13 March,2024 10:30 AM IST | Mumbai | Nascimento Pinto
Take a walk in Vasai to indulge in chicken rolls, jalebi rabdi, chutney chicken kebab and more. Photos Courtesy: Nascimento Pinto for Mid-day
Subscribe to Mid-day GOLD
Already a member? Login
Ramadan gets underway as the holy period of fasting commenced on March 11 earlier this week. As always, many Mumbaikars are looking forward to the food that they will get to enjoy during this time of the year across different hotspots in Mumbai. Most people will plan a trip to Mohammed Ali Road to break their fast or simply enjoy delicious delicacies that are both sweet and savoury and irresistible during this time of the year.
While the Mumbai neighbourhood is known for its delicious food and gets thousands of people daily, Mumbai boasts of other areas that have some delicacies that are served for people to break their fast. Over the years, foodies have explored and found good food during Ramadan in Kurla, Jogeshwari and Mira Road, which are only some other areas that many Mumbaikars travel to enjoy the food. However, travel a little further to the northern suburb of Vasai and people will be shocked to find a visual and sensory experience as gastronomic treats are waiting to be savoured by one and all; they have been enjoyed by locals for a long time now. While the dishes are primarily non-vegetarian, they have now changed to include vegetarian versions to cater to all kinds of food lovers in Mumbai.
For food enthusiasts and those who like to travel for food and don't mind making the long trip to enjoy food that is served during Ramadan at stalls in Mumbai, this trip is a must for an affordable feast. Make your way to the west side of the suburb and hop into an autorickshaw. Situated not too far from the station on the right side just off the Parvati Cross Naka, people can walk towards True Taste, a popular eatery and eatery in the area known for its shawarma, kebabs and cutlets.
Follow this trail in any order to enjoy delicious delicacies during Ramadan in Vasai:
J.J. Jalebi
Situated just before True Taste on the right side, the brightly lit-up J.J. Jalebi franchise taken up by local entrepreneur Nauman Memon from Vasai brings the popular Mumbai eatery to the neighbourhood. Always bustling with activity, especially during the evenings, it is even more crowded during Ramadan as many Muslims come to break their fast, after their visit to the Jama Masjid situated just around the corner. Developing into a khau galli (street food area) over the years, the shop also sees all kinds people come to the shop to get their hands on the Rabdi Jalebi (Rs 60).
A set of three regular-sized dark brown crispy and juicy mawa jalebis are topped with a generous helping of rabdi that is a complete feast. The perfectly cooked rabdi is creamy, and not overly sweet, making it a perfect accompaniment with the jalebis. If you do not have the patience to wait for the jalebis to become softer to eat with a plastic spoon, then do not feel shy to dig in by using your hands to bite into the jalebis oozing with sugary juice, and we bet you cannot stop at one piece.
Apart from Jalebi Rabdi, the shop also boasts of malpua. The delicious dish is freshly made at all times and is available in three different types - Eggless Malpua (Rs 150), Malpua with egg (Rs 200) and Shahi Malpua (Rs 400), which is loaded with dry fruits and serves as a perfect treat. Ask the manager about their specials and he immediately says, "Apart from the malpua with egg and shahi malpua, the eggless variety is very popular as a lot of vegetarians also come to enjoy the dish."
Apart from the malpua, they also dish out juicy gulab jamuns (Rs 20 per piece) that people can savour at any time of the year. The three-year-old eatery has also put up a stall outside the shop selling other kinds of delicacies including flavoured halwas and phirni for people to indulge in.
Time: 11:30 am - 2 am (during Ramadan), 11;30 am - 11:30 pm (Regular days)
Contact number: 080073 61234 or @j.j.jalebivasai on Instagram
Madina Hotel
After the first stop, take a right turn at True Taste, and make your way to Madina Hotel. The brightly lit-up hotel may be situated on the inner road but is visibly very popular as a lot of people are seen sitting and eating there, as well as picking up parcels for home. Apart from fresh biryani being packed for visitors, the one-year-old restaurant has a live tawa that is manned by a cook who is constantly frying the rolls, which are available in different colours and flavours. The menu has the likes of a Chicken Kathi Roll (Rs 50), Chicken Cheese Roll (Rs 40), Shahi Roll with mayonnaise (Rs 40), Schezwan Roll (Rs 40), Hara Bhara Roll (Rs 40), Chicken Cutlet (Rs 40), Lucknowi Kebab (Rs 15), and Chicken Baida Roti (Rs 70) too.
