“What’s the one vada pav spot everyone in Mumbai must try, Chef?”
“The one that’s closest to their house.”
Chef Sanjyot Keer — the name behind the YouTube channel ‘Your Food Lab’ which explores the diverse nature of Indian cuisine through ‘easy to make’ meals — is disarmingly honest with his response. It goes beyond an amusing statement, it underscores his persona.
Anyone looking into a fancy chaat (savoury Indian snack) outlet in Mumbai, expecting to see Chef Sanjyot snacking on some pani puri (deep-fried hollow spherical shells filled with potato, onion, peas, chickpeas and spiced with tamarind chutney) is bound to be disappointed.
You won’t find him there.
But shift your gaze to the hole-in-the-wall eateries, humble pav bhaji stalls, and non-branded chaat ki dukaanein (shops) and that’s where he can be seen gorging on these feasts.
In his opinion, the simplest of places often provide the true essence of Mumbai street food. And we agree.
In today’s deep dive, the chef lists out all his favourite haunts for chaat and snacks ranging from the famed pani puri and dabeli to the poster children of Mumbai street food — misal pav and frankie.
Pani Puri
- Sindh Pani Puri, Chembur
The outlet has gained a place in the city’s memory ever since 1951 when it was first established. It started as a handcart in Chembur’s refugee camp by a man named Lakshmandas Wadhwa.
In an interview with Conde Nast, Hitesh Wadhwa, Lakshmandas’ grandson and the third-generation owner of Sindh Panipuri, recalled the story of his grandfather’s genius.
“My grandfather was in the same business in Pakistan. When he restarted his business here, he employed men who had come with him to these refugee camps during the Partition.”
The pani puri here is still a crowd-puller, and a loyal fan is Chef Sanjyot. “I love the Sindhi style of pani puri; the atte ki puri (puris made of wheat flour) and the boondi (deep-fried drops made of flour) are just great,” he says.
- ELCO, Bandra
Another place which Chef Sanjyot hails for its pani puri is ELCO Pani Puri in the posh Bandra suburb of the city. But an interesting story prequels its inception.
Following the Partition of 1947, there was a mass migration and one of the families to be displaced from their hometown was the Bhagnani. Their son, Mohandas Bhagnani, was intrigued by the handcarts — a popular feature among the vendors in the ELCO market.
Following suit, he came up with a Sindhi pani puri recipe which he sold to people who flocked to this area. Such was the allure of Bhagnani’s pani puri that it became a landmark spot. To date, the place can be identified by the teeming crowds that queue up outside the outlet.
- Jai Jhulelal, Mulund
Chilled pani puri and mirchi pakoda chaat (fried chilli fritters which are chopped and mixed with spices, onions, and flaked rice) at this Mulund outlet can be just the quick fix you’re looking for on a rainy day. Chef Sanjyot seconds this.
- Prashant Corner, Thane
When Prashant Sakpal founded Prashant Corner in Thane in 1989, he did it with the intent to give his customers a taste of authentic, pure, delicious sweets and savouries. The outlet’s broader vision hasn’t wavered one bit. And on any odd day, if you find yourself in the area, a round of pani puris will prove the point.
Samosa
Guru Kripa, Sion
“Whenever I crave samosa (fried South Asian pastry with a savoury filling), I head to Guru Kripa. Not just the samosa, I also enjoy eating chole (a spicy chickpea curry) with my samosa,” Chef Sanjyot licks his lips.
Trust him to suggest an interesting concoction. “Try the samosa chole and pav (bread). “Their chole pattice is the best you can have in Mumbai,” he adds.
Chances are you have eaten a Guru Kripa samosa even if you haven’t frequented the eatery; their samosas are quite the rage at multiplexes across the city. But while you sink your teeth into one of their triangular beauties, we’ll refresh your memory on how the legendary outlet came to be.
The story goes that this legacy outlet was the brainchild of Vishindas Wadhwa and has seen its fair share of an affluent customer base — Raj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan, according to a Times of India article — since 1975 when it was started.
Whether it was chaats (savoury snacks), idlis ( a type of savoury rice cake) or tikki chole (shallow-fried potato patty seasoned with spices and eaten with spicy chickpea curry, Wadhwa served to impress.
