If you are reading this post even after reading the post title then chances are high that you love spices or may be just browsing for the heck of it (food porn) :) . Whatever may be the source of your arrival here, you will surely be leaving with good food advice.
It is difficult to list 5, as Indian food is as diverse as Indian languages and culture. So I decided to focus on the ones available almost everywhere on Mumbai street.
1. Pao bhaji
Easy on pockets as none of these dishes cost more than a dollar or two or even lesser.
Delicious, buttery and mildly spiced (usually). Pao bhaji comes with a bun (pao) or a bread loaf and a mashed up gravy of spices and veggies like cauliflower, potato, pea etc decorated with coriander leaves.
Almost all street food stalls and restaurants sell it good but if you want to enjoy it at a location where you can experiment with other food, I would suggest visiting Juhu beach. There are plenty of stalls selling this appetising dish and other street foods.
2. Pani-Puri
As you move across India, you will find customisation of this dish as per the culture or region. In northern part of India, it dish is called gol-gappa or fulke. In West Bengal, it goes by the name of "puchka". The difference is basically in the stuffing that goes inside the puri or small hollow balls made up of some flour. The best thing is that every seller asks the customer about the preferred level of spiciness. The point I want to make here is that you can customise.
Usually sold in a set of six pieces, as the ball burst in the mouth there is an explosion of flavours.
3. Vada pao
Basically Vada pao is a potato patty in a bun. But this simple explanation of the dish is such an injustice as it is so much more than that, both in terms of flavour and food. It is a comfort food for a typical busy mumbaikar, loved and relished by many in the city.
4. Sandwiches
Usually the best sandwiches are served outside colleges and offices because that's where hungry souls flock to snack, perfect marketing strategy. The famous ones are Raju Sandwich stall in Fort, stall opposite breach Candy hospital and Mithibai college, Anand stall in Vile Parle and K3 snacks in Powai.
5. Thali
If you want to taste a typical Indian food, a thali is must try. You can opt for veg(vegetarian) or non-veg(non-vegetarian) version. This dish is usually sold in restaurants at lunch time (12-4pm). It comes with variety of dishes served with rice and roti/chappati(Indian bread), always accompanied by one simple sweet dish.
I have only listed vegetarian foods but if you want to relish non-vegetarian dishes you can try
Kebabs. Kebabs are marinated meat, fish or vegetables in a skewer. The best kababs and other non-vegetarian dishes are sold on the streets of Khao gali in Mumbai.
And if you are less experimental person looking for a simple dish to suffice your appetite while on a trip, there will never be dearth of options as far as food types are concerned. You can choose from sandwiches, dosas, poha which are also safe, specially for foreigners who find it hard to take the spiciness.
~Ren
