Mumbai food: Beat the heat with faloodas, kulfis and more at this food truck

A new food truck near the Western Express Highway offers respite from rising mercury levels with thick and dry fruit-rich falooda, badam shake and ice creams

Owner Bhagwan Pawar

With its name flashing in hot pink, it's easy to spot Dev Narayan Ice Cream's food truck on the busy Nehru Road, near the Western Express Highway, in Vile Parle (E). For the past two weeks, the truck has been popping up every evening. Well-stocked and brightly lit, it offers over 40 varieties of falooda, milkshake, ice cream and kulfis; each served in half or full portions.

Chocolate Falooda 

We drop in after 9 pm on a weeknight to spot a middle-aged couple, who seem like they are on a post-dinner stroll, polish off a glass of Badam Shake. Then, a teenager rushes past us to order a takeaway of Malai Kulfi. “We have four branches in Kandivli and Borivli but they are known by various names. All the items are freshly made at our main centre in Kandivli, and then brought here,” shares owner Bhagwan Pawar, who helms the truck with a staffer.

Badam Shake

While we pore over the menu, three customers drop by to order Badam Shake, which is clearly the joint's bestseller. So, we place an order for the same ('50/half glass). It comes in a disposable plastic glass. Without a hint of ice or being saccharine sweet, the undiluted shake brings back fond memories of sipping on warm Badam Milk on wintry evenings in Rajasthan.

Special Devnarayan Ice Cream

Knowing we are in safe hands, we opt for Chocolate Falooda ('40/half glass) from varieties like Kesar Ilaichi, Variyali, Pista, Peru, Mango, Butter Scotch and Kiwi. Pawar layers the bottom of the glass with vermicelli, pours in chocolate milk, and tops it off with jelly, basil seeds and dry fruit. Thick and creamy (it is made using condensed milk), with bits of chocolate caressing our palate, the falooda scores for its consistency and a satiating mix of sweet and nutty flavours, with wobbly cubes of jelly adding a nice bite. It comes close to the popular version offered by Shiv Sagar, within a kilometre's radius. Though satiated, we can't resist a scoop of Special Devnarayan Ice Cream ('20) that's a heavenly mix of Kesar Pista and Raj Bhog without scrimping on the dry fruit.

Bhagwan Pawar prepares the falooda

The kitschy exterior of the truck. Pics/Satej Shinde

Time: 6 pm to 11.30 pm(every day) 
At: Opposite Bharat Petrol Pump, Nehru Road, Vile Parle (E). 

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