Crystal Restaurant Chowpatty — Restaurant in Mumbai

When you enter the place, it looks like a pretty simple place with a patchy ambience and a mezzanine floor squeezed in. However, the queue here and the never empty tables here tell a different story altogether. The place was packed when we entered and after a while, we finally found a spot. Without much ado, we jumped onto the food. We ordered a paneer masala and butter rotis to start with. It was not even 10 mins since we ordered and our food arrived, piping hot. The cutlery was simple, the presentation was simple and their quantity was pretty good. Now, we took our first bites and the paneer melted in our mouths. It was extremely soft and luscious. The spices were all in the correct place and it had a full on Punjabi tadka feel to it. The only thing which we could pinpoint in this one was that the gravy could have been thicker. Their rotis are homely and they have a quality touch to it unlike the usual chapatis. The prices are a treat and a full meal for two would definitely not cost more than 200-250. We also ordered their mutter paneer along with the dal makhni. Again, it impressed us flawlessly. The quality of food is pretty good and so is their taste. It totally deserves the hype it has managed to create around itself. The dal makhani was soulful. High on spices, thick, creamy as well as fully loaded, it was spicy as well flavoured. It had a great consistency as well as adding to the charm, was the onions. These added more spice to the dish. The place is amazing and it is extremely down to earth. They provide great homely food with amazing service as well as extremely low rates and some delicious treats to cherish upon.

Ambience: 3/5 Taste Quotient:...

An absolute disaster and poor management. TRAP that customers need to be beware of are the food reels!! hyped and sheer case of digital media marketing that the crowd howers around here. Food quantity versus quality is as fit as picking between worse and the worst. The atmosphere is noisy screechy and unkept. The mezzanine floor is full of flies and mosquitoes eating you alive 🤢 before you eat the food. Horrible tasteless food . Who can go wrong with the humblest simplest aaloo mutter ? Yes you read it right, the basics of the aaloo mutter gravy up for a toss , stinking reaking of inedible tomatoes, exorbitant pricing. Also , they loot you by charging for filthy plastic containers sold at rs 30 each incase you want to get the leftovers packed or even new orders packed. A silent and remarkable ZERO for this overhyped so called HERO of the marine drive , the paid parking of 100rs is an another hole in the pocket here. Serve rotten onions on the sides with stale lemons, politely requested thrice and then had to be stern and firm to get fresh ones. Irritated rude hostile staff who stands on top of our heads whole we make digital or cash payments from the wallet. Their basic mannerisms and etiquettes are poor standards including ruining the basics of the recipes , paneer burji as cold as an ice cream, cold paneer grated with dash of spices uncooked . By no means was the burji ever tossed on in the pan. The cost of chapatis versus the quality and size is an another substandard program. This place can be avoided, ought to be avoided whilst scrolling reels on social...

Crystal draws it's strong points from an unbeatable consistency, routed firmly in it's tradition of over 6/7 decades where it used to provide simple, tasty, pure vegetarian food that reminded everyone of their home, as in "Ghar Ka Khana". This statement still holds true even after all these years without any compromise whatsoever. There are a zillion other eateries that have emerged around it, yet Crystal remains there firmly, like an old sage, pure & divine.

Families & folks, many youths too flock to this place to have that quiet, satisfying meal that does good to yourself. There might be a little bit of waiting over the weekends as it can seat 40/45 patrons at best at any given time. Oh yes, it's become air-conditioned now, and the decor is straight from the 60's, wooden, yet artistic, solid teak, dark mahogany with artistic appeal thrown around,

Your taste buds come alive as you sit there, shuffling through the menu & you have a great vegetarian fare, We went there last Saturday, ordered green Palak Paneer, my mom's favourite, Veg Handi, Daal butter fried, masala papad, fried papad, butter rotis & Chaas. It was absolutely heavenly. There was an option for dessert in either"Kheer" or " Fruit Custard" but we were too full to order any. This is totally Punjabi cuisine from the hinterlands of Punjab.

The experience was immensely pleasurable, one can't describe it, it's like you are at some close relative's place & stumble upon a lunch unexpectedly that gives you pure joy. Crystal makes...