Ready to test-fire this misal?

What better time than the monsoon to savour a plate of fiery misal pav, laced with its rustic Maharashtrian roots. The Guide scoured Mumbai to find six hot spots where you can relish this low-cal, tasty street snack.

Chivda, farsan, matki, dried peas, diced potatoes, finely chopped onions, tomatoes, coriander, ginger, mustard... the humble Misal is the closest you'll get to a Maharashtrian bhel. The spicy, nutritious snack makes it to the top of our monsoon snack favourites list. Here are the places you can enjoy a piping hot serving of the crunchy-soupy snack, as the rain falls in sheets.

Marathi Manoos ka misal
At: Aaswad, 252, Wavda Building, Gadkari Chowk, L J Road, Dadar (W).
Call: 24451871
Aaswad is strategically stationed in the heart of Marathi Manoos land: Dadar. Unapologetic about its fuss-free interiors, Aaswad doles out Maharashtrain fare with vigour. These guys do a mean Misal, which is favoured on practically every table at this joint. They also do an excellent Vangi Bhat and Puri Bhaji.

Misal at Aaswad, Dadar. Pic/ Sameer Markandeu00a0

Old-timer's favourite
At: New Anand Bhavan, Takiwala Building, Kala Chowki, Dr Ambedkar Road, Chinchpokli (E).
Call: 23745073
Here's how you differentiate a newbie from an old-timer in the Lalbaug-Kala Chowki area: Newbies favour Missal Pav from Ladu Samrat in Lalbaug, whereas old-timers know that the place to get the real deal is New Anand Bhavan in Kala Chowki. This is where people come from Matunga and Colaba to satisfy their Misal cravings. The menu boasts of three items only: Misal Pav, Vada Pav and Puri Bhaji. That's all they serve from 8 am to 10 pm.
The Misal Pav isn't as spicy as other places, which is probably a good thing for one's poor stomach. The place also does not serve 'fancy dishes', as the manager Dnyanesh Shetty says, such as Dahi Missal Pav, but it does make an exception for Batata Vada Missal, which is any garlic-lover's delight.

Misal by the Highway
At: Shree Dutta Snacks, old Mumbai-Pune Highway Road, Panvel. If you haven't stopped by at Shree Dutta Snacks for a piping hot dish of Misal or Vada Pav, followed by a serving of their legendary 'Kharwas', you're missing out. Dutta, as it is popularly known, is an eating place that should figure on every Mumbaikar's bucket list. Ideally located in Panvel -- for those times when the rains nudge you into driving to Lonavala for a weekend getaway -- Dutta is easy to spot, thanks to the throngs outside. Piping hot misal is served topped with farsan in stainless steel bowls. Ignore the layer of oil, and tuck right into the spicy mix. To ensure a quick recovery if your tear ducts end up working overtime, make sure you have a serving of Kharwas, a milk-based Maharashtrian pudding, to tuck into in case of emergencies.

Misal made to a secret recipe
At: Vinay Health Home, Jawahar Mansion, Fanaswadi Corner, CP Tank, Girgaon.
Call: 22081211
When the city's immortal food writer Busybee wrote about Vinay, he did so with a threat. 'If you have not eaten at Vinay Health Home, one of the few Maharashtrian restaurants in town, then you have no business to stay in Mumbai. You will be reported to Mr Thackeray.' We agree. Vinay is Mumbai at its best. Corporate types sit beside taxi drivers and daily wage labourers, while tucking into the legendary Puneri Misal. The story goes that Misal originally came to Mumbai from Pune, which is why the most famous Misal here pays tribute to our extended suburb. "We also have a Special Misal which has Poha Chivda in it," informs Sumukh Tembe from the family running the establishment since 1940.

Dahi Missal at Vinay Health Home. Pic/ Prathik Panchamiau00a0

If you try quizzing the staff for the recipe to their prized missal, they will inform you it's a closely guarded secret. They also do dahi versions of the Puneri and Special Misal, in which cool spoonfuls of yoghurt are added to the spicy mix, and another with sweet dahi, which, we are told has Gujjus from south Mumbai making a special trip here. Poha and Piyush are also popular on the menu.

Mere paas misal hai
At: Bhatt Vishranti Graha, Sion-Trombay Road, Chembur Naka, Chembur (E).
Call: 25227275
Whoever coined the phrase blink-and-you-miss-it must have been to Bhatt Vishranti Graha in Chembur. The joint located opposite the Telephone Exchange can be easily missed, unless your rickshaw driver is a regular at the place. When we dropped by at Bhatt's (as it's popularly known), the cramped restaurant was choc-a-bloc with people eating or waiting for their "parcel orders".u00a0 The person manning the billing counter chose not to humour us, asking us instead to refer to the menu for information on the place. Helpful patrons did suggest we try the Dahi Missal Pav, ideal for those not too fond of spicy fare that could set fire to one's insides. If you are brave enough, try the Tari Plate with Pav. We're told it's actor Rishi Kapoor's favourite here.u00a0

Man enough for this misal?
At: Mamledar Misal, Thane Tehsildar Office, Station Road, Thane (W).
If there is a board to indicate the location (and correct spelling) of Mamledar we weren't able to find it. Our noses led us to a tiny overcrowded joint that also happens to be the Tehsildar Office canteen where Thanekars go for their spicy misal fix. If you don't have the patience to wait your turn for a table, we suggest you head to Amantran, which is run by the same management and is located diagonally opposite this place. Mamledar does three kinds of Misal Pav, differentiated by spice levels. Choose from Medium, Tikha and Double Tikha. One bite of the Medium Misal was enough to turn our ears red, and had us reaching for chilled gulpfuls of Chaas (or Taak).

Tikha Misal with Taak at Mamledar, Thane. Pic/ Sameer Markande

Sameer Markande, the photographer, who accompanied us on our Misal mission, recalled times when he dropped by with school friends, where they would challenge each other to polish off the Tikha Misal in record time.
We managed to have a quick chat with Laxman Murudeshwar, who runs the 60-year-old establishment, who said, "Please don't write about us. I don't want any more people coming here. Look, I don't have any place to seat them." We're sorry Mr Murudeshwar, but we're afraid the misal here speaks for itself.

Misal on the go
At: Panshikar Aahar, Govardhandas Building, JSS Road, Girgaon.u00a0
Call: 23861211.
Set in a predominantly Maharashtrian neighbourhood in the middle of traffic-clogged Girgaon, the fourth-generation-run Panshikar Aahar has managed to hang on to its identity after all these years. The small non-descript eatery dishes out finger-licking Kothimbir Vadi, Thalipeeth and Shrikhand Puri. One of the oldest players on the Maharashtrian food scene, its star dish remains the humble Misal that is thankfully low on oil and light on the stomach.

The Farali Misal can be enjoyed on fasting days, while those who can't handle the fiery taste of the typical Misal dish can opt insteadu00a0 for the Dahi Misal, enjoyed best with the chilled yoghurt-based drink, Piyush.
The Panshikar Mithai Kendra next door is ideal for fresh modaks. Don't forget to stop by the place during a Maharashtrian festival -- it is quite a sight. By the time you are able to weave your way past traffic and hordes of commuters, we are sure you would have worked up a decent appetite.