A THALI SCORE AT THE THIRD TRY

The thali at Maharaja Bhog was all that I’d imagined it would be. Image credit: *SUVARNA SHASTRI.*

By SUVRNA SHASTRI

Enroute an appointment in Mississauga we passed a building with Maharaja Bhog emblazoned on a sign.

“Is that new?” I asked excitedly. My husband said it certainly looked like it and we decided to check out the restaurant on our way back. Visions of the lavish spreads we had enjoyed at Samrat and Chetna in Bombay, or even the standard Gujarati thalis so readily available across India at the Sukh Sagar chain that I miss so dearly, were swirling in my head as we turned back a couple of hours later.

The place was transformed. The empty parking lot we had passed early in the evening was packed with cars twisting and turning their way in. A line of people – more like a line of groups of people because there appeared to be two or three people attached to each person – wrapped around the plaza. It was obvious there’d be a long wait if we were to even attempt to find parking. So we drove on, went to my favourite dosa place instead and said we’d come back another day for lunch.

One bright but cold Saturday morning saw us back in Mississauga, this time on a dedicated mission to Maharaja Bhog. It was too cold for people to be hanging around outside, I claimed confidently. And discovered I was wrong. The same parking chaos and the same wraparound line greeted us. Another lunch at another place had me vowing to crack it the third time.

Some weeks later, I had invited my friend Kanta out for lunch and she said she’d love to try this new place I had obviously taken on as a challenge. So back we went. And in a case of third-time lucky, not only found parking but a table at an almost-but-not-quite full restaurant.

What had changed? For one thing, we were there for lunch on a weekday, and another, as this was some months past the feeding frenzy at its opening, I think things had kind of settled down a bit.

The interior is spacious but not huge. What stands out are the tables set with steel thalis lined with an array of little bowls, hinting at all the goodies to come.

But before they start serving, they ask guests to go to the chaat stall for pani puris! A lady looked a little lost, seeing the spread on the counter.

“They serve golguppe with daal?” she asked in an incredulous whisper.

I was happy to explain that it was ragda – what they serve pattice with in Bombay, definitely part of the chaat family, and not daal!

She didn’t look too convinced, but bravely agreed to try it. And then turned around to give me the most enthusiastic thumbs up.

The thali was all that I’d imagined it would be. With endless helpings of chhaas; appetizers like dhoklas, bondas, farsan; different types of chutneys; Gujarati dal; Rajasthani dal; kadhi, gatte ki sabzi; a couple of vegetables; a paneer dish, light-as-air phulkas, bajra rotlas, theplas, rice and khichdi. Dal baati-churma is served in a separate large bowl. On the day Kanta and I were there, we enjoyed basundi and jalebis for dessert.

On subsequent occasions – for this has quickly become my favourtie place for Gujarati/Rajasthani food – moong dal halwa and mohan thaal were on the menu.

The appetizers also vary and it’s always fun to see what will be served on any particular day.

The staff are all young and super friendly and come back frequently with repeat helpings.

The chaat stall, though, is apparently only there on weekdays as there are too many people on weekends to manage that, one of them explained.

DESILICIOUS!

A THALI SCORE AT THE THIRD TRY