Ever since my sister had moved to the city of Mumbai in 2014, we had made countless dinner plans for Gallops, none of which ever transpired for one reason or the other. Which is exactly why, for her birthday dinner earlier this year, we were determined to make it to this iconic Mumbai restaurant, even if that meant braving the infamous rush hour traffic without any assurance of making it in time for our reservation. Lucky day for us as we did make it in the nick of time (Ironic since this was also our last family dinner in the Pre-Covid era) only to be awestruck from the time we entered the race course till we settled the dinner bill!
What is so special you ask?
Ambience
Although I was aware of its “legendary” status, this place which feels straight out of a fairytale simply took my breath away. In an age when new restaurants/pubs/cafes are launched every week, I have a special spot for everything that exudes authentic old-world charm. And the ambience at Gallops is about old-world charm and so much more. The green entryway with white picket fences and hanging chandeliers makes you feel like you just stepped into wonderland. The standalone restaurant is in the shape of a bungalow covered with Ivy-like creepers.The sloping roof and a beautiful front porch door adds further magic to its ambience. The interior dining area greets you with rustic teak furniture, high ceiling, huge chandeliers and old-world drapes. There is a contemporary seating area outside as well looking into the huge racecourse where one can literally dine under the stars🙂
Food
The menu offers a combination of Indian and continental and we had decided to opt for their lndian varieties. One can see numerous references to “racecourse” starting from the menu to the stirrer in the lime soda🙂 For appetizers, we started off with The Cream of Chicken Soup, Mutton Galouti Kebab and Paneer Achari Tikka. For the main course, we went ahead with Chicken Dum Biriyani, Fish Goan Curry (Salmon), Mutton Bhuna Gosht Kalim, Mutton Nalli Nihari served with Butter Naan and Green Peas Pulao. As we had zero appetite left, we had to skip dessert, but the menu had really interesting options like Baked Jalebi Cheesecake and Flambeed Malpua with Rabri.
Service
The service, as expected, was smooth and efficient. The kind, old-fashioned waiters greet you with their warm smiles and help you out with great suggestions from the menu.
Pro-Tip
Their Mutton delicacies are absolutely lipsmacking and a must try. The decor and ambience makes Gallops an excellent option for special dates and family celebrations. For people who are interested in exploring the best of a city, the iconic and heritage spots which have stories to tell about the city, this 33 year old restaurant should definitely be on your list. A perennial favourite of Mumbaikars, prior reservation is a must even on weekdays. One should be careful to make it on time as this place is always thronged by patrons.
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The Sassy Tiara 