Indulge in shorba at these places in Mumbai

Last month when the temperatures dipped by a degree and Mumbai celebrated the onset of its twodaylong winter that brings with it a long lasting flu chefrestauranteur Yajush Malik discussed the 36yearold paya shorba recipe that has never been altered at the iconic Gallops Mahalakshmi RacecourseldquoLamb shanks are slowcooked to extract all the gelatinous goodness from the bones and finished with desi ghee gingergarlic and aromaticsmdashnothing too heavy just a classic heart warming soup that hits the spotrdquo he explains Topped with fried onions and served with soft buttered dinner rolls it makes for a meal in itselfIn a different version we tried the paya soup with mutton momo on The Bombay Canteenrsquos winter menu two seasons ago Recently we saw paya served in puchkas on Trippy Goatrsquos menu and it got us thinking of all the triedandtested places in the city where the readers go for a fix of heartwarming goodnessPaya goes placesApart from its numerous health benefits what filmmaker Abhinav R Bharti loves about paya soups is its flavour ldquoA good paya soup needs to be cooked well by following the proper process of slowcooking trotters simmered for an extended period in a mixture of aromatic spicesrdquo he adds Around six months ago when Bharti was down with the flu a paya soup from Nanu Paya in Bandra healed him miraculouslyldquoI am told the recipe has been passed down through generations and the collagenrich goodness is also great for skin elasticity and fracture recovery This one has the perfect balance of spicy kick and soothing warmthrdquo says BhartiThe Bandra outlet started last year whereas the Nerul one has been around for over eight years Most of all he likes that they are hygienic and offer a range of flavours including plain red or white paya soup regional ones including Sindh Punjab Agri Koli and Keralastyle paya soups There is also dill and pepper flavoured burnt garlic gingerchilli and conti paya with cheese The paya ghotaala and paya misal pav are a hit tooNanu PayaIsabella CHSL Dr Ambedkar Road Pali Hill Bandra West Safal Pride Shop no9 Sector 25 Nerul Navi MumbaiNo frills attachedLocated in a tiny lane in GTB Nagar this 50yearold neighbourhood favourite has large degs of simmering flavourful paya ldquoThe price will make you happierrdquo says photographer Pradeep Dhivar who had to return the next day to savour their specialityldquoThey run out of it pretty soonrdquo he tells us of Sardar Paya House established in 1974 by fatherson duo Sardar Singh and Balwant Singh Arora who has passed the reins to his two sons Parvinder and Rashmeet SinghldquoThe ownerrsquos family came into this part of Mumbai as political refugees and back in the day a bowl of paya cost 20 paisa For the first few years they only served paya Chicken and mutton dishes were added in the 1990s My mother loved their white soup seasoned with just salt The masala one has a homely taste and is slightly spicier No fancy ambience and you might even have to share tables with others but you do get greattasting souprdquo he addsSardar Paya House Papu PayawalaShop UAC 20 near building no 01 Punjabi Camp Sion Koliwada Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar SionKya khoya Sab payaFor cartoonist Abhijeet Kini paya soup is not just any soup itrsquos the best solution to blocked noses and bad moods ldquoA good paya soup should be the right amount of spicemdashnot too much not too littlemdashto bring out the flavours of the bone broth It shouldnrsquot overpower I must see that it has a watery runny consistency and canrsquot be too thick And of course the trotters Love the jellylike texture of the meat on themrdquo he addsHe had his first paya at Rajasthan Hotel in Khar when he was in school and has loved it since ldquoOne day when we were at the restaurant for an early dinner I saw a man dipping some pav in it and I drooled at the idea Thatrsquos when I tried the pav and paya combo here and itrsquos delicious To me the philosophy is lsquoKya khoya Kya payarsquoRajasthan HotelSikandar Mansion Swami Vivekananda Road near Traffic Police Chowki Khar WestWent for the seekh stayed for their payaOn the busy streets of Nagpada in Byculla Sarvi Restaurant stands the test of time Best known for their delicious seekh kebabs paya here is luscious too They start at 5 am and are open well past midnight For filmmaker Zeeshan Khalil who lives in Noor Baug itrsquos ldquoallweather comfort in a bowl Sarvirsquos paya soup is rich and the trotters are perfectly slimy like a warm hug on a chilly daymdashcomforting savoury and downright deliciousI find that the spice is not too overpowering which can kill the souprsquos flavour I first had it during college with friends when pockets were light and the quest for comforting yet affordable meals was real We had gone to have the seekh kebab which we had heard so much about and ordered the soup too Since then Sarvi has been my goto place for it Every spoon sends you down memory laneAlso because the place is so unpretentious you find people from all walks of life here enjoying a taste of tradition served with nostalgia Eavesdropping into peoplersquos conversation is my favourite pastime and every time I get to witness someone animatedly reminisce about the good olrsquo days at the eatery Besides it has a starstudded past For me the paya soup is all about the people the stories and the genuine unfiltered tasteSarvi Restaurant184196 Dimtimkar Road opposite Nagpada Police Station