Food for Thought: Skinny girl who is a foodie

I am a foodie but, there have been several occasions where I have been questioned and got surprised looks from people on mentioning that. Why? Well, because I am skinny. I am one of those individuals on this planet who can eat like a pig yet, never gain weight. This has been the story of my life.

The good part of being blessed with high metabolism is that I can eat all I want without any fear of gaining weight. The bad part? Well, it’s all those comments you get to hear.

No, this isn’t going to be a blog post where I crib and cry about those comments I hear but, rather introspection. (Ok, I might crib a little, just a little)

Someone can be a foodie only if they are fat? What kind of logic is that! Being a foodie has nothing to do with one’s weight! You might weigh 100+ kgs or just 50 kgs, being a foodie has got to do with your love for food, and mind you it’s not necessary that that love for food should be physically seen in the body. That is the most ridiculous thing ever if you ask me.

Getting shocked/surprised look when you eat more than everyone at the table is something I have faced so many times and those looks are followed by statements such as – ‘Oh my god, you eat so much, where does it all go?’, ‘how can you eat so much’, ‘I am surprised you managed to finish that’ and, I could just end up writing a book on the various comments one gets. What I don’t understand is, people have a problem if a skinny person eats a lot and they have a problem if they don’t eat a lot, I mean come on, make up your mind people!

Being skinny doesn’t mean you can’t eat large portions and being skinny also does not mean you don’t enjoy the food. The whole point of being a food enthusiast is that you enjoy and relish food a little more than others do and by doing so if one does not put on weight, well that’s just a bonus.

This leads to one of the biggest misconceptions among people about foodies. A lot of them think being a foodie means someone who eats a lot and is always ready to experiment with their palate. Well, probably this is where the problem arises from. Foodie is not just someone who is always up for trying out various cuisines, but a foodie is someone who has an ardent interest in food and seeks out new experiences and learning when it comes food and beverages. Yes, I agree that in recent past the word ‘foodie’ has been used exhaustively to an extent that it has lost its meaning hence, I have settled for calling myself a food enthusiast and just not a foodie.

Like Julia Child once said, ‘people who love to eat are the best people’, and I couldn’t agree with her more. And, if I had to sum up all my thoughts in a sentence it would be, don’t judge people on their interest in food and their love for food basis their body weight, instead eat and make merry and continue to spread the love for food. Sounds good, yeah?

Mumbai Foodie Diaries!

Mumbai, as they say is the ‘city of dreams’

Mumbai, as I say is ‘every foodie’s paradise’

 

Two and a half long months in Mumbai, quite a long period I wondered to myself before leaving from Bengaluru. This wasn’t the first time I was visiting Mumbai! I’ve been here several times before, but this was the first time I was staying here for so long and alone!

I had made a list, actually several lists, no surprise there. These lists were all about things I wanted to do to the places I wanted to visit to the restaurants I wanted to dine at; it was quite an extensive one that I can guarantee you. Was I able to mark off everything on my list? Well, let’s say I covered a lot places and there were some which I couldn’t due to time or money constraints. Yes, I was a tad bit disappointed, but I knew I would be coming back to the city hence I could continue my exploits then!

Mumbai has a very vibrant food culture, there is just so much to eat and savour! If there is something I’ve thoroughly enjoyed here it's the street food! If you are a sucker for street food, Mumbai is the place to be, and explore the street food culture! From dosa to sandwiches to chaats and oh how can I forget the ever popular vada pavs, these were part of my weekly diet! Heading to a popular street food area and eating to my heart’s content is what I did every Sunday!

My favourite was the dosa and Bombay sandwich! Loaded with cheese and butter, these dosa’s were part of my Sunday morning breakfast! Each stall boasting of having more than 51-100 varieties on their menu, I usually spent first ten minutes on deciding which one I wanted to eat! No, I couldn’t try out all the 51-100 varieties but I did try something different every time. Mysore and paneer dosa topped the list. Not only was it flavoursome, but just one plate of it was so filling!

Bombay sandwich is something I always treat myself to every time I visit this city. This time was no different! Apart from shopping and gorging on cupcakes, I used to pamper myself to these scrumptious Bombay sandwiches! You know like they say in Hindi, ‘arrey iski toh baat hi kuch alag hai’, these lines used to run in my mind every time I had a bite of these sandwiches! Again, variety excites and confuses you, but I would suggest start off with the age old classic one, veg toast sandwich! It might be the simplest one to prepare, but it is rich in flavours!

When it comes to chaats, pav bhaji, pani puri and sev puri remained as my favourites! Of course apart from this, the classic Mumbai special misal pav and usal pav is a must have! There were times when I had just this for dinner and later complained of not being able to move because I was so full!

Vada pav, more than enough has been said by people about it, however during this trip I realized that they are a bit over rated. Yes, I have had some delicious ones, but I have had many bad ones as well. Almost every street in Mumbai has a vada pav stall, and sometimes when you have too much of something it kind of gets to you!

So here is the first of things to do in Mumbai!

• Enjoy your Sunday breakfast having dosa’s in Malad (chincholi bunder) or in Vile Parle. The one in Bandra linking road is another option. Treat yourself to Bombay sandwiches at Vile Parle again. Yes, there are many places, but the one in this area has remained my favourite for years now! For chaats, go to Juhu or Chowpatty, the best chaats are experienced and tasted by the beach! Who said that? Me! :D
• For vada pav, Bansi vada pav stall is one option, but honestly till this date the best vada pav I’ve had was in Kalyan, you will grab another one just to relish the taste of the chutney!

