Paisley Experience

14/10/2023

The process of curating menus for our clients is a journey we love and enjoy. It starts with understanding the occasion, their preferences, and tastes; allowing us to craft a highly personalized menu. But it doesn't stop at the menu; it's about creating memorable decor and stationery that resonate with their special moments. And like that, every meal experience with Paisley becomes a unique culinary adventure.

WhatsApp or call us on +91 90828 04116 to book a personal dining experience at your residence in Alibaug.

25/07/2023

🌺Hey Mumbai! We’re delivering comfort this week; dishes from the Paisley Experience menu that feel like a warm hug on a rainy day!

🥘With yet another pop-up, we're delighted to bring a selection of heirloom recipes from our Alibaug kitchen to Mumbai.

🍤Delivering lunch and dinner on Saturday 29th, and Sunday 30th July.

📞Call or Whatsapp us on +91 90828 04116 to place your order.

🔸Available by delivery and pick-up only.
🔸Delivery charges applicable, as per third-party delivery apps.
🔸Order confirmation on payment.
🔸We're cooking in small batches, accepting only a limited number of orders. Order soon!
🔸Orders once placed cannot be cancelled.
🔸Accepting orders uptil noon on Friday, 28th July.

10/07/2023

18/06/2023

🌺Paisley Experience is coming to Mumbai for a limited-period delivery pop up.

🥘With this pop-up, we're delighted to bring a selection of heirloom recipes from our Alibaug kitchen to Mumbai.

🍤Delivering lunch and dinner on Saturday 24th, and Sunday 25th June.

📞Call or Whatsapp us on +91 90828 04116 to place your order.

🔸Available by delivery and pick-up only.
🔸Delivery charges applicable, as per third-party delivery apps.
🔸Order confirmation on payment.
🔸We're cooking in small batches, accepting only a limited number of orders. Order soon!
🔸Orders once placed cannot be cancelled.
🔸Accepting orders uptil noon on Friday, 23rd June.

16/05/2023

Experience the ultimate Alibaug feast

14/05/2023

Seasonality is everything. Working in a place as abundant in local produce as Alibaug leaves us absolutely spoilt with choice sometimes.

Developing new recipes, while studying the food traditions that come with different seasons, why certain ingredients are used during certain weather conditions is a fascinating process we love.

While writing this post, we’re grateful for all the love you gave our summer menu; and we’re also brainstorming and researching a monsoon menu very different from anything we’ve done before.

Also, if you haven’t already come over for our summer menu (and some off the menu summer delicacies); take this post as your sign!

To book a feast, call us on +91 90828 04116🥭

03/05/2023

Bombay duck is easily one of the most unique and most loved seafood there is. We could write about how it came to have its peculiar name, but you’d find some really great pieces on the Internet that explain it. This is just a Bombay duck appreciation post.

Bombay duck, locally called ‘bombil’ is consumed in its fresh form and appreciated equally, if not more, in its dehydrated state. Bombil, when consumed fresh has a texture like none other; almost buttery soft, and yet light enough to almost disappear on your palate on the first bite. In its dry state; it’s an umami bomb. Full of that fishy flavour, only appreciated by true seafood lovers and a smell so strong, your neighbours will know what’s cooking.

We love a classic bombil fry. Butterflied for a larger surface area, marinated in a blend of house spices; coated in rice flour and fried till it has a light crunchy coating and is still tender as ever on the inside. Dry bombil makes its way on our monsoon menu, in multiple preparations we can’t wait to bring back next month.

What’s your favourite way to prepare bombil?

11/04/2023

Pickles. Three ways.

A simple way to categorise pickles is the substance they are preserved in: oil, vinegar, salt, or sugar. I decided to try all three. Not on the menu yet, just to experiment.

A kilo of garlic, poached in oil until the kitchen was filled with its savoury aroma. Preserved in oil; with a nostalgic pickle masala.

Five whole kilos of chilli. I may have over-ordered, but oh well. Half of it made its way into a bubbling pot of sugar on the woodfire to be turned into a batch of our sweet chilli pickle, much loved at the table. The other half, preserved with a semi dry mix of mustard seeds, salt and vinegar. Chopped, layered and packled.

Do we know how these taste? Not yet. The longer you let them sit, the better the ingredients get to know each other, the more the flavour develops. But I guess that's the beauty of pickles. It’s a gift you make for your future self to relish.

Maybe they’ll make their way to our menu soon. Only time will tell.

23/03/2023

Spend the day cycling on a route designed to let you explore the charming quieter bylanes of Alibaug, along with some picturesque stops: pristine ponds and ageless temples. Soak in the nature, with a slice of Alibaug’s old world charm.

