Being a Gujarati I don’t really like to spend on Gujarati food. Over the years a lot of different restaurants have come with different Gujarati thalis at varying prices. I was not entirely satisfied with most of them. The reason for my dissatisfaction is simple. It is Gujarati food and it shouldn’t have the North Indian touch to it. I walked into The Grand Thakar, Ahmedabad with a similar expectation and to an extent I was wrong and I am glad about it.
Table of Contents
1. The Place
The entire restaurant has a typical restaurant feel. However, I loved two things about it. First the large tables and second the comfy sitting arrangement. It is located on the tip of one of the busiest roads in Ahmedabad. The service is quick, very quick.
2. The Food
Most of the food that was served came in pairs. Like the roti and puri with the four sabjis, dal, kadhi and rice and the salads. You can make your own little creation in your thali and have fun.
Gavar
This was basically clustered beans cooked in some spicy masala. It was a bit on the spicy side and it did taste nice but again I prefer to have something else instead. Gavar is one of the vegetables I don’t like on my plate so my review on this can be biased.
Bataka
Bataka nu shak is a very simple dish yet most places get it wrong, I mean how hard it is to cook potatoes. However, The Grand Thakar kept it simple and it worked out pretty well.
Chana Masala
This was the North Indian part of the Gujarati thali. It was boiled chana with strong North Indian species. It was good and it did go with the entire meal.
Undhiyu
We are used to having this undhiyu was served with bigger chunks of vegetables and in red gravy. To my surprise, it wasn’t sweet at all. This dish shocked me with its appearance but after tasting it I couldn’t stop.
Methi Na Dhokla
I thought I would have a lot to say about this particular dish but turns out I don’t have anything specific other than saying that it was good, nicely cooked but an ordinary plate of dhokla. However, the pudina chutney and the garlic chutney took it to a whole new level.
Pudla/Chilla
This pudla was mildly spicy and a very thin version of a savory pancake. It tasted really nice and again chutney did wonders.
Ghughra
I had too many of these. Ghughra is a perfect little crispy pouch that has a lot of spicy filling. No, they didn’t taste like anything like samosas or kachori. They were Ghughras and they were pretty awesome.
Puran Puri
Puran puri is a specialty across all the outlets. Unlike ordinary puran puri they are smaller and their crust this a bit more thick and crisp. They serve it wonderfully dipped in loads of ghee. THIS IS A MUST HAVE.
Basundi
This bowl of sweet milk was very simple and elegant. I loved its texture and how it was just the right amount of sweet. I loved it and so will you. It will speak for itself.
Dal, Kadhi, and Rice
Coming to the point the Dal and Kadhi were proper Gujarati style, they were the right amount of sweet and salty. The rice was magnificent and I couldn’t stop having it. These dishes gave me the burp of satisfaction I crave for.
Please share your thoughts in the comments below after visiting the wonderful restaurant – The Grand Thakar.The Tummy Man Rating: 8.7/10You can write to me at [email protected]Like us on Facebook by clicking HEREYou can also follow us on Twitter and Instagram @thetummymanI WILL BE BACK WITH MOREHAPPY EATINGTHE TUMMY MAN
