Malwani Kalwan

Cooking here at Malwani Kalwan in Malad West 41590 is mostly about getting the spices right every single morning. We start early because the curry needs time to sit. The kitchen isn't very big, so we have to be organized or we’ll be bumping into each other. You can smell the coconut and the chillies from down the street when the wind blows the right way. We get our fish and vegetables delivered early, and sometimes the delivery guy is late, which throws everything off. That’s just life in the city, though. The tables are basic and the chairs have a few scratches on them. We aren't trying to look like a five-star place. We just want the food to taste like it’s supposed to. Some days the lunch rush is so loud you can’t hear the person next to you. We move fast, carrying plates and clearing scraps. It’s a lot of washing up afterward. The floors get mopped a few times a day because things spill. We’ve had the same stove for years and it works just fine. Regulars come in and don’t even look at the menu anymore. They just sit down and wait for their usual plate. It makes us feel like we’re part of the neighborhood. We don’t have a big sign or anything flashy. Just the name on the front and the smell of the kitchen to let people know we’re open for business.