mumbai in rainy season - Mumbai, India
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Andrew Zimmern Mumbai: All Of The Restaurants Picked On Delicious Destinations

In Bizarre Foods Mumbai, part of the Delicious Destinations series featuring Andrew Zimmern, the host and his crew visited numerous restaurants in the city, showcasing a variety of unique and delicious dishes. Here is a convenient list of all the addresses and dishes highlighted in this exciting exploration of Mumbai’s food scene.

DISH – Bhelpuri

WHAT IS IT?

Bhelpuri is a grab and go meal of puffed rice, masalas and chutneys. This 20th century creation starts with blending coriander, mint leaves and peanuts to form green chutney. Ganthiya (crispy fried noodles made with chickpeas) is added to the chutney for texture. Green chili paste and lime are added into the mix before it is blended to a velvety finish. The green chutney is then poured on top of the puffed rice. Chopped red onions and boiled potatoes are also added and mixed with the chutney and rice. Bhelpuri is then topped with sev (thin dry noodles), puri (Indian wafers), coriander, raw mango, and dried peanuts.

WHERE IS IT?

Elco Restaurant
2A, Elco Market, Hill Rd, Bandra West
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

READ MORE: HOLI, FESTIVAL OF COLOURS, TRADITION… AND PARTYING!

NOTES – Delicious Destinations Mumbai

Elco Veg Restaurant started as a simple food cart offering bhelpuri more than 50 years ago. It is known for its green chutney made with chilies and mint. It also has a house specialty of sweet chutney made with dates.

DISH – Vada Pav

WHAT IS IT?

Vada pav is a dish of potato fritter tucked inside a fluffy white bun. To prepare the dish, masala is mixed with mashed potatoes and coriander leaves by hand. The mix is then shaped into balls before being dipped in a batter of water, baking soda and chickpeas variety of Bengal gram flour. The balls are then cooked in oil. Locally made butter is then spread on the pav, along with green mint chutney. It is then sprinkled with garlic chili powder and topped with sweet tamarind-date chutney before the vada is tucked into it.

WHERE IS IT?

Anand Dosa and Vada Pav Stall
Gulmohar Road No. 1, Opp. Mithibai College, Vile Parle West
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

NOTES – Delicious Destinations Mumbai

Anand Stall opened more than 40 years ago and continues to mash hundreds of vada per day. It uses a special 17-spice masala on its vada pav. Its special masala includes curry leaves, turmeric and green chilies.

ANDREW ZIMMERN MUMBAI DISH – Bombay Duck

WHAT IS IT?

Bombay duck is no duck at all. It refers to a fresh, spiced lizard fish fried to a crisp. The dish is prepared through removing the fins and the head of lizard fish. The fish is then sliced from the center and flattened. It is then marinated in a batter of eggs, Bengal gram flour made from yellow lentils, ginger-garlic paste and turmeric. After 2 hours, the fish is lightly coated with semolina before being deep-fried until golden brown

WHERE IS IT?

Mahesh Lunch Home – Seafood Specialty Restaurant (Juhu)
Juhu Tara Rd, Next to J.W.Marriott, Juhu
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

NOTES – Delicious Destinations Mumbai

Mahesh Lunch Home is a popular go-to spot for Bombay duck in Mumbai. It uses a house-made ginger-garlic paste on its Bombay duck.

ANDREW ZIMMERN MUMBAI DISH – Mutton Dhansak

WHAT IS IT?

Mutton dhansak is a dish of tender goat meat in a lentil-based sauce served with caramelized rice. It starts with seasoning water with traditional Indian spices. Sugar is then caramelized to be used on the basmati rice. Next, oil, bay leaves and curry leaves are added into water, along with chopped onions, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, masala and pureed tomatoes. Toor dal, a creamy paste of cooked yellow lentils, red pumpkin and eggplant, is then added. The dhansak sauce covered chunks of boiled mutton are then served with crispy mutton meatballs and caramelized rice.

WHERE IS IT?

Paradise Restaurant
Colaba Neighborhood
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Unfortunately, this restaurant has since closed its doors.

NOTES – Delicious Destinations Mumbai

Paradise Restaurant was popular for its mutton dhansak. It ensured equal servings of mutton through giving customers a crispy mutton meatball to top the rice and fried onions, and 4 boiled mutton chunks covered with dhansak sauce. The restaurant lowered its shutters for good in 2018.

READ MORE: KOLKATA AND MUMBAI: ALL OF THE RESTAURANTS PICKED BY ANTHONY BOURDAIN ON NO RESERVATIONS

DELICIOUS DESTINATIONS MUMBAI DISH – Pav Bhaji

WHAT IS IT?

Pav bhaji is a spicy mash up of vegetables soaked up using Mumbai bread. To prepare the dish, butter is melted on a pan. Cumin, red onions, mashed potatoes and tomatoes are then added. Once mixed, kashmiri red chilli powder, garam masala, garlic chutney, chili paste, fresh coriander leaves and boiled peas are added. The mix is cooked and stirred constantly until they form a creamy consistency. To serve, the sauce is topped with a slab of butter with melted butter drenched pav on the side.  

WHERE IS IT?

Sardar Pav Bhaji
166-A, Tardeo Road, Junction, Janata Nagar, Tardeo
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

NOTES – Delicious Destinations Mumbai

When Andrew Zimmern visited, Sardar only had one item in its menu: pav bhaji.

BIZARRE FOODS DELICIOUS DESTINATIONS MUMBAI DISH – Prawns Koliwada

WHAT IS IT?

This is a dish of fresh prawns deep-fried in red batter seasoned with Kashmiri chili powder. Fresh prawns are marinated in flour made from lentils, Kashmiri chili powder, masala, garlic infused water for 45 minutes. The battered prawns are then deep fried in peanut oil and served on a bed of onions and chutney.

WHERE IS IT?

Jai Jawan
Shop No. 7, Mangal Bhavna, PD Hinduja Road, Khar Pali Road, Khar West
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

NOTES – Bizarre Foods Delicious Destinations Mumbai

Jai Jawan is a Sikh-owned eatery that uses green mint chutney in its prawns koliwada.

READ MORE: RAJASTHAN: ALL OF THE RESTAURANTS PICKED BY ANTHONY BOURDAIN ON NO RESERVATIONS