Story of a Mumbaikar in Chennai – Part 1!

Mumbai - A foodie haven
Mumbai has been a gastronomist’s heaven and I realized this only after I moved to Chennai for 6 years. How much I missed my Darling city!! So, when I came back to hometown after my Vanvas(period spent in a forest for penance), it was time to make up for all the lost years of hogging. 6 months on, I am still enjoying the food and the life here. What's so special in Mumbai, you might ask?

Let me list out my favorite items (No specific order of preference)
1. The Dhabeli -
The Dhabeli is a Gujarati dish which is a pav (Indian Bun-like bread) filled with a heterogeneous mixture sprinkled with groundnuts, pomegranate rubies and some coriander leaves. Make sure you tell the Dhabeliwala to fry it in Amul butter and relish the golden-baked crispy dhabeli. The spicy mixture is sweetened by the pomegranate and the groundnuts. This is really Food for the Gods.

2. The Vada Pav-
The poor man's burger is a lot more tastier than its western counterpart. But I guess it’s still remains a Mumbai thing. My friends from Delhi are unable to develop a taste for this Rs.5 ka burger. To my south-Indian friends who are unable to fathom the craze for 'bun with a potato-filling', they should taste it to believe it.

3. The Chat - Dahi Puri, Pani Puri, Sev Puri, ityaadi(etcetera)
These chat items are found in almost every nook and corner of India these days. But of course, the quality suffers as you move Southwards, though the cost increases.

The Chennai Pani puri is more often made with some packet of instant-mix that tastes more like sea-water. I have had my share of pani puris in Chennai and though my unfortunate Tamil brethren loved them, I still prefer delaying having them till I reach Mumbai. I Southies will stop tasting Chennai-made pani puris once they taste the Mumbai-made ones.

But my stay in Chennai was made easier due to a few brands like Sri Krishna sweets and Gangotree. These brands realized the need for good chats for the growing North Indian community in Chennai. But these were expensive at 3-4 times the Mumbai MRP.

4. The Lassi
Though I haven’t yet tasted Lassi in the land of its origin (Punjab), the Mumbai lassi was good enough to make me fall in love with this sweet curd topped off with a generous layer of Malai and sprinkled with pista, kesar (saffron) and some rose essence.

It was only natural that for me to go Lassi-hunting in Chennai. I was flabbergasted when I saw the state of Lassi here. The Lassi that could substitute breakfast was reduced to something like sweet buttermilk. Unfortunately the quality of Lassi remains pathetic even in the newly established North-Indian specialty restaurants in Chennai.

Many other items like the Pav Bhaji, the kachori, samosa pavs are sub-standard in Chennai restaurants. Of course, to substitute all this is the crispy dosa and the healthy idlis, but don’t we find these in Mumbai itself?

Hmm.. Maybe I will have to start a restaurant in Chennai soon!!