The late 2000s were a dark time for Mumbai’s food lovers. We’d had only just harnessed hamburger technology, most of which was obtained by dissecting specimens from the nearby McDonalds; which, to be honest is considerably more fun than actually eating them. Food was still seen as something meant for nourishment and not much else. The dissatisfied citizens looked to the skies for salvation. And it came. They called it Between Breads.
Obviously, the previous paragraph was a bit of an exaggeration, but it is indicative of how bad our ancestors from 10 years ago suffered from the sheer lack of choice when it came to getting a decent burger. Between Breads was one handful of places whose menu would be comprehensible to a person from 2017. It set the stage for what the burgers of today would look like, taste like, & cost. If evolution were real, Between Breads is the hairy ape from which all the burgers of today evolved. It’s just science.
As the years went by, more and more, admittedly better alternatives popped up everywhere, and Between Breads seemingly disappeared from the public consciousness. But they’re back, with a new menu, interesting woodwork, and a seating area inside a pressurised cabin. Hearing that an institution we’d grown to adore hadn’t (yet) shut down was a wonderful opportunity to pay a tribute; albeit within the realm of objective journalism.
So the question remains, is Between Breads still exceptional by virtue of its existence, or is it just struggling to survive in a world it helped create? We sampled two burgers and some fries to find out;
True Steak Out
Price: Rs. 400
This is a Philadelphia Cheesesteak burger. There’s a 10oz of roast beef (because Americans don’t understand the metric system) and heaps caramelised onions, which make it sweeter than most desserts. It was certainly an enjoyable experience, even if we were embroiled in a heated standoff with a particularly persistent fly. This burger will disintegrate the second you pick it up, so be sure to ask for some cutlery before you begin.
Chicken Not So Little
Price: Rs. 350
The only thing we actually liked about this burger was its name, and that’s the main reason we ordered it. However, there appeared to be more vinegary coleslaw piled on than fried chicken, which seriously triggered us. The patty distribution was bad enough to be an analogy for income inequality, and was less balanced than a Greek chequebook. If we weren’t so blinded by nostalgia we might just have called it a complete waste of money; You can get a better fried chicken burger for a lot cheaper.
Turkish Delight
Price: Rs. 255
If our service in the Great Meme War taught us anything, it’s that traps are gay. Also, the Turks could really teach us a thing or two about meat. Between Bread’s Turkish Delight is french fries with a medley of Greek spiced lamb, spicy gravy and a (literal)couple of olives. We would have called it excellent if they hadn’t successfully conned us by sneaking in a surprisingly considerable amount of lettuce.
The Decree: As much as we’d like to say Between Breads is amazing, we can’t, though it’s still undeniably a nice place. You should visit it every now and again as a sort of burger pilgrimage, to remind yourself who we are, and how we got here, just don’t expect anything truly exceptional. Also, the jokes on their menu are even more insufferable than ours.
