One of my crazier moments in front of the camera came when I shot at Gajalee, the celebrated seafood restaurant at Vile Parle in Mumbai. One of Gajalee's claims to fame is that the restaurant keeps live crabs in the kitchen. When you order a crab dish, a man comes along with a tray full of live crabs. You choose the one you want. When you next see it, the crab is dead and smothered in masala.
Except that the shoot did not go according to plan.
The crabs crawled out of the tray and invaded the table. And your columnist, brave Gujarati that he is, sat back awkwardly, rooted to his chair, as the crabs took over the dining space.
When I shot at another famous Mumbai seafood restaurant, Trishna for Somebody Feed Phil last month, the only crab we saw had been killed, shelled and brought to the table as a mound of butter-soaked flesh.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Staying well within range
Driving from Mumbai to Mahabaleshwar in an XC40 Recharge at night means going against the odds but it's not dangerous
Forget demure, forget mindful
Women are expected to dress their age. But why should arbitrary numbers dictate anyone's choices? Wear what you want, when you want
Bubbling under, boiling over
The year's best food yet, from Bandra to Seoul, from old names and new, from starters to afters
The new spin doctors
Come for the hooping, stay for fire poi, dapostar, leviwand and more. India's newest subculture blends art and athletics, meditation and showmanship, public and private. And it looks great on the 'gram
Shall we put a label on this?
What is high fructose corn syrup? Is red dye good? Dieticians and nutritionists break down the confusing stuff we see on food labels
Pho heaven's sake, explore!
There's more to Vietnam than the Golden Bridge or Ha Long Bay. Discover limestone cliffs, rice terraces, and local foods that haven't made it to the 'gram
No. Wait. She did what?
These mean girls are self-centred, bratty, and can make your life hell. But they stole the show. Read on, loser. And tell us how it wasssss
Are you seeing spots too?
Jyoti Bhatt's serigraphs use traditional symbols in modern ways, creating art that is slyly clever and full of little stories
Leave us to our own devices
Instead of banning gadgets, restaurants should ban people that are actually disturbing the peace
Siam Siam, but different
The reason Indians feel instantly at home in Thailand is because their mix of Hindu and Buddhist traditions so closely mirrors our own, creating a comfort zone abroad