Hotel Sunny Is One Of Mumbai's Last Secrets, And We're Outing It

Is it possible that we find the most authentic Mallu food in Mumbai at a tiny restaurant in Kurla? After visiting Hotel Sunny this weekend, we say yes.

We had heard a lot of good things about Hotel Sunny from our friends, even those who trekked from Andheri to Kurla for its food when homesickness commanded. We can’t think of higher praise than that, so we landed up at the dhaba for Sunday lunch.

We were a tad overwhelmed by how good the food looked and smelled on the other tables, so we ended up ordering a lot of food – some conservatives might say we overate. We started with prawns fry {dry}, that-meat-which-must-not-be-named fry {which isn’t on the menu, and must be asked for}, surmai fry, Kerala paranthas, appam, prawns masala curry, mutton dry and chicken Chettinad. We ended things with a bowl of payasam.

We have to say this – we didn’t end up eating a lot for the next two days because the food lived up to the hype in every possible way. The prawns were fresh and crunchy without being oily, the chicken Chettinad was hot, spicy and well-cooked, the meat-we-don’t-mention was a tad tough, but spiced perfectly. Though the highlight would have to be the paranthas, which are fluffy, hot and fall apart in our hands, making every bite better than it should be.

We didn’t leave much space for drinking. Hotel Sunny doesn’t serve alcohol, but they do serve a spicy and cooling chaas, which is great for when you need to catch your breath between courses.

You’ll find Hotel Sunny on Google Maps, and the lane leading up to it is a little shady, but don’t be put off. The restaurant itself is clean, with both AC and non-AC sections. The staff is polite, friendly and good with recommendations. They are closed on Tuesdays, so don’t forget that’s the one day that won’t work out for you. Another note – this place is good for your wallet. We ate like starved kings, and still the bill didn’t cross INR 600.