A must for meat lovers

Ever since I can remember Kolhapur has been popular for its mutton. Mutton preparations in this town has been historical for its taste, colour and spice.

So much so that anyone ever mentioned the town, mutton and Kolhapuri chappals followed in the next breath. So when a trip was planned to this town in central Maharashtra, I was aquiver with excitement.

The trip for me only meant a sumptuous meal. And I was not let down. Of course, throwing caution to the wind (all that mutton!) one has to dive in. We arrived in Kolhapur in time for lunch (1 pm exactly) and headed to one Hotel Opal, which I believe is one of the best that serves this traditional meal.

Its not your swanky-round-the-corner-airconditioned eatery but more like a traditional Maharashtrian khanaval or canteen of sorts but open to everyone. Very clean, comfortable and can accomodate lots of huge families (like us, we were nine).

Don't bother looking at the menu (yes they do have one) and ask for specialities of mutton. Also there is vegetarian fare but I don't know how it was. I would have been thrown out (by my very meat-arian family).

We ordered a mutton sukha ( a dry preparation of mutton, with most spices that are included in garam masala and some tomato and onions), mutton masala (mutton in a thin gravy) , mutton pickle (superbly marinated succulent meat in a traditional pickle mix) along with red and white gravies , papad and chapati or bhakree (both are traditional Indian bread where the former is made with wheat flour while the latter is made with jowar or bajri flour).

The speciality of the two gravies are to kind of create a mixing of flavours in your mouth itself. The red curry is slighty tangy and spicy while the white is a blander version of the same. Both together make quite a memorable taste in your mouth before you gulp is down.

The meal was accompanied with a drink made of kokum, called solkadi. The meal was topped off with a bowl of aamras, which is nothing but freshly squeezed mango juice. But the pecularity of this is that it is left with lumps in them and eaten with a spoon. Tastes yum! It was a meal that far surpassed our expectations and I realised the fine distinction of taste versus spice.

And all this for a little under Rs 150 a head! A bargain and delicious one at that.