A dream that wakes you up is a message from the beyond. Last month, in my theta state, I stepped out of my home in Juhu and tiptoed to Kwality stores, and found myself sitting on the steps devouring their veg frankie with cheese. The crunch of butter mixed with salt and red chilli powder, the deep-fried cutlet burrowed in a butter-dripping maida roti cloaked my dream. It didn't end there. I trudged on to Mithibai College and polished off a vada pav, ending with a cheese pav bhaji at Amar Juice Centre. I woke up in my Delhi home starving for Bombay eats.

"It is time," I nudged my husband, "to try some Bombay food." "Haan. Mujhe Lucky ka grill sandwich khana hai," he muttered, and dozed off. The mission begins the next day, in the bylanes of Daryaganj where Gupta Ji Pav Bhaji has been hawking for 40 years. The vada pav comes in a dry bun and tastes of haldi and aloo. The pav bhaji has no masala and lacks the salty comfort of Amul butter. There goes our top recommendation.