Not on the subject of food, but on the subject of Mumbai:
I’m quite interested to watch this. On the subject of food, in the trailer there is a shot of a woman mixing spicy puffed rice (we call this jhal muri in Bengal, don’t know what it is called in Maharashtra), which to me is iconic amongst the cheap snacks ubiquitous on Indian trains.
Bhel puri?
Thanks! In Bengal the puffed rice prep isn’t as elaborate!
Sukkha Bhel / Dry Bhel – as compared to Bhel (Puri), this has no chutneys. Usually puffed rice (mamra / murmura), finely minced onion, green chilli, dry spices (red chilli powder always, sometimes others), and finished with lime juice and possibly a drizzle of oil. Sometimes peanuts are added.
Less messy on a train (and less work at home) than full-on bhel!
The trains – both local and long distance – are such a rich source of stories, it is surprising the subject has not been mined further before now (esp by low-hanging fruit type folks).
Mumbai local trains were part and parcel of my life since I was a kid, even though we had a car, because the speed and functionality superseded everything else. It’s the everyday observation that’s fascinating to me more than the Q&A, but I’m intrigued by the link you posted and will try to track the fil down.
Summer 2025 Edition: lots of eating, not much picture taking or reporting.
MAASLI
Seafood and more in a very specific style – GSB / gaud saraswat brahmin. Lately of the Konkan coast, possibly having originated in Kashmir (centuries ago). And yes, meat-eating Brahmins.
We decided to try two thalis at lunch to try a range of dishes without overdoing it. The first was a bombil thali, which isn’t a common offering. The second was a chicken thali, which I always order if it’s on offer.
My favorite dish at coastal places is Fried Bombil / Bombay Duck (a type of local fish, not duck) but I am often disappointed. Not so here – exactly perfect.
The version I had in Hong Kong recently was good, but this is the platonic ideal 
The bombil thali came with a few pieces of the perfectly fried bombil, a bowl of a regional specialty (called phanna curry) with a 3’ baby pomfret – a size I have never seen (as what we call baby pomfret at home is. 5-7" personal-sized fish 
), a tiny serving of pungent dried prawns sauteed with masala, chapatis, and rice. Plus a little bowl of sol kadhi – an extract of kokum and coconut.
The chicken thali came with my usual coastal favorites – chicken “sukka”, a dry masala prep, and chicken “gravy”, a saucier and different regional prep. We asked for “bhakri” with this, which is a rice flour flatbread. There was also a tiny bowl of a third kind of gravy, which was also delicious.
Everything was delicious, but it’s hard for me to stray from my favorites that I crave all year – the bombil and the chicken sukka. Next time, I will try some of their less “standard” favorites – the community uses a spice called Tirphal, similar to Sichuan peppercorn, in several dishes, which is unusual in these parts.
Another thali, composed at someone’s home with takeout from JAI HIND LUNCH HOME.
Mutton Ghee Roast, Mutton Sagoti (aka xacuti), Palak Paneer, an intense Dal Fry, parathas, and rumali roti.
Both muttons were excellent. If I can get out of my usual circuit, I will try to visit the place itself for a meal.
You might also want to give chaitnaya a try in the prabhadevi area (close to maasli), very similar food.
I love the bombil fry there, it’s perfect every time. their other stuff is good also, with a particular shoutout to their special prawn thali
A friend was visiting mumbai and asked for some recommendations, I made a list with a focus on south Bombay, since thats where he was staying. here is the list I gave him (I skipped the South Indian places since he was visiting from chennai_
Food places:
Bombay canteen
Chaitanya or Maasli
Thakar bhojanalay
Aram for vada pav
Prakash or diva maharashtra for maharashtrian
Brittania or ideal corner
The fancy cafes in fort have good American breakfast: nutcracker, Kala ghoda cafe
Subko chocolate cafe in colaba
Swati Snacks
Kyani Bakery or Sassanian Boulangerie (for old style Irani cafes)
Olympia for keema-pao or biryani (though personally I think its just ok)
and from a tourist perspective of the sights:
Gandhi museum
Museum of solutions - kids will like it. A bit expensive
Heritage walks in fort area, the tours are good
Restoration of afghan church is phenomenal (visited it over the weekend)
The museums and art galleries might be of interest to art folks
Thank you. I have eaten there in the past, though not often.
Afghan church has been restored beautifully, as has the Bhau Daji Lad Museum.
I Iove Mani Bhavan (which is what I am guessing you meant by Gandhi museum), they added a floor of dioramas which are both weird and wonderful. They had artists there touching them up and creating some new ones when I took someone to visit over Christmas break.