Let the cycling build your appetite for a unique farm side dining experience, where you can see the farm your food was grown in while you relish a traditional thaali consisting of native delicacies.

For more details, look for “experiences” on our website or drop us a text on +91 90828 04116.

20/03/2023

When we say that we serve the local cuisine of Alibaug at Paisley, people assume that we’re a seafood restaurant.

They’re not wrong, it would be a shame if we didn’t make the most of the coast’s abundance. However, it would be a bigger shame if we didn’t acknowledge the produce the coast’s versatile farms have to offer.

From staples such as rice, foraged greens, carefully grown local bean varieties, to unique varieties of everyday veggies such as green tomatoes or red okra.

And we love to showcase all of these on our extensive vegetarian menu!

02/03/2023

Our favourite part about curating intimate dining experiences for our patrons is the personalisation. From the design of the menu, to the botanicals that ornament the tables, we love going an extra mile to make sure every experience with Paisley is unique.

When creating a menu for your meal experience, we keep in mind multiple factors such as the occasion we’re cooking for, what ingredients are in season, and dietary preferences of the client.

As for decor, we love taking inputs from our clients to create tablescapes that represent a bit of their personality, as well as the natural beauty of the region. Whether it’s foraging native botanicals, floating dainty candles, and making highly personalised menus, this part of catering to your events allows us to get as creative as possible.

Gift your loved ones a dining experience like none other, gift them a Paisley Experience.

20/02/2023

उपवासाचा ताट | Upavasacha Taat

Curated for a client who was observing a fast on their birthday, this surprise meal still had to be a celebratory affair. The omission of grains and vegetable ingredients, we were left with a limited variety of roots, nuts, seeds, and dairy products to work with.

We cooked:
Ratalyache kaap; ghee-fried sweet potato slices. Lightly salted.
A classic Sabudana Khichadi.
Amaranth seed bhakris.
The fasting equivalent of a comforting amti rice: Shengdanyachi amti (peanut curry) and Varicha Bhaat (barnyard millet, cooked like rice).
Our menu staple; kakdichi koshimbir, sans coriander.
Upavasachi batata bhaaji. No spices, just a tempering of peanuts, green chilli, and jeera to some ghee tossed potatoes.
Shrikhand to end on a sweet note.
And buttermilk made for a fitting beverage.

These preparations are perfect on a day you need a prolonged and slow-sustained release of energy.

When we say that we that our dining experiences are tailored especially for you, we mean it.

07/02/2023

The Pachkalashis, being one of the earliest settlers of Mumbai and Alibaug, have a cuisine that stands as a testament to the coast’s abundance of seafood. With preparations ranging from the simple kalwan, to a more refined and inspired kolambiche pattice; the community really knows its way around seafood.

Pair these with Konkan’s trademark sol kadhi, a freshly chopped jawla koshimbir; and piping hot bhakris made of local rice. Simply divine.

When are you coming down for a coastal Pachkalashi feast?

04/02/2023

Organic Turmeric; Muddy Gold.

We believe that the natural golden hue of our organically grown turmeric is enough to reflect its unmatched quality, hence you'll find that our product has no added or artificial colours either. Unlike in the case of most mass produced turmeric products and powders, with us what you see is exactly what you get.

Paisley Experience offers you the goodness of pure, organic turmeric and nothing else. As it should be.

Take a piece of Paisley home on your next visit with a jar of our homegrown organic turmeric powder.

06/01/2023

This is quite literally Alibaug on a plate. No dish on our menu brings together native produce and the coast’s rich tradition of seafood together like this one.

Kolambi chi Alu vadi is a delicacy of the Pachkalshi community that is easily one of our most unique menu items. Handpicked colocasia leaves are flattened out, usually with a rolling pin, and stuffed with a tamarind seasoned chickpea paste. Chopped up prawns are added to this paste as a testament to the community’s love for seafood. The leaves are skilfully layered with the paste and rolled tightly to be steamed, sliced and shallow fried.

At Paisley, we go one step further and add a layer of roasted jawla (dry shrimp) to enhance the coastal flavour of the dish. And ofcourse, a generous garnish of freshly grated coconut and coriander from the farm.

It’s the perfect marriage of traditional cooking and our love for local ingredients.

09/12/2022

“Where did my food come from?”
A question we should be asking ourselves more often. At Paisley Experience, we strive towards helping our patrons build a healthier relationship with the food on their plates.

Asking questions about how a particular vegetable is grown, if it’s in season, and where it came from, can make it more than just another sabzi on one’s plate.

