SodaBottleOpenerWala

For me, SodaBottleOpenerWala was the perfect way to say goodbye to Hyderabad. This restaurant has been the talk of the town from the day it opened. I don’t think you qualify to be a food blogger in Hyderabad if you did not pay a visit to this place. Every true foodie worth their salt has been to SBOW and so there I was, on my last night in Hyderabad (for time being) to complete the missing piece of my Hyderabad food journey.

Eggs Kejriwal

The moment you land outside SBOW, (which is visible from quite a distance) you realise why this tiny place with a very small menu created such a news on its opening. Hyderabad lacks places which appeal to your eyes . Don’t take me wrong, food wise Hyderabad stands highly ranked. But, you would agree that there is a certain lack of taste for visually attractive themed restaurants. 

Bombay Special Kolmi Fry

Well this beautiful Parsi themed restaurant might be exactly what Hyderabad needed. And not just with the looks, the food is at par with Hyderabad standards, which are quite high by the way. Each dish seems so ordinary, yet so special at the same time. The ambiance is very forthcoming. Tiny details like writing instructions on the board in chalk, clothes hanging in a tiny balcony, jars on the reception counter, etc. just win you over in the first sight. This beautiful, colourful, endearing place is in fact actually a small, engaging Bombay-styled parsi cafe which is a tad bit noisy. They don't take reservations, so you have to be prepared to wait. I was so hoping that it was worth the wait, and I wasn't wrong. There was a carrom board as well outside in the waiting area, which was funny yet thoughtful in a way.
 Now I want to move on to food since I am dying to talk about it. I want to apologise in advance since I don't have a lot of suggestions for my vegetarian friends. And for non vegetarian buddies, you are in for a ride. You have got to try this place.! For me it was a new exciting experience trying Parsi food. I have stayed in Mumbai for a good portion of my life, so I was expecting touch of some familiar flavours, but not much to judge against.
We started with Bohri styled Keema Pav.. I have one word for this dish.. “Yumm….!”. First of the all, the Pav actually takes you back to Mumbai/Pune streets. You don’t find such delectable Pav in Hyderabad. That freshly baked Pav, the aroma, the feel, the texture and the taste.! This is as close to the Pav I love as I can get in Hyderabad. And Keema... it was exquisite! I fell in love with this Keema. I will just go ahead and ask you to order this treat for yourself. 

Chicken Farcha

Amongst other appetisers, which stole my heart were the Chicken Farcha. It was one of those rare, soft, perfectly marinated chicken served with very homely green mint chutney. 

Thich Masala Fries with Cheese

Eggs Kejriwal, speciality of the chef, is one of the most reviewed items of this place, so it was a must try for me. It is basically eggs made sunny side up, on top of sautéed mushrooms and cheese placed over grilled bread. It is actually very well put together breakfast item. Each component of this dish was very palatable and when come together, it made it even better. Although I would have liked the yellow in the half fried egg to be more molten, I would love to try this for breakfast sometime.

Vada Pav

I had something which seems to be a regional speciality but I became a fan! Bombay special Kolmi Fry. Prawns surrounded by onions deep-fried served with their very homely green chutney. I didn't know that fried onion could enhance the taste of prawns so much. This sumptuous dish was very well executed and very well presented. Absolutely worth the wait and the money.
Since the Pav was so fresh, and my vegetarian friends wanted to taste it, we ordered Vada Pav. But this kind of ended up disappointing us. Even though the pav was delicious, Vada lacked that regional flavour. The green chilli which looks so pretty in the presentation was in fact super tiny and just for presentation. I felt cheated looking at it.

Bombay Rasta Sandwich

Bombay Rasta sandwich was well executed and worth a try, not sure if it was worth the money. Thick cheese masala fries had perfect amount of masala with nice molten cheese, were a good addition to the table. Overall Veg food was a disappointment.
Amongst beverages, we ordered a variety of things but the only thing that stood out for me was Mrs. Sodabottleopenerwala's Cold Coffee. This is something that tastes and feels like a speciality. Very flavourful. And a "Must try".
We didn't order main course at all. I would love to give it a shot some day. But, we did order my favourite course of the meal.. the "desserts"!! We had Apple Pie and Toblerone Mousse. Now, I am personally not a fan of Apple Pie. I don't "get" Apple Pie like most others do. There hasn't been an Apple Pie so far which swept me off my feet. But my friends were having orgasms after having this one, so I would go ahead and recommend this to Apple Pie lovers. And as a chocolate fan myself, a big plus one to Toblerone Mousse. You'd thank me for this. I have one word for this mousse... "divine"!
After having so much to eat, I packed myself some Shrewberry biscuits to go. I am glad to pause my Hyderabad food journey with SBOW.
Give this place a visit for sure. This beautifully executed restaurant definitely added a zing to Hyderabad food family. Looks like they are here to stay!!!
My rating 4.5.!!