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Kartik’s Dosa stall
Where: Step out of the back gate of St. Xavier’s College, walk down Hungerford Street to the Shakespeare Sarani crossing. Kartik’s is set against the wall, under a yellow umbrella, opposite Arun Tea Stall.
Timings: Usually 7am to 4pm.
On the menu: Dosa, Vada, Idli, Uttapam and other South Indian items, served in decent quantities at very, very pocket-friendly prices. You’ll get your grub within five minutes, so it’s a great place to visit in between classes.
Pop picks: Cheese Masala Dosa (Rs 32), Cheese Onion Dosa (Rs 27) and Cheese Butter Masala Dosa (Rs 40).
t2 trivia: Everything is fresh, from the chutney to the aloo, and the cheese is unwrapped right in front of you. They will even customise your dosa the way you want it.
Student speak: “The Cheese Dosa is yummy! It has dollops of cheese oozing out of every bite, without even punching a hole in the pocket. What more could you possibly wish for?!” says Ateesha Sethia, a third-year student of St. Xavier’s College.
Saiji Confectionery
Where: On Park Street, close to the Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Road crossing, near the Manyavar outlet.
Timings: 9am to 9pm.
On the menu: Sandwiches, Maggi, Wai Wai, pasta. But it’s a tad expensive given that it’s just Maggi. There’s also Jeera Rice with Rajma Masala Curry (Rs 30) and khichdi with mashed potatoes (Rs 30).
Pop picks: Grilled Corn Cheese Sandwich (Rs 50) and Cheese Corn Maggi (Rs 50).
t2 trivia: Service is super-quick, portions are huge. The cheese and corn make a deadly combo. They also put carrots, peas and other seasonal veggies in the Maggi.
Student speak: “I like the Cheese Corn Maggi. It has a generous amount of sweet corn and the melted cheese is just the thing you need to lift your mood,” says Manasi Vora, a second-year student of St. Xavier’s College.
Biju’s
Where: Opposite the back gate of National University of Juridical Sciences (NUJS), on the Bypass.
Timings: 7am to 10pm.
On the menu: South Indian items to Pav Bhaji to Maggi and Wai Wai, plus sandwiches. Prices are reasonable and the food is served hot and fresh. Tea is also available. The Chicken Dosa (Rs 35), served only at lunchtime, has shreds of homemade masala chicken inside. Comes with unlimited helpings of sambhar.
Pop picks: Cheese Maggi (Rs 35) and Vegetable Wai Wai (Rs 20).
t2 trivia: Biju’s is not just about the food, it’s popular for adda too.
Student speak: “I love eating at Biju’s because he exudes this homely feeling. This is everyone’s favourite place to go to during project submissions because he can rustle up whatever you want at short notice,” says Dishari Sarkar, a fourth-year student at NUJS.
Rendezvous
Where: Just beside Biju’s.
Timings: 7am to 10pm.
On the menu: Tibetan fast food. There are all kinds of momos, including pork ones, fresh and hot, all at reasonable prices.
Pop picks: Cheese Wai Wai (Rs 45) Veg, Chicken and Pork Momo (six pieces for Rs 30, Rs 40 and Rs 60 respectively), served with a fiery red sauce and soup.
t2 trivia: The Minced Chicken Dumpling has generous amounts of chicken stuffing and is oh-so-good! Their Chilli Chicken (six pieces for Rs 60) is also popular. The Cheese Wai Wai comes with lots of cheese along with mushrooms, broccoli, capsicum and other veggies.
Student speak: “This place is perfect for students who want to eat a lot within a budget. They are also very nice and warm, hence I feel like coming here again and again,” says Ashi Gupta, a fourth-year student at NUJS.
Fatso and Goabagan
Where: Opposite Hedua Park, popular among students of Scottish Church College and Bethune College.
Timings: 11.30am to 9.30pm.
On the menu: Continental dishes like Chicken Stroganoff, Chicken Lasagne and Paprika Mama Rosa, most of them priced between Rs 90 and Rs 130. There’s Cheese Maggi for Rs 50. Mocktails are also available.
