Saurabh, Shetty pointed out, is one of the eateries that “Linbaba-Shantaram” (Australian-born writer Gregory David Roberts who now resides in Mumbai) used to frequent. “Aur Shantaram to pehle se apne guests ko idhar hi lata tha,” he said, adding, “yeh, aab ki baat nahi hai. He used to visit us much before he wrote his novel and still does.”

In keeping with their custom, “and the food we are most known for”, Shetty said he kept his menu for the pop singer simple. “We wanted her to experience Udipi khana, but with a Bambaya touch,” he explained. His menu included idli-vada sambar, masala dosa and the “typical Mumbai delight, sev puri”. While the 49-year-old pop singer and her British filmmaker husband Guy Ritchie, seemed to enjoy the quiet lunch along with Roberts, Shetty said he was thrilled when they asked for some tea. “So I served them apna traditional masala chai,” he said.

The restaurant manager, however, footed the pop singer’s bill. He said, “These people don’t eat too much. I offered them three dishes but they just munched. How much can I charge them for that?” he asked. “They wanted to pay but I told them I will add it to their bill the next time they visit,” he said.

Landing in Mumbai on a special chartered Taj Air plane from Udaipur at 11.30 am, Madonna along with Ritchie and their Israeli private security guards, dashed off directly to Cuffe Parade to visit the Ambedkar Nagar slums in a golden Tata Innova. The singer spent nearly two hours with the slum dwellers. Accompanied all along by Roberts, Madonna and Ritchie also visited the crowded chor bazaar at Byculla before calling it a day back at their Taj Mahal Hotel suite opposite the Gateway.