wilts behind heavy foliage and a bus stop blocking it from view, Hangla's opens next door. But our opening week visit gave us hope that it won't suffer the same fate. For one, it comes with a reputation that the Andheri Lokhandwala takeaway joint has built; celebrities and shoppers there religiously stop over for the famed rolls and Fish Chops. Second, Malad has quite a few Bengali food lovers as was evident from the busy home delivery activity. Plus, unlike at the Andheri joint, this one has tables laid out in front of the open kitchen.

Hangla's is where you go to gobble on Kolkata street food, which takes dishes from Nawabi, Lucknowi and Chinese cuisine and attunes them to the Bong palate. So, Momos, Parathas and Biryanis comfortably fit into the same menu. But the top seller is the Kolkata Roll. Its absence on Mumbai streets is what prompted owner Soumitro Ghosh to open this eatery in the first place.

The rolls are available in 10 choices, from Mutton (Rs 50) and Double Mutton (Rs 90) to Paneer (Rs 50) and Chicken Tikia (Rs 40). Well-marinated pieces are tossed with thinly chopped onions, chillies, black pepper, salt and a dash of lime into a paratha fried with an egg. The Mutton Kababs were soft, succulent and dripping with character. But the Fish Chops weren't a spot on the superb ones dished out at the Andheri branch. Ditto for the Veg Momos. The Laccha Paratha we teamed with the delicious Kasha (mutton or chicken cooked with rich spices and a paste of onion, garlic and ginger) was oily.

Dessert is avoidable, with the Caramel Custard just about making the grade. If Hangla's wants to live up to its name (Hangla is Bengali for "glutton"), it has to bring its remaining fare up to level with its specialities.