Just wanted to share a few of my random but memorable eats in Mumbai. Truly a melting pot of different flavors, which I confess I didn’t do justice to during the 2 days I was there. BUT I did do my research and have my list of must-try’s now, so consider this a small, feeble start that will be amped up during my next visit in a few months time.
Couscous upma from Indigo Deli
Rashmi: Babe, this place has awesome eggs and things.
Me: Have you tried the couscous upma?
Rashmi: Umm…no. Sounds lame. No one I’ve come with has ever ordered that.
Me: Perfect. That’s exactly why I’m going to order it.
Upma is a South Indian breakfast dish made of rava (aka refined wheat grains) or vermicilli, usually flavored with mustard seeds, curry leaves and a bunch of other spices/veggies native to South Indian cooking. This was the first time I’d heard anyone using couscous as the base rather than rava or vermicilli, so sheer curiosity around how this fusion attempt would turn out lured me away from my beloved eggs benedict.
And for my gutsy move at ordering something that no one else had ordered before with my host (who incidentally, lives right by Indigo Deli and has probably been there enough times to try everything on the menu at least four, if not more, times), I was amply rewarded. The key was ghee, or clarified butter, that the chef had liberally melted all over the couscous grains, transforming them into moist aromatic capsules of rich, buttery flavor. Together with the toasted almonds and raisins, this was the perfect all-in-one rich, crunchy, nutty, sweet and savory start to the weekend. (Pity that I was still half-asleep as I got out of bed to get here, since I left my camera at home and couldn’t photograph this breakfast beauty.)
Pepper King Crab at Trishna’s
I’d heard so much about the phenomenal seafood at this place and had been given so much advice about what to order that I was seriously worried about whether this would be one of those overhyped places where I’d walk away disappointed that the heavens hadn’t called out to me from my plate of Hyderabadi pomfret and jumbo prawns. And then my anxiety melted away with the plate of Trisha’s famous pepper king crab, which showed up last and effectively obliterated the taste of everything else I’d tried before – the pomfret, the prawns, the paneer, the romali roti. I’m sure they must have been good, maybe even outstanding. I just don’t remember any of it.
All I remember…in slow, dramatic, motion…was the first moment that a forkful of peppery crab met my tongue. Ever-so-tender morsels of crabmeat. Laced in buttery broth. Meshed with garlic and pepper. A simple, but explosive duo. That’s heaven calling out. Right from my plate of Trisha’s divine crab concoction.
More memorable eats to follow in my next post…stay tuned.
Indigo Deli
Phone: +91 (22) 6655 1010
5, Ground Floor, Pheroze Building, Chattrapati Shivaji Maharishi Marg,
Apollo Bunder, Mumbai
Trishna
Phone: +91 (22) /2270 3213, /2270 3214, /2270 3215
Birla Mansion, Sai Baba Marg (next to Commerce House), Kala Ghoda, Fort, Colaba, Mumbai
go to bade miya behind Taj or ayub in fort ( on the roadside ) for baida roti – delicious egg and mince meat parantha and kebabs, mahesh lunch home for neer dosa and rawas gassi – the fish is divine and if you want something spicy washed down with cold beer then squid koliwada, joss for khao suey, Swati in Tardeo for Panki and Thalpeeth, Royal China for dim sum and pork puffs and Gokul in Santa Cruz for Sitaphal ice cream ( or if you cant reach there then Naturals )