The food stalls are set apart from the beach. You can get anything ranging from chana-chur to pav-bhaji, not forgetting the trademark kala-khatta. With a similar kind of price range in all the shops, you can pick your food stall and enjoy a meal, be it lunch or dinner. With women selling balloons in the shape of dogs and little girls running around trying to influence you with their "puppy dog" eyes to put on some temporary mehendi, Chowpatty provides for a complete family experience.
Chowpatty Food
Walking onto Chowpatty, the first thing that greets me is the salty smell of the ocean air. Suddenly, a wiff of the buttery smell of burnt bhutta entices my olfactory cells. Serving as an appropriate appetizer, the golden black bhutta seasoned with salt, red chilies and lemon, increases my appetite. With my taste-buds awakened, I search for something tangy. What fits the bill better than the famous pani-puri. I walk into a stall which boasts of cold pani-puri (which is a rarity, I might add). The puris are filled with warm ragda and cold water, adding the sensation of temperature to the already tasty dish. With the characteristic aftertaste lingering in my mouth, I scavenge for more food. The sizzling sound of something cooking brings me to a pav-bhaji stall. Upon ordering, I get a beautifully decorated plate of pav-bhaji, oozing with butter. The pav being sautéed in left over bhaji just adds to the professionality of the cook. The piping hot bhaji wrapped in the warm pav enhances tactile sensitivity. The tomato in the bhaji seeps into the oral cavity with its characteristic flavour, distinctly different from the other tastes it has already experienced. Smacking my lips after my main course, I move over to the trademark gola counter. The ice lolly generously flavoured with black kala-khatta juice is the best dessert I could have probably hoped for. The ice numbs my lips and the juice soothes the burning sensations over my tongue from the pav bhaji. With my stomach finally full, I walk away, feeling satisfied.
