The more you analyse the reasons behind recognising a food destination as a favourite, the more you realise the role that the ambience plays. The food quality remains the clincher.
Besides the lip-smacking variety of dishes on offer at the Aamchi Mumbai Street Food Festival in Courtyard Marriot, little details like the coloured paper ribbons hanging in the ‘bandi’, the sentimental assemblage of lemons and chillies on a string , the use of handwritten menu boards, newspapers displayed as disposable material bring about the regional aroma often visible on the streets.
Stall names like the Anil Tea Stall, Deepak Chat Bhandar or even the Soumesh Pav Wada centre also ensure an authentic street flavour. Nostalgic musical scores from the Kishore, Lata and the Rafi eras only add to the desi feel.
“These are things I’ve managed to bring together with the help of my extensive travels over the years. Born in Himachal, working in Delhi, married to a Mangalorean and having been in Mumbai and Chennai for quite a while, I had enough time to grasp the persistent food cultures in each of the places. In the process, I’ve noticed that Mumbai, despite not bearing a regional identity with respect to food, has a rich variety to offer with the blend of many communities,” explains chef Yogendra, justifying his choice of Mumbai as a backdrop.
It’s fitting that the food fest coincides with the onset of the monsoon. Vada Pav is a predictable inclusion, with the coriander chutney to top it. As for the chai , you have it served with the quintessential glass you come across on the streets and the extra heat and the taste that add to delicate balance.
The various Momos, fermented with yeast ease into your mouth. The Aloo Tikka , meanwhile, has the right amounts of spice and vegetable. The Jitu’s Special Kebab centre also brings together the Murgh tikka, Subzi tikki, Zafrani fish tikka and Hariyali Paneer tikka .
Interestingly, the China Bandi offers an interesting range of buns with a selection of chicken, jhinga wali and kheema masala varieties. The availability of chaat items is a given whereas delicacies like paper-thin Neer dosas (crêpe prepared with rice batter), Manchurian dosas served hot with another Mangalorean toast , Kori Gassi, on a banana leaf are a tribute to the strong Mangalorean presence in Mumbai. While the menu is bound to alter on a daily basis, most conventional food items are here to stay here throughout the fest.
Aamchi Mumbai Street Food Festival is on at Courtyard Marriot till August 2, in the evenings.