    Mysore dosa

Moving onto a different segment, namely restaurants and Café’s! If there is one café you must dine at in this city is Café Moshe’s! Having several outlets spread across the city, this place is known for its Mediterranean food and desserts! Recently this café introduced a whole new menu, which is more extensive and caters to a wider taste! Unfortunately, I couldn’t get an opportunity to experience the new menu, but the old one wasn’t bad either. After a long day if you are looking for a relaxed ambience and some comfort food, this is your go to place!

 #nomnomnom at Cafe Moshes

Oh and Café Leopold! Café Leopold is to Mumbai, what Koshy’s is to Bengaluru. More than enough reason to head there, isn’t it?

Chinese being my favourite cuisine was something I didn’t really enjoy here! It was good yes, but nothing more than that. 

For the love for Chinese

A special mention for Mamagoto for their excellent service though! While dining here, as I was relishing my meal, by mistake I ended up eating a chilli, and my god I was teary eyed! Seeing this, not only did the waiter get me some sugar and honey, but also got a bowl of ice-cream just so that I can feel better! Oh and they didn’t bill me for ice-cream! This kind of attention and service will always make you want to go back to the place again! Mamagoto recently opened in Bengaluru as well, although haven’t tried it out yet!

Finger food is another segment which quite a few restaurants here offer! If you are looking out for just something to munch on and enjoy your drinks, there are places like He Said She Said to experience! A bit pricy, but the experience is worth it!

So the next thing to do in Mumbai is –

• Go café hopping in Colaba. This area is oh so British and the café’s here reflect that culture. There are a number of café’s which offer just not food, but also beer, what more can one ask for? 
• Go restaurant and pub hopping in Andheri and Bandra. Yes, it’s going to be an expensive affair but you wouldn’t want to miss out on all the food and fun! There are plenty of restaurants in both the areas, hence shortlist the ones which cater to your taste.

At one of the cafes in Colaba 

Probably something which I missed the most while I was in Mumbai was Nachos. Crispy, yummy nachos! My cravings led me to try nachos at several places but nothing really made me go ‘Oh my god, this is so good’!  Most tasted like bingo chips and the others were devoid of toppings and/or sour cream! From pubs like British Brewing Company to café’s in Colaba, none impressed me and all I could do was wait, wait to get back to Bengaluru and satisfy my craving.

Coming to my favourite, desserts! You can’t go to Mumbai and not try out the cupcakes from Theobrama and LSD (Love Sugar Dough), like you just can’t! After Glen’s Bakehouse the finest red velvet cupcake I’ve had was at Theobrama. Oh the thought of it gets me mouth-watering! The best part about the cupcakes here is that the taste lingers in your mouth for a long time, making you crave for more. LSD again is a very popular dessert café in Mumbai. Soft and glossy, these cupcakes are a shortcut to happiness!

So yes, the next in things to do list involves,

• Visit to LSD and Theobrama to get a sugar rush!

Red velvet cupcake, picture says it all, doesn't it? 

I love breakfasts! I consider myself to be a very breakfast person hence exploring the breakfast outlets in the city was on my list as well. Mumbai isn’t short of breakfast places; I couldn’t pay a visit to all, but tried my best to visit a few of them.

Hence, the next in things to do list involves,

• Visiting some of the popular breakfast spots in the city. Most of them are situated in Colaba, but there are some small cafe's located in other areas of the city too. My favourite was Le Pain Quotidien in Powai! 

Happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast, right?

Also, roadside tea! This is something Bengaluru lacks and what I miss about Mumbai. Trying out the roadside masala chai is a must! Standing/sitting on the footpath as you drink your chai while you watch the traffic in front of you is an experience in itself!

So, add this on your list as well,

•  Roadside masala chai!

Coming to the other things you should do while you are in this city –

• An evening walk in Marine Drive followed by eating chaats at Chowpatty
•  Shopping at Linking road in Bandra and Colaba causeway
• Drive through Bandra Worli Sea link, its magnificent!
• Spend the evening walking or sitting on the benches on the promenade facing the Arabian Sea! It’s the most romantic place in Mumbai if you ask me!
• Travel by local train
• And go for a late night walk

    Beautiful, isn't it? 

There are several things which you can do in this city, however these top my list! These are probably some of the ways you can best enjoy the culture of the city and soak into it. Crowded yet empty, noisy yet calm, tall buildings and slums, this city has everything!

For a foodie, Mumbai is a place which pampers your taste buds. You can be on a tight budget yet enjoy a lavish meal, something we all look forward for, don’t we?

Yes, there were few things which I really wanted to explore, like dine at an Iranian café, enjoy a traditional Maharashtrian meal, etc. It’s definitely on top of my list when I visit this city again.

Someone asked me, what I liked about Mumbai the most apart from food of course! I said,

“The tall skylines! Because every time I looked outside my bedroom balcony, seeing those tall skylines made me realize how far I’ve come, and the fact that you can be alone yet never lonely! It’s a very strong emotion, a feeling which made me feel so comfortable, a feeling which perhaps filled the void in me!”

P.S - Apologies for the lack of pictures for this post! Unfortunately, lost a lot of them!