Featured image credits: (L): Rohit Koul, (R): The Bombay Canteen

Mumbai’s culinary repertoire is coloured with some timeless favourites — chaat (street food fare), vada pav (potato buns inside bread), and pav bhaji (spiced, mashed vegetables in a thick gravy eaten with buttered bread). But they’ve had their moments of fame; we’ve eaten, relished and applauded them.

So, this time, we decided to take the road less travelled; quizzing chefs, bloggers and those well-versed with the city’s gastronomy about the most unique dishes they’ve sampled instead. Here’s what they have to say:

1. Ghewar Chaat at Trèsind Mumbai

The traditional Rajasthani dessert ghewar (disc-shaped sweet with a honeycomb-like texture) is a well-known favourite. So, when chef Karishma Sakhrani saw it combined with chaat in a never-before-seen avatar at her meal at Trèsind, she was in for a surprise. The chaat, she points out, brings dynamism to the otherwise subtle flavoured ghewar. The first morsel becomes a celebration of these complex flavours and contrasting textures.

“The dish was a revelation, marrying sweet and savoury elements perfectly. It brought back memories of festive celebrations and its playful, modern twist made the experience truly memorable,” she says. Not just this, but rather every dish on the Trèsind menu, designed by chef Himanshu Saini, is a cheeky nod to how well traditional recipes pair with modern flavours. If you’re planning a visit, don’t miss out on the nalli nihari (mutton stew) eaten with khari (puff pastry).

2. Rawa fried bombil at Chaitanya Restaurant

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