Mumbai’s nightlife and culinary corridor across Bandra and Khar is one of the most competitive stretches. With chic cafes and artisanal cocktail bars, this place is famous for dining trends. But among all this parade of chic aesthetic concepts stands “Chala Basuya.” The name “Chala Basuya” is a quintessential Marathi phrase that translates to “ Come on, let's sit down and drink.” Right from its name, it seems to offer a laid-back, pocket-friendly neighborhood to the customers. But is this bustling restobar a genuine hidden gem or an easily skippable option? Well, to find the right answer, we decided to visit it, and here’s our honest review!
Chala Basuya looks like a regular bar in Bandra from outside, but as you walk inside, one thing becomes immediately clear: this space does not cater to high-end, delicate three-course tastings. The interiors blend contemporary restobar aesthetics with a lively cyber punk, which makes you feel like you have stepped into a completely different world. The layout is tavern-style with an English-style balcony, which adds to the aesthetics.
It has nice indoor seating with television screens tuned into live football or cricket matches. They have an open bar area that serves mixed drinks and pints. It is more than an uncle bar and less than a fancy, luxurious bar.
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During the day and early evenings, this place is a relaxed spot for post-work meets or casual lunches. But during weekend nights, the energy simply spikes up with loud music and a vibe that speaks celebration mode.
We decided to sit in the AC section, and the vibe there was simply relaxing! If you like a place that has a lively buzz with laughter, conversations, and music, this place is surely a hit! But if you want like a relaxed spot for unhurried conversations, you might wish to visit during daytime and early evenings.
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The menu at Chala Basuya does not at all try to reinvent modern gastronomy. Instead, it brings the best of the culinary genres that Mumbaikars crave the most in bars. This includes North Indian tandoor dishes, fiery Desi Chinese, Mughalai gravies, and coastal delicacies.
We first tried the highly recommended starter at Chala Basuya: Honey Mustard Chicken. It is a sweet and sharp chicken preparation with creamy honey and pungent mustard. This appetizer was simply too good, a total 10 on 10!
The next dish we tried is one of the top seafood starters here: Salted Egg Prawns. We had never tried this dish before but completely fell in love with it from the first bite. It was crunchy and flavorful with tender prawns. We simply loved it, and yes, it was also a 10 on 10 for us.
Chana Chilli is a staple vegetarian crunch-starter that reflects the classic Indian-Chinese theme. This dish features boiled chickpeas, which are tossed in a cornflour batter. It is deep-fried and then coated in a spicy Indo-Chinese chilli gravy. It was perfectly flavored and surprised us totally!
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Chicken Naanza at Chala Basuya is one of the most popular fusion bar bites, which blends Italian and Indian flavors. It replaces the pizza base with tandoori naan topped with Indo-Chinese style chicken chinks, melted cheese, bell peppers, and an omelette. It was a very unique concept and was delicious. It is one of the dishes that you can order again!
For drinks, we decided to order an Old Fashioned. It is a time-tested, whiskey-based IBA cocktail. It is one of the globally celebrated classic gentleman’s drinks. It was very relaxing, and all our starters would go well with this drink.
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Let's see if Chala Basuya in Mumbai is a yay or a nay! We paid about INR 1456, and we think for this meal it is totally worth it! The starters were totally surprising and a must-try here with your favorite drinks. The Chana Chilli and Chicken Naanza are the dishes that you will surely fall for because we totally did. It can surely be your next weekend fun spot with your friends after a crazy week at work!
Address: 538, Linking Rd, Khar, Khar West, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400052
Timings: 12:00 PM to 1:30 AM
Cost for Two: INR 700 for two