Pop pick: Pasta (Rs 100), Mexican Wrap (Rs 80) and brownie with ice cream (Rs 90). It’s expensive but come on, there’s air-conditioned comfort too!
t2 trivia: The lane adjacent to Fatso is called Goabagan, which is famous for its tea. Served in those typical small glasses and prepared by Dadu, it comes for just Rs 4.
Student speak: “I always go to Fatso when I feel like indulging myself. The Mexican Wrap and Cheese Maggi are my favourites,” says R. Albert, a third-year student of Scottish Church College.
Sandwich Wala
Where: Opposite Jatin Das Park Metro Station and JD Park, near Asutosh College.
Timings: 10.30am to 7.30pm.
On the menu: Various kinds of sandwiches like Cheese and Corn Sandwich, Vegetable Sandwich and Masala Cheese Sandwich, priced between Rs 20 and Rs 28.
Pop pick: Cheese and Corn Sandwich (Rs 28).
t2 trivia: The full name of this food stop is Om Shree Sai Pandit Sandwich Wala, though we all know it simply as Sandwich Wala. The sandwiches can be had with tomato sauce and mint chutney. You can call and place your order. They take party orders as well.
Student speak: “The sandwiches are quite reasonable and filling, with loads of cheese and vegetables. Even with just 30 bucks, you can have good food here,” says Uttiyo Sarkar, a first-year student of Asutosh College.
Madhurima’s
Where: Walk out of the side gate of Presidency University, cross Hindu Hostel and stop near IISWBM. Madhurima’s is named after the owner who sits in the stall herself.
Timings: Around noon to 5.30pm.
On the menu: Wai Wai, bread and eggs, paratha, roti, chicken, Aloo Dum, Ghugni, butter-toast, jam-toast and other snacks, all ranging from Rs 10 to around Rs 60.
Pop picks: Cooked Wai Wai (Rs 20) and uncooked Wai Wai (Rs 10).
t2 trivia: You can get onions and beans in your bowl of steaming Wai Wai noodles at no extra cost. But if you are hungrier, go for paratha-chicken.
Student speak: “I like this stall because when I feel like my stomach is caving in from hunger and I have to wait out 10 more minutes of class, it’s the thought of their delicious Wai Wai that keeps me going,” says Angshuman Chakravarty, a third-year student of Presidency University.
Shyamalda’s
Where: It’s a tiny eatery outside Gate No. 4 of Jadavpur University (JU), a favourite student haunt because of the pocket-friendly prices and the even friendlier Shyamalda.
Timings: Usually noon to 8pm.
On the menu: Chicken Maggi, Egg Maggi, Veg Maggi, omelette, tea, Aam Pora Shorbot, Lebu Shorbot, lassi, cookies, sweets and more.
Pop pick: Chicken-Egg Maggi (Rs 35).
t2 trivia: The tea is available in various denominations, the Rs 20 one comes in a huge bhaanr that’s pretty difficult to hold in one hand!
Student speak: “Shyamalda’s Chicken-Egg Maggi is all about great taste coupled with affordability. The Maggi is cooked with finely chopped chicken pieces and meticulously scrambled eggs. At only Rs 35, it beats most other lunch options for us,” says Shayantan Roy, a second-year Masters student at JU.
Tit Bits
Where: Near Rabindra Sadan Metro station at Exide crossing.
Timings: 7am to 10pm.
On the menu: Vegetarian dishes from various cuisines like North Indian, Gujarati and Chinese, at reasonable rates. The Crispy Babycorn, Bhelpuri, Dhokla and burgers are a hit among students.
Pop picks: Vada Pav (Rs 20) and Shrikhand (Rs 40).
t2 trivia: The ground floor has a wide collection of chocolates.
Student speak: “The food is quite good as well as easy on the pocket. The Vada Pav especially does a great job of filling the tummy at just Rs 20,” says Purnima Khemani, a third-year student of Shri Shikshayatan College.
