Chef Saransh Goila, known for his effervescent presence on TV, has been talking about his #GoilaButterChicken on Twitter for at least three years. Several trials and “butter chicken nights” later, Goila opened his first takeaway outlet in suburban Mumbai in June, dishing out not just butter chicken but a small menu of home-style dishes.
The good stuff
The ordering process is seamless, and you can either call or place an order online. All the dishes are reasonably priced and the delivery comes neatly packed in separate boxes, with assembly instructions where needed.
We began with the Beetroot Tikki Chaat (Rs.225), a take on the aloo tikki chaat found in Delhi’s (Goila’s hometown) Chandni Chowk. The tikkis, the white peas and chutney mix, and the salli (potato straws) topping came separately packed so they wouldn’t become a soggy mess. The beetroot tikkis were crisp and spicy and, along with the tangy white peas mix, made for a flavourful starter (though we did find it a bit too salty in parts).
The star of the show is the Goila Butter Chicken (Rs.275, paneer option available at the same price) and it certainly lives up to the social media hype. This is Goila’s signature preparation, where he smokes the chicken and gravy with a piece of coal. This gives the dish an unusual twist compared to the regular butter chicken. The smoky flavour and the earthiness of kasuri methi (again, not something you would usually find in restaurant preparations), combined with the well-cooked chicken and the silky, tangy gravy, is a winning combination.
Our other main was the 24/7 Dal (Rs.225), the Punjabi staple of kaali dal (black lentils) cooked slowly over 24 hours, till it becomes creamy and smooth. The flavours are spot on and reminiscent of Amritsar’s dhabas (roadside eateries).
We also tried the Butter Paneer Biryani (Rs.250, chicken option available at the same price)—fragrant basmati rice (infused with cardamom, star anise and other warm spices) layered with smoky, butter paneer gravy. If you like your biryani dry, though, you may not get on board with this dish despite its near-perfect flavours.
For dessert, we picked the Chocolate Golgappa (Rs.125), an innovative take on the savoury paani puri. The chocolate-coated puri was encrusted with colourful sugar sprinkles and filled with a peanut brittle, and the “paani” was cold coffee laced with salted caramel—not much can go wrong with that combination.
The not-so-good
Our only grouse is that the delivery service is currently available only in a limited area. They service Andheri, Jogeshwari, Goregaon, Oshiwara, Juhu and Vile Parle; south and central Mumbai folks will either have to pick it up personally or book through Russsh.com (as we did).
Talk plastic
Our meal—one starter, two mains, one rice and one dessert—cost Rs.1,100, all inclusive.
Goila Butter Chicken, Shop No.26, C-Wing, Indira Nagar, JP Road, near DN Nagar Metro Station, Four Bungalows, Andheri—West (8080809102). Open from 6pm-midnight. Order online at www.goilabut terchicken.com.