Here’s our top reasons why we think everyone should eat local and be more aware of where our food comes from:
🍅 The awareness that food is indeed, not limitless.
🍅 Improving the relationship people have with food can in turn improve the way people eat and their overall health.
🍅 Eating local reduces your carbon footprint. When your food doesn’t have to travel from afar, the carbon emissions are lessened.
🍅 Eating local helps your local economy grow.

Ask questions. The more you know, the better!

14/11/2022

A millet, some greens, two fruits, and fish.

It’s easy to eat a nutrient rich meal when you’re in close proximity of the source of your produce. The freshness of the ingredients is more than enough reason.

Hand plucked greens from the farm, stir-fried just the right amount. A raw papaya plucked from the grove, grated and tempered to play the cooling salad element on the plate. Tamarind from the tree, soaked, and extracted to make a tangy saar. A whole mackerel, marinated in the most basic spices, to retain its natural taste; pan fried. Accompanied by a soft ragi bhakri, cooked on the chool.

Eating at a restaurant doesn’t have to be a sinful indulgence, or a cheat meal. At Paisley Experience, we serve our guests food that we’d happily eat every single day.

While our menu does have its fair share of rich and indulgent delicacies, it’s easy to maintain whatever diet you’re following at Paisley without compromising on the Alibaug experience.

06/11/2022

What is bread, but a vehicle for flavour?

The multitude of curries, gravies and even simple bhaajis depend on a medium of carbohydrates, be it bread or rice, to reach the palette of the eater. The breads of a cuisine are influenced largely by the geography of where its people settled. The Pachkalshis who flourished on the coasts of Mumbai and Konkan, took to rice as their primary grain. Availability of wheat has influenced the diets of the urban dwelling Pachkalshis heavily in the recent times, but most still have a special place for rice and rice based breads in their hearts. The traditional pairing of breads and curries make for unmatched flavour; spicy meat rassas with sweetened rice vade fried to golden perfection, the comfort of bhakris with sukkat, or ghavane with a freshly hand pounded coconut chutney.

Be it the soft bhakris, layered khoi chapatis, or jaggery sweetened vade, the traditional breads of a cuisine narrate the history of a people in a way no food item can.

01/11/2022

It’s been a year of learning; learning about seasonality and sustainability. Learning about the history of where we’re based, learning about local traditions and food habits. Learning about the freshest produce, learning lost recipes; endless learning.

As we turn four, here’s appreciating all of our patrons that supported us this year: giving us the chance to learn and showcase everything that we’ve been working on, and appreciating it too!

And of course, we’re grateful for every single team member that makes Paisley Experience everything that it is.

These four years at Paisley have been filled with delicious food, warm stories, kind people, and unconditional love. To us, Paisley is more than a project or an endavour, it is an effort to preserve Alibaug’s history through our undying love for food. It’s home.

We’re more than excited to announce our upcoming services!
🌺Party menus that make entertaining a breeze
🌺Dinner experiences at Paisley with the most unique curated menus
🌺More seasonal menus that celebrate local traditions
🌺Our pickles and chutneys in an all new avatar

Thank you! Thank you for making Paisley a home full of love. Thank you for each order, each visit, and each compliment. Every tiny feedback that has helped us improve, and we promise to grow and make your Paisley Experience better each day.

21/10/2022

A guided walk of the Karmarkar museum through the lenses of an art historian, followed by some more history on the plate with a traditional meal of some of the original residents of Mumbai and Alibaug.

When: 13th November
Last date of registration 5th November
Starting point: Gateway of India

Rs. 2,299/- for guided walk + vegetarian meal
Rs. 2,499/- for guided walk + non vegetarian meal

Price inclusive of ferry round trip, transit within Alibaug, expertise, museum ticket and meal.

Contact +91 9321 521019 for more information.

01/10/2022

Watching our neighbourhood in Alibaug develop rapidly in the past years has not been easy. There’s a subtle feeling of fear. A fear of the Alibaug we’ve grown up in losing its mystery and charm. A fear of the village life becoming far too city-like. A fear of change.

Change may not be an easy process for us, but it can be quite the motivation. Our changing surroundings are what make us work harder at preserving our past.

At Paisley, we strive to keep our rich history alive. Documenting ageless local food traditions, doing our research to preserve and showcase otherwise lost heirloom recipes, and even cooking dishes on our menu the way they’ve been cooked for aeons.

We invite you to taste a small piece of history with every recipe on our menu. As authentic as possible, untouched, and unchanged.

(Pictures from the archives of Mr. Dilip Mhatre)