A new Marine Drive eatery impresses with its fare and pricing, but needs that extra something to be a game-changer for regional cuisine in SoBo
Ghee milagapodi idli
Nestled in the middle of a quiet neighbourhood dominated by Art Deco buildings is a little Tanjore door, eagerly awaiting to reveal the burst of flavours of the world inside. So, on a pleasant afternoon, we step in as customers at Gughan, whose subhead reads Supreme South Indian Veg Cuisine. The restaurant is fairly occupied, and we're seated near a group of women who are as excited as us to try out the menu. "Don't you have a branch in the surburbs?" they question a member of the waiting staff, who gives them a cheeky reply, "No ma'am, the nearest branch is in Madurai!"
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Filter Kapi
We glance at the menu which is extensive enough to compete with the popular South Indian joints in the city. We order the payasam ('100) and buttermilk, or neer moru ('50) to start with. Both arrive in five minutes but the payasam is visibly different from the authentic milk payasam, while the buttermilk is topped with more coriander than expected. The former is made out of sabudana garnished with dry fruit, and the proportion of milk is minimal. Feeling underwhelmed, we order the ghee milagapodi idli ('160), Gughan supreme thali ('285), medu vada ('85), filter kapi ('48) and panangkadu ('75). And the next thing we know, dishes of varying sizes start filling our table.
Payasam
The idli sprinkled with mustard is diced and well-cooked with servings of mint, tomato, and coconut chutney, and a bowl of sambhar. But the extra dose of mustard may not go down well with some patrons. The medu vada is nice and crisp, but isn't worth remembering. On the other hand, the panangkadu is a soothing addition to the menu. The drink is essentially milk infused with turmeric and jaggery, and here, it even fares better than the classic filter kapi. Known the world over for its distinct aroma and taste, Gughan's version is slightly diluted. The dose of caffeine, though, is enough to kickstart a sluggish morning, which shouldn't be a problem since the space opens at 7 am. Their supreme thali also arrives in less than 15 minutes, and we can't help but give props to the service.
Buttermilk
We are left staring at the massive size of the thali, which comes with 20 dishes laid on a banana leaf. It's not for the faint-hearted. When we try to get the staff to explain the elements in the thali, they give us half-baked responses. The thali is packed with vegetable korma, vegetarian biryani and ivy gourd stir fry that goes well with rice, paratha, uttapam and pappadam. The four chutneys also make it to the thali, along with rasam that we get addicted to by the end of our meal. Apart from a slightly sour uttapam and a listless biryani, Gughan does a good job at trying to strike a balance between quality and quantity here.
And while we can't deny that the trade-off between those two terms exists, we can't ignore the authenticity that's whipped up across Matunga's famed joints. Taking into consideration its location and homely ambience, we leave on a happy note. At the end of the day, it's an eatery that can't be ignored in an area packed with swish and high-end joints, for its price point that won't dig a hole in your pocket.
On 7 am to 11 pm
At Ground floor, 91, Shalimar Apartment, near Hindi Vidya Bhavan, G Road Marine Lines West.
Call 22880035
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