There are some things that you just can't express in words. There are some feelings that fill you up to the brim and overwhelm you. A few events you have to experience to know.
That's exactly how I feel after attending Jayesh's food walk. There's so much inside me that I want to say, so many escapades that I want to share. But somehow I feel no matter how many pages I write, I can NEVER do justice to the experience.
I'll tell you why exactly I'm so overwhelmed today as I try to pen this. There can be nobody as committed as Jayesh Paranjape who is as enthused about each food walk, each experience he curates- for him, it may be a daily occurence, but for the person attending it, it's a first (in some cases seconds or thirds- but the fact that they come back again itself speaks volumes about the quality of the experience!) Never does one feel that he does a 'paatya taakne' wala job. He is just as eager to learn, to share- as he points out balcony grille details, shops, restaurants, signs and chats about the history, the evolution of the Pune we see, we know as it is today. A down- to- earth, cheerful person, Jayesh is indeed a jovial 'khauwale kaka' we all knew as kids- someone who'd always have something yummy up his sleeve, who'd take us out for a drive and feed us simple local treats with a mutual promise of never telling Mom since she'd not approve of all the 'bahercha khana'! He's a person who ensures that everyone has a great time- no matter what educational, professional, social, regional background you hail from.
And so, when you go with Jayesh, you are just a kid, with a mind filled with wonder, eyes filled with greed😁, and tummy filled with food!
The Cantonment Snack Walk we attended with Jayesh (of Western Routes ) yesterday, was a first for us- something we'd been itching to attend ever since Ankita wrote about it! I did know there were a lot of non- vegetarian goodies unlike the Peth food walk that I'd attended with him before, but that did not deter me from joining in.
We assembled at 5 pm near JJ Garden wada pav, and after a brief introductory round, enjoyed some hot wada pavs as Jayesh chatted about the geographical layout of cantonment, and its historical significance.
We then walked along narrow bylanes of sleepy Parsi colonies, enclosed balconies and old homes painted in pastel shades- past Kay's, the suppliers of Nutties to Cadbury's, towards Dorabjee and Sons, one of the oldest restaurants in the city.
We spoke a bit about the history before we entered.
At Dorabjee, the non- vegetarians enjoyed some piping hot chicken and mutton patties with fresh pav, Kheema pav, and on special request from Jayesh, us vegetarians also could enjoy Parsi dhansak with rice. We also had the legendary Ardeshir's sodas (Bendaryl soda and Vim bar soda as Jayesh jokingly called it!) But whatever said and done, these drinks are definitely worth trying out!
We also enjoyed lagan nu Custard, a Parsi dessert, simple- set with egg, without the caramel syrup we're normally used to- but this one had the distinct flavour of coconut and nutmeg.
Jayesh pointed out old menus of the place from the 1940s and 50s, where the Custard was priced at 1 anna!
By the time we came out of the restaurant, it had started drizzling. But unflinching, the group trudged on.
The next stop was supposed to be Cafe Yezdan- which was unfortunately shut on occasion of Navrose, but we compensated for that at the next stops😁
We then went along to Husseiny Bakery- one of the legendary bakeries in Camp, who still use wood- fired ovens! And the quality of their products is exceptional.
We had a tour of the kitchens, were served hot ginger lemon tea and warm Shrewsbury biscuits amongst other goodies. The experience of having those warm Shrewsbury biscuits in the drizzle was something I will never forget in my life!
We also had the coconut cake and jam rolls- things one would've often enjoyed as kids!
We packed some bruns and Shrewsbury biscuits to go, and set off.
The next stop was Mahalaxmi Dhokla- one of my favourite places in Camp. So many times have we eaten the tangy sweet chutney on those fresh dhoklas, laden with shev, coconut and coriander leaves! But this time, Jayesh also fed us kacchi dabeli and papdi chat at Mahalaxmi. The dabeli was very different from the one we're otherwise used to- it isn't fried in butter, it is just the distinct masala with the flavour of cinnamon that makes it stand out.
The papdi chat too, was yummy.
The most heartwarming thing here was that Jayesh and Mayank- his teammate, were both soaked to their bones, since the drizzle had turned into a downpour by now- and yet their only concern was to get us more food! Such commitment and dedication is hard to find- and I'm sure my fellow- food- walkers resonated with the feelings of overwhelming gratitude my heart was filled with!
The last stop was at everyone's favourite Marz-o-rin.
By this time, we were stuffed!
But who can resist their guava juice, cold coffee, veg sandwiches and chicken mayo sandwiches?!
Despite being a Sunday evening, Mayank and Jayesh ensured we all got a place to sit, and filled us up with goodies.
It was so much fun to meet like- minded people, enjoy some delicious food and be a history geek all over again! True, we've all had JJ Garden wada pav, Marz-o-rin goodies, Mahalaxmi Dhokla several times before, but this experience was definitely unique.
For in the words of Giada de Laurentiis,
'Food brings people together on many different levels. It's nourishment of the soul and body; it's truly love.'