Upon the recommendation of a frequent visitor, who was at the shop, we ordered the Chicken Kathi Roll (Rs 50) and Chicken Cheese Roll (Rs 40) and it didn't disappoint at all, and was easily worth the money. While the golden-brown Chicken Cheese Roll was fried to perfection, it was stuffed with generous helpings of chicken and cheese, that ensured the mix of flavours was felt till the last bite. It was no different with the Chicken Kathi Roll, which is a flattened crumb-fried roll, loaded with minced chicken and served on a skewer, along with a delicious mint chutney.
The restaurant was started by Waqeel Khan, who has been in the catering business for close to two decades in Vasai, along with his brother last year before Ramadan. "My father started with a small catering business for some time now, and it has grown over the years. Then last year, we decided to open this restaurant with my uncle," shares Aamir Khan, Waqeel's son. Ask him about the novelty of the Schezwan roll and he says, "Schezwan has been becoming popular, so we decided to serve a roll with it." The red-coloured roll is loaded with chicken and schezwan, and is a modern take on the classic chicken roll, for all those who want to experiment with their food.
Time: 11:30 am - 12 am
Contact number: 73879 79916 for more details
Shahi Hotel
Walk a little further, and you will find Shahi Hotel which is probably a hidden gem that a lot more people need to visit only because of the different kinds of delicacies that it served including some that impressed this writer in the first bite. Diners can dig into the Chicken Chutney Kebab, popularly called Chutney Kebab (Rs 25) and the Shahi Chicken Roll (Rs 30) - both of which are worth every penny spent. While the palm-sized golden-brown kebab is fried crisp, it is loaded with a mixture of minced chicken, coriander and mint chutney, which is perfectly flavoured and light on the palate and became a personal favourite instantly. The Shahi Chicken Roll is bigger than most rolls and is served with minced chicken and loaded with cheese, making our mouths water almost instantly, and a must-try.
The best is yet to come because even as you indulge in this, the freshly made Tandoori Naan (Rs 10 per piece), which is being made at the entrance is tempting. Along with the aroma of food, it brings with it a different kind of warmth, especially when enjoyed with the different dishes. Topped with coriander, it is the perfect accompaniment with the cutlet and roll, as it balances out the flavours and cuts through the heaviness of eating the meat dishes.
Time: 12:30 pm - 12 am
Contact number: 77570 94971
St Michael's Koliwada
The St Michael Koliwada eatery is around the same turn and has been an institution for Vasaikars for over two decades. The locals swear by their dishes that not only include chicken tikka, seekh kebab and tandoori prawns but also other specials like pota liver (Rs 80 for 250 gm). The spicy dry dish is fried crisp with generous amounts of spices and seasonings that make it a must-try at the shop if you are embarking on this food walk. On the other hand, the juicy chicken tikka and seekh kebabs are also top-sellers and best eaten with the mint chutney that is served along with it.
Time: 7:30 pm - 11:30 pm
Contact number: 97023 06355
Patel Dairy
It is impossible to come to Vasai West, be near Parvati Cross and not stop by Patel Dairy for their lassi and basundi. Being a top seller, you can end your walk with either the Lassi with cream (Half - Rs 30, Full - Rs 60) or Mango Lassi (Rs 50). While the regular lassi is delicious and creamy, it is available in half and full, and works perfectly well, if you have eaten a lot but still have the craving for something sweet. On the other hand, the flavoured lassi-like mango is only available as a glass full and can be quite tempting, especially if you love mangoes. With the season almost here, it is worth a try.
The dairy also has different kinds of basundi, pedas, rabdi and milkshakes that people can indulge in while they are there. if you pace yourself around this corner on the food walk, it is a fruitful journey. It will make you think twice before planning your trip to Mohammad Ali Road or any other place in Mumbai.
Time: 6 am - 11 pm
Contact number: 90286 62274
While this food walk starts with JJ Jalebi to make the route easier, you can choose to start at True Taste and end with the former, after Patel Dairy, making it easier. It will help you start the walk on a savoury note and end it with feeding your craving for something sweet.
Things to remember when going on this food walk:
1. Travel: Take the train to the Vasai station, get off on the West side and take a share rickshaw to Parvati Cross (Rs 15) from the rickshaw stand just outside the station.
2. Food: Preferably come on an empty stomach after your lunch, as you will be eating at least five dishes, and that will most likely end up being your dinner.
3. Best time to visit: Visit after 7 pm to experience it in the best way possible.
4. Footwear: Wear comfortable footwear as you will be walking throughout the experience.
5. Pro Tip: This writer advises eating only one dish at every place in the first walk, and if you feel you have space for more, you can take another walk on the route.
