Speak about eating out and Bandra inevitably crops up amongst the first options to us foodies. So this weekend’s gastronomic ramble takes us to Sahibaan. Situated just off Turner Road coming from Pali Naka, the junction is distinguished by a spate of eateries huddled around the corner of the crossroad opposite HSBC Bank. Flanked by its richer cousins Pot Pourri and Lemon Grass on either side, this tiny joint doesn’t boast of much of an atmosphere, with an open seating and only a handful of tables. But once in, the varied kinds of patrons sampling the fare denote its popularity amongst one and all. Menu: the first thing that strikes you about the place is the distinct individuality of the fare on offer. A welcoming reprieve from the run-of-the-mill “Chicken-Manchurian-and-Chicken-Fried-Rice” dishes, the menu boasts of a wide variety of unconventional in-house dishes. Popular amongst its regular patrons as a “Chinese Sizzler” joint, the carte has a wide spread of sizzlers spanning all kinds of meats-chicken, lamb, fish, prawns, even squid. The price of non-veg sizzlers ranges from Rs.175 to 225/-. Not having sampled a sizzler in my previous visit, I can’t comment on its taste; but judging from the fact that a sizzler was seen on every table apart from ours, there seems to be little doubt about its merit. The portions seemed sizable for the price, and the aroma was causing a gustatory riot on our olfactory senses. Each dish on the carte comes with a small description of its contents and sauces tossed in- a useful feature assisting the discerning clientine in making their choice. Amongst the starters, try the chicken/ fish/ squid in butter garlic pepper sauce (Rs. 125-135), a heavenly concoction that truly has to be savored one piping-hot bite after another. Slivers of meat lavishly tossed in garlic and green chillies sautéed in butter, its sets the pace for the delectable course to follow. Chicken/lamb with five beauties (Rs.135/-) consists of diced chicken cooked in five sauces. A tad too strongly flavored for my palate, it may go down well with some. The lamb in schezwan chilly dry (Rs.135/-) had the lamb too well done, resulting in the meat losing its own flavor, and tasting like crispy fried potatoes. Yet the sheer tang of the sauces it was tossed in brought our spirits up by many notches. But the Best Starter award would be won hands down by Jumbo Prawns in Chilly Garlic Sauce (Rs. 165/-). Chunks of juicy jumbo prawns pan fried and cooked with bell pepper, garlic and green chillies in garlic sauce, served with shreds of raw cabbage, they were a sheer assault on the taste buds, leaving us panting for more. Amongst the main course, try Chicken/ fish/lamb in oyster/garlic/soy sauce. Chin chow chicken was also a savory choice, with fried chicken shreds lavishly spread in a spicy, tangy sauce with bell peppers. Chicken and vegetables in spring onions also were well done with just the right amount of savor to concoct a masterful fare. A wide variety of rice and noodles are on offer- regular fried rice, Singapore rice, Malaysian rice/noodles, pan-fried noodles, schezwan rice/ noodles, and the usual American and Chinese Chopsueys. But again here the winner would undoubtedly be the Pot Rice. Served in a small earthen pot, it is tender rice slowly steamed in mushrooms and pepper corns with chicken/ lamb / vegetables, topped with bland herbal gravy. For the sheer subtlety of its taste, it is recommended only for the discerning populace. One luscious bite after another, you wish that the meal would go on forever. All the dishes in the rice & noodles come with a choice of chicken/ lamb/ vegetables, and are priced between Rs. 90 and Rs. 135/-. The main course comes with an added option of prawns, seafood and squid. This is priced from 95/- to 235/-. A word of caution though; the prawns and seafood options are a tad too expensive compared to the rest of the fare and may take your bill much beyond what one would expect from a roadside Chinese joint. A useful feature is a board listing the day/ week’s specialty. If u are of the adventurous types, be sure to choose your meal off this list to sample the best on offer. Accompaniments: Regular cold drinks priced at Rs. 18/-. Lemon-Peach Iced teas priced at Rs. 35/-, these come free with each sizzler. Taste is at par with those available at other places. In desserts, they have Caramel Custard and a couple of other delicacies. Service: Prompt and unobtrusive. Waiters are always willing to offer you a helping hand to choose a dish as per your palate, at the same time giving you your adventurous liberty. The portions were sizable and sufficient to satisfy 3 people in each dish. Very well done and importantly- well presented. Waiting times for a table though may be long on weekends, owing to the limited seating capacity. Atmosphere: Not much to talk about. Situated bang on the road-side, you see cars whizzing by. They have a tape playing English songs in the background. A typical setting for a weekend eat-out with family and friends alike. Yet has a dignified appeal which is not lost in the chaos. Parking space is aplenty on the road, but on weekends one may have to park at some distance owing to it being situated at an important junction. Pricing: An average meal for 2 would cost anywhere between 300 and 500 bucks with drinks. It cost us 490/-, my carnivore pal and me being the gluttons that we are. Worth every penny, I must say!!! All in all, a satisfying meal on a much deserved weekend. If you want to taste a spread of unique dishes in a variety of meats, Sahibaan is the place to be this weekend. Happy eating!