Sameep Karve enjoys a fried fare in Mumbai rains.
Monsoon
is at its peak in Mumbai and city is getting heavy showers from last 2
to 3 days. In Monsoon when heaven opens up there is a rule to head out
for off the stove crunchy snacks. It is best to indulge into fried
roadside savouries available on Mumbai streets like Batata vada, Vada
Pavs, Samosa, Bhaji etc. My taste buds were already tickling to have
something piping hot and deep fried right from the assembly fryer. Also
the delicacies like Kothimbir wadi, Sabudana wadas, Aluwadi were
inviting me to gobble them up at Prakash as in my last visit had missed
these items and they are served fresh and hot over here giving justice
to rainy weather. As this is my 2nd visit to complete the list of menu
over here, in this post I wont talk about its history, ambience,
location, popularity etc as already had posted all this information in
my first review. Hence now coming straight to food, I ordered Sabudana
wada, Aluwadi, Kothimbir wadi, Thalipeeth. These are staple dishes not
to be missed out if you are in Mumbai. Here you can also get other
Maharashtrian dishes and coolers like Puranpoli, Shrikhand, Piyush,
Amla Sarbat, Kokam Sarbat, Solkadhi.
You shall get these delicacies in almost every Maharashtrian restaurants and at Prakash we get in its pure form.
Sabudana
Wada: The 'Sabudana wadas' (spicy sago fritters)(Rs.50) are top of the
heap; a sole reason to make the trip. The crust of the 'wada' is fried
to a perfect crunch; every single sago seed deep fried to perfection
with intermittent groundnut and fried chili adding to the pleasure. And
yet, somehow it doesn't seem over the top greasy. The accompanying
chutney is a masterpiece in itself; quite different from any other; a
nutty concoction of spice tempered ever so slightly by the abundant
groundnut a la chunky mode. Make sure you order the extra chutney in
advance. You shall need it. 'Crack' open the crunchy shell of the wada
and the uncover soft sago seeds glistening and studded with nuts all
perfectly cooked and spiced. Combine the outer shell, the steaming
insides and a bit of that chutney into a single bite; and you are in
heaven.
Kothimbir
Wadi: The Kothimbir Wadi (Rs 38) is another house specialty, which
includes three piping hot crispy on outside but soft on inside squared
patties. It is light and fluffy made out of chopped coriander, a
generous amount of chopped green chillies, crushed ginger mixed in a
thick gram flour batter along with other spices, which is then steamed.
Later, it is cut into squares and deep-fried. Because this dish is quite
spicy, it is served alongside with a sweet and sour date-tamarind or
khajoor-imli chutney.
Aluwadi:
The crispy fried Aluwadi (Rs 45) occupies a special place in my heart,
thanks to my childhood memories. Unlike the Gujarati version of Aluwadi
known as Patra, which are mini-sized and are given a tempering of
mustard seeds and garnished with fresh coriander. The bronze exterior
holds a soft inner core, and carries a hint of sweetness. Spoiler alert
for those expecting a more Teekha wadi, but I couldn't stop peeling
those rings and popping them. Prakash serves two big, thick slices of
Aluwadis fried to crisp with little specks of sesame seeds on them.
Thalipeeth: The Thalipeeth (Rs 45) is another hot-selling snack that one shouldn’t miss. Basically, it’s like a fried thick circular disc made from a mixture of ground foodgrains like jowar, bajra, nachni, etc., spiced up with garam masala and chopped onion. To ensure that the centre of the Thalipeeth cooks through, they have a little hole in the centre. I could feel the goodness of these foodgrains as I ate the Thalipeeth.
Most
items on their menu are priced between Rs 20 to Rs.50, and in
today’s age of merciless inflation it is a steal. The food is as
authentic as can be and the consistent quality is the restaurant’s USP.
So pardon the lack of good ambiance and friendly service, and embrace
the delicious spicy food and quick service. My total damages were
Rs.178/- which was total worth for me.
Sam's Report card.
Taste- 9/10
Ambience- 6/10
Value for Money- 9/10
Service: 7/10
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