Mumbai is a melting pot of people and cultures from all over India and the world, seeking to build better lives for themselves and their families; a city of dreams where anything is
possible. And while the end result has been unaffordable housing, depressed wages, organised crime, Andheri being overrun by models from Romania, and the occasional communal riot, at least
we have a collection of some of the most diverse food the country has to offer. But, to quote Derrick the Intern, “not all ethnicities are equal” so in this article, in honour of Mumbai’s proud,
diverse heritage, we’ll be reviewing three restaurants specialising in regional cuisine, that we think are definitely worth a try:
New Sernyaa
Since New Sernyaa is the only Tibetan restaurant we’ve ever been to, we can’t conclusively judge it on authenticity, but what we can tell you, is that it’s some of the finest food we’ve ever had. Their complementary seaweed chutney alone is far superior to anything that the communists at Mainland China could ever hope to achieve. We’re particularly fond of their Pan Fried Pork Momos which are plump, crisp, and delicious all at the same time, and their Roast Pork, which was phenomenal, even though we’re not quite sure what was in it; since our waiter only communicated with us in phrases of oriental wisdom. Overall, New Sernyaa is an incredible place with no real downside; except the guitar they keep lying around could conceivably be used to play Wonderwall.
Sindhful
We’ve learnt a lot of things working on this website, but none of them were quite as profound as discovering that Sindhi food was different from Punjabi food; and we’ve Sindhful to thank for that. It may have just been a delivery kitchen when it started out, but it’s a full-fledged restaurant now so we can review it without feeling like we’ve hit rock bottom. The Sindhi Curry Chawal with Aloo Tuk was arguably the best thing on the menu, and its unique blend of sweet and sour kadhi is still something we cherish to this day; as is their spicy Dal Pakwan, which is the Sindhi equivalent of nachos.
Aradhana Coastal Delight
Coastal Maharashtrian cuisine is something we hold very close to our hearts. We’ve tried Konkan food all over the city, but Aradhana Coastal Delight, a curious little establishment overlooking Khar station has a unique mix of class and authenticity that we usually shy away from, being cheap unimaginative hacks. Aradhana Coastal Delight has, along with a name that’s super fun to say, meticulously plated thalis, and a wide array of fresh seafood offerings. Also, unlike many other small seafood restaurants, they make it a point to stock up on everything listed on their menu, meaning you can enjoy anything from a mutton curry to a squid thali, all from the comfort of Khar station.
What is your favourite regional cuisine? Do you know a restaurant you think we should try? We’re not going to go to Taste Of Kerala.
