Malad's new eatery scores with taste but needs to work on its limited menu and no-frills ambience

Aiden's started off as a small eatery that rolled out spicy frankies and sandwiches to Malad's Orlemites who were looking for a quick bite while on the go.


Chicken Tikka Biryani

These days, it has transformed into a pit stop for teenagers and residents of the area, who drop by to tank up on a bowl of soup or dig into a plate of biryani. The ambience is of the back-to-basics variety, with four plastic stools surrounding each table, while the rest of the space is shared between a frankie counter, a cashier's desk and a biryani stall. However, what Aiden's lacks in setting, it makes up for in food, serving yummy fare at economical rates.

We tried the Veg Cheese Schezwan Roll (Rs 30), which was spicy and cheesy and a good start to our meal. We followed this with Paya Soup (Rs 60), which arrived, rather surprisingly, in a dish that's generally used to serve gravies or rice preparations. I guess they follow the principle of "Make do with what you have". So, we decided tou00a0 focus on the piping hot dish in front of us, which did not disappoint.

Content with our choices till now, we decided to order a Chicken Tikka Biryani (Rs 130) and a Mutton Tawa Biryani (Rs 140) for the main course. On the positives, the chicken was tender and the biryani came served with an aromatic and moist consistency, a good deal of masala was also used to enhance its flavour. Though raita doesn't accompany the Biryani, they make up for it with a simple salad comprising shredded cabbage, onions and cucumber.

It's obvious ufffd Aiden's is more focused on its food and gets it spot on. Located beside Chinese eatery Uncle's Kitchen in Sunder Lane, this place is difficult to miss. And while you may have to put up with a no-frills ambience, a paper menu and the din of vehicles passing by, it's worth the wait. For, when the food arrives at your table, everything else ceases to matter. Aiden's is committed to quality, cleanliness and hygiene and delivers on all three counts, but we can't help asking for more. Throw in a creative set-up, an extensive menu with a good balance of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes, along with a few interesting beverages and they will have a winner on
their hands.

At Aiden's, shop no 6, Ann-O-Lou, Sunder Lane, Orlem, Malad (W). Call 28814715 / 9699384411 / 9702660455u00a0 Aiden's didn't know we were there.u00a0The Guideu00a0reviews anonymously and pays for meals.