Misal pav
- Hotel Vaibhav, Mulund
The outlet has marked out a space for itself in Mumbai’s misal (a spicy curry made with sprouted moth beans) scene. The answer to the question ‘why?’ is shared by Chef Sanjyot.
“The misal here has white vatana (peas) in it instead of matki (moth beans) —- a very ‘Mumbai’ way of making misal,” he says.
“I love it and it’s one of my personal favourites for many reasons. I live very close to the place. Growing up, whenever we would have Ganesh Utsav celebrations, I’d go there with the boys and the misal would be our breakfast, brunch and lunch for 10 days straight.”
“I still go there with my team at least once in two weeks,” he adds.
- Mamledar, Thane
The outlet has earned the name of being one of the city’s best misal spots. Since 1952, the brand has crafted a niche in the hearts and palates of the city residents with its spicy (they customise the spice quotient if you ask) range of misal offerings.
Started by a man named Narsingh Murdeshwar, the outlet is now managed by his grandson Damodar Murdeshwar. Aside from the misal, some must-haves are the dalimbi usal (an authentic curry preparation) and the kharvas (Indian milk pudding).
- Suruchi Misal House, Thane
The outlet has been serving its patrons delectable misal in varieties specific to the regions they are named after. The Kolhapuri Misal is spicy and served with thick slices of bread while the Puneri Misal has a tangy taste and includes jaggery and tamarind.
Dabeli
Raju Dabeli, Mulund
“I have tried dabeli (a snack where potato masala is stuffed between pav that is slathered with sweet chutney and garnished with a mix of vegetables and spices) all over India and hands-down the best dabeli you get is here,” Chef Sanjyot affirms.
He continues, “They also serve dabeli misal where they add pieces of kadak pav (hard bread) to the potato filling of the dabeli with the chutney, masala and peanuts. The bread is broken, added into the dabeli and mixed into it.”
Rolls
- Ayub’s, Khar
The outlet started with a simple idea to give the city some non-vegetarian snacking options, the hero item being mutton seekh kebab (minced mutton cooked on skewers).
For Chef Sanjyot who loves himself some midnight snacking, this has been a great haunt. “I love the seekh kebab roll here,” he notes, adding that you should definitely try it if you like kebabs.
- Sheetal Bar and Kitchen, Khar
“I absolutely love the chilli chicken rolls here; it’s like a whole portion of chilli chicken dry wrapped up in a rumali roti (a thin and limp Indian flatbread). A vegetarian recommendation is the paneer bhuna (cottage cheese in an onion-based fry) roll,” the chef says.
Frankie
Quality Rolls
“Hands down the best frankie masala I have tasted is at Quality Frankie,” Chef Sanjyot shares. “They have two outlets; one in Khar and one in Juhu. I love how crisp the roti is and how tangy the filling is. It’s the perfect balance.”
Vada pav
- Ashok Vada Pav, Dadar
Each time Chef Sanjyot feasts on the vada pav (deep-fried potato dumplings placed inside a bun) at Ashok Vada Pav near Kirti College, Mumbai, he is completely blown away by the taste. “It is one of my favourites,” he smiles.
- Aram Vada Pav, CST
For Mumbaikars, Aram’s vada pav is an all too familiar flavour. Started in 1939 and one of the oldest vada pav haunts in the city, it is located bang outside Mumbai’s iconic CST Station. A menu favourite is the butter cheese grill kothimbir wadi pav.
But it is more than the legacy and taste of the vada pav that is a draw, especially for Chef Sanjyot.
“The vada pav here has a white colour filling, which actually is supposed to be the original kind of filling. I love it,” he points out.
Sandwich
Manju Sandwich, Mulund
You can’t disagree that the humble Bombay sandwich will trump any other in comparison. Boiled potatoes dance with onions, cucumber, tomato and peppers to form the perfect mix which is then placed neatly between richly buttered slices of white bread.
Chutney — made out of fresh herbs and spices — graces the occasion willingly. The sandwich is toasted using a rustic handheld toaster (chimta) over an open flame and grated cheese lends its flavour to the final result.
While Chef Sanjyot has a bounty of favourite sandwich places for when he needs a good pick-me-up, Manju Sandwich is one of the top contenders.
so, which of these places has struck your fancy?
Edited by Padmashree Pande
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