The jewel that broke the jinx

Dombivli's newest eatery, Emerald, stands on a spot where several of its predecessors have open and shut shop. We're confident Emerald will survive with its innovative, paisa vasool menu

Dombivli's newest eatery, Emerald, stands on a spot where several of its predecessors have open and shut shop. We're confident Emerald will survive with its innovative, paisa vasool menu

It is often said that every lane has its own tale. Likewise is the case of the spot on which Dombivli's newly opened vegetarian restaurant Emerald stands. Its previous occupants include a string of forgettable eateries that began with much fanfare, only to fade away into oblivion. Naturally, we were curious to visit Emerald to check out how it would fare compared to its predecessors.

On the weekend we dropped in, Emerald was choc-a-bloc with diners. They have extended the eatery to include a two-storey AC section, which was where we headed.

Emerald Special Biryani

The decor is minimalistic and soothing with a soft corner for the white palette. The walls are white washed; even the tabletops are not spared of its white bias.

With the strains of recorded sitar music in the background, we placed our orders. Several dishes on the menu were unavailable. Eventually, we settled for Paneer Koliwada (Rs 95), which tasted like a typical Paneer Pakora. The Pesto (Rs 105) arrived with a red sauce instead of cheese; our waiter had mixed up orders.

Thankfully, the food didn't disappoint. It was delicious and the portions were generous for two. The menu offers plenty ofu00a0 interesting-sounding mocktails; we opted for the Fantasy Night

(Rs 80). Soon enough, we discovered that it was a fancier name for an orange syrup milkshake. Their Special Falooda (Rs 100) was refreshing though it gave us a heady, sugar rush and came served with jelly.

Since their menu was loaded with South Indian dishes, we couldn't resist and opted for the Kerala Parota with Kurma (Rs 60).

The multi-layered Parotas were fluffy and complimented the slightly sweet vegetable Kurma. We loved their spicy Chettinadu Aloo (Rs 75), which wasn't the best we'vehad but gets full marks for its novelty factor (it's not on the menu of any other hotel in the area).

The yummy Emerald Special Biryani (Rs 75) was loaded with dry fruits, giving it a distinctly rich flavour with a perfect blend of spices.

Unfortunately, it was Emerald's service that let us down. Our attendant was caught up tending to other tables and had to be reminded of our orders, on several occasions. We were also rushed into finishing our meal to accommodate the waiting crowds outside.

u00a0Like a cool parting shot, we were served with free Emerald Green Mocktail shots, along with the rest of those who were waiting for their takeaway parcels. The drink was minty and refreshing and best of all, free.

At Emerald, Jondhale Chowk, Tanaji Market, Shastri Nagar, near the railway station, Dombivli (W).u00a0
Call 2494455 Emerald didn't know we were there. Theu00a0guide reviews anonymously and pays for meals