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@soupydimsums
On my plate:
a) Curry Dumplings: Beautifully moist, vegetable dumplings dunked in a bed of yellow curry similar to a Thai curry. It tastes like heaven with dollops of chili oil.
b) Kuber Kulcha: Cheesy, mini naan-breads with a fiery, bombshell green chutney.
c) Peach Iced Tea: Love the froth and that spunk from the lemon.
Where: Gymkhana 91, Lower Parel, Mumbai When: 27.01.2021
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| Food Log: 1(a) |
From the Archives
On my plate: Korean Pot Rice
Notes: They claimed it was cooked in spicy sauce but it was cooked in a regular black bean sauce. Nonetheless, it was delish. Plump crunchy vegetables (especially the lotus stems *yum*) were submerged in hot gravy and bouncy rice.
P.S: I LOVE the first photo, haha.
Where: Gymkhana 91, Lower Parel, Mumbai. When: 27.01.2021
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| Food Log: 1 |
From the archives
🥟 On My Plate: 🥟
Chilli Caramel Chonky Noodles (Super thick noodles coated in ma la chilli oil, soy sauce caramel, and toasted sesame powder)
Hot Oil Splash Noodles (Chilli flakes, garlic, coriander, scallions, and yum-yum seasoning)
Chao Shao Pot Stickers (long wantons that are seared golden at the bottom & steamed on the top)
🍜 Bang Bang Noodles that didn't quite Bang:
I am very laid back when it comes to noodles. As a noodle-lover, I have the knack of enjoying even the bad plates.
But Bang Bang Noodle, with their new opening in Khar, Mumbai, did leave me disappointed with their Chilli Caramel Chonky Noodles. I understand thick noodles, but I don't understand having to chew for an eternity to swallow one bite. As someone who can inhale thicker ramen strands, even biting into these felt like effort. The saving grace was their chili and caramel sauce -- however, I found this very underseasoned in terms of salt.
Next, I was excited to try the OG bieng noodles -- the thick, flat variant with their Hot Oil Splash Noodles. I think their hot oil splash and sauce were on point, including the presentation, but I wish the noodles were silkier to slurp and didn't have uneven knots of dough in certain places. Maybe I am just being picky. I think they prefer to lightly season their dishes because the salt wasn't enough in this one too.
The Chao Shao Pot Stickers though are worth coming back for. The bottoms were beautifully crispy with that rice flour net, and the dumplings themselves were juicy and flavorful with their vegetable filling. The in-house chili oil was the perfect partner to heavily douse these with. PRO-TIP: These are meant to be eaten in one bite for maximum flavor burst.
Overall, I think we may have ordered dishes that didn't quite suit our palates, and it wouldn't be fair to judge the restaurant based on the couple we tried. This place is Mumbai's first noodle house, which makes (and stretches) its noodles by hand. I plan to go back for the pot stickers, try a few more of their sides, and their thinner, broth-based noodle bowls.
Where: Bang Bang Noodle, Khar, Mumbai
When: 26th June, 2026, Friday
Some dumpling steam gorgeousness.
Trying Foo's 'Best of Asia' Set Lunch Menu
On My Plate: 1. Guava Togarashi Fizz 2. Sushi - Truffle Togarashi Black Rice Maki (2 pieces) 3. Lotus Root Dumplings (3 pieces) 4. Foo Yellow Curry: Water Chestnut, Broccoli, Mushroom 5. Foo Blue Butter Japanese Fried Rice 6. Dessert: Snickerz Nut Crunch
I decided to use my lunch hour at work for a mini self-date.
Foo Asian Tapas launched its 'Best of Asia' set-lunch menu a while ago, and it's been on my wishlist ever since. Yesterday turned out to be the perfect opportunity to go try it out.
I wasn't expecting much, to be honest. Their regular menu is extensive, and since their set menu is 1/4 of what I would usually pay for a meal here, I thought it might not hit the mark.
Surprise, surprise! The food was just as good, and their portion sizes and rotational menu options are perfect for one person. They kept their food quality on point, with zero compromise on flavor or presentation, and everything was served steaming hot.
From the lotus root dumplings (my new favorites) to the last morsel of rice and curry, I've dunked or drizzled almost every second bite with chili oil. No regrets. Max flavor bomb.
A few notes on eating solo:
I have been going on solo food dates for some time now, and this one showed me how, with every meal, I've gotten so much more comfortable with eating by myself. Yes, there are curious stares because a woman asking for a table-for-one isn't the norm in India yet, but we are getting there.
When I am eating solo, I've noticed how much more present I am with my food -- no conversations distracting me, the gradual confidence that comes in once I am less conscious about being judged for eating alone helps me tune into the present moment. It is just me and my food. I savor every bite, testing flavor combinations like a curious explorer, with dips, sauces, and side pairings. I discover how lovely it is to simply enjoy a meal with a less distracted mind.
I'm going to give myself a shiny star for spontaneously making my lunch hour an impromptu, fun food discovery.
And at times like these, I feel so much more like Goro-San from 'Solitary Gourmet'.
Hazy Food Photos, BFFs, and Eating Around Town
We time-travelled back to our 20-something selves on Saturday night. A group of three best friends, currently in their mid-to-late 30s, along with the addition of a new member: a 7-month-old cutie.
We binged on some of our old food favorites at Marine Lines and made a new food-spot discovery at Worli (totally worth it).
The hazy, crazy food photos were the courtesy of car dashboard lights trying to help my old phone camera.
First stop: Paneer Cheese Pizza and Peri Peri Fries at the Aarey Milk Depot signal, Worli
This isn't your New York slice. It is your classic upgrade on the Shiv Sagar pizza (ready-made base, in-house tomato sauce, paneer tikka gravy, paneer cubes, capsicum, onion, and Amul cheese shavings). I wasn't expecting much, but it was love at first bite: crispy bread, crunchy veggies, and that tikka gravy with cheese was chef's kiss. A street-style pizza that scores.
The Peri Peri Fries were hot -- in every way. Freshly made, thin, even slices of potato fried to perfect golden goodness. The peri peri seasoning was fire. Literally. But god, I loved the crunch of the spuds, and I didn't mind my nose watering because that spice mix was delicious.
Second stop: Channa Chat, Plain Maggi, and Gola outside Parsi Marine Lines Station
Maggi was passable -- slightly undercooked but hot, it redeemed itself because the masala seasoning coated the noodles well. Channa Chaat -- simple and yum, no fuss. Kaccha keri, that special spice mix, tomatoes and onions kept it neat.
The standout: Malai and Rose Gola + Kacchi Keri and Kalakhata Mix Gola
These were summer in a cup: cool, fun, and yum. I'd forgotten how good eating golas could be, and this was a much-needed reminder.
Handcut Truffle Fries, Gamey Mistress (Burrata Pizza), and a Fiery Taxi at 'Lil Gamby'
On My Plate:
a. Handcut Truffle Fries (Served with Ranch and Naga Chili Ketchup) b. Gamey Mistress (Burrata Pizza: San Marzano Tomato Base, Fresh Burrata, Mozzarella & Scamorza Cheese) * c. Fiesty Taxi (Mocktail: Guava