‘Order anything, man, you won’t be disappointed,’ is a common, albeit drunken, statement uttered by diners at Yacht, who seem to be in some inexplicable and undeclared competition to outdrink each other before they’re kicked out. And lo and behold – that’s Yacht for you. An Irani café that planted its roots in 1960s Mumbai, now grown into a resplendent rendezvous point for merriment and shit-faced memories.
Make no mistake – Yacht’s a restaurant, yes, but it’s mainly a dive bar. And in true dive bar fashion, it serves cheap booze and comfort food that pairs perfectly with a bitter lager or scotch. Asking for recommendations here feels a little like forcing a Bollywood nut to pick their favourite Shah Rukh Khan movie, so we’ll spare you the bamboozlement and tell you that the Chilli Chicken is your best bet, along with the unusual combination of chakli (a crispy snack made primarily from rice flour and gram flour) with Schezwan chutney.
The Chilli Chicken’s served steaming hot, and the plate’s always full to the brim. The chicken melts under a fork and packs a massive punch on your tastebuds. The stir-fried capsicum and onions aren’t disgustingly soggy or irritatingly crisp, and sweet soy sauce rescues your burning tongue (so does the whiskey on the rocks you’ve doubtless ordered). The chakli-chutney serves the cat a delight. It’s a dangerous means to fill your tummy before ordering a proper meal. Totally addictive.
You’re a lucky bug if you score a table all to yourself at Yacht. While the place does have a separate air-conditioned section, you may find yourself still clinking glasses with a stranger at your table, though that’s part of the fun as the drinks add up. Business calls are reluctantly answered and urgently disconnected, and the crowd gets more and more raucous as closing time approaches.