A Food Delivery Website For Night Owls

There’s a new food delivery service in town, and it does what none of the others do. It refuses to deliver food before 11pm, and after 7am. MADOrders.com, which launched in mid-December, describes itself on its Twitter feed as a service for “busy bees and those suffering from the vampire syndrome”. People who get hungry at 4am but find nothing in their refrigerator or snack drawer befitting of a midnight feast, can call in for pav bhaji, grilled sandwiches, burgers, pizza, and chocolate mousse. MADOrders promises that within an hour, someone will be at your door with the food. Sadly, it is all vegetarian, with Jain options, and for now, they only seem to deliver to Sion, Bandra-Kurla Complex and Mulund (though we managed to persuade them to extend to Breach Candy with our order). That said, from their social media feeds, it is clear that the menu and delivery area are both set to expand in the coming months.

At first, trying to place an order online was a frustrating exercise, because after we’d selected our food (three steps for each item), the website informed us that they are not able to deliver in our area “due to heavy work load”. So we called the number listed on the website, but it was switched off. Then, we wrote to them on Facebook. A prompt response said their phone would be switched on at 8pm. We tried calling at 9pm, and asked if they will deliver. A polite chap took our order down for 11.30pm. At 11.20pm, our phone rang, and the delivery boy softly said that he is waiting outside our door. Their policy, he explained, is to not ring the doorbell at that hour.

Surprisingly, the food was still warm. Their burger, composed of a 4cms-high veg patty stuffed in a sesame bun, along with shredded cabbage, lots of mayo and a spicy red sauce, reminded us of Croissants Etc.’s veg burger, and was very satisfying for Rs60. The grilled veg and cheese sandwich tasted even better than the one at Right Place. The veg thin crust pizza (Rs100), piled with veggies like yellow corn, green olives, peppers and onions, had a crispy bite. If the pav bhaji (Rs80) hadn’t been topped with a layer of butter thicker than the slab served at Tardeo eatery Sardar’s pav bhaji, we would have liked it more.

The gentleman on the phone had recommended the chocolate mousse (Rs70) strongly. The mouse felt too dense when we dug into it with our spoons, but once it hit our tongues it dissolved into a velvety chocolate richness. Given how few places cater to night owls and late-night revellers, there’s no reason why MADOrders.com, with the gradual expansion of its menu and service delivery area, should not be a resounding hit with Mumbai residents.

Order online at MADOrders.com (24 hours) or call 80802 04041 after 8pm. Prices for food range from Rs50 for a chocolate chip muffin to Rs110 for tava pulao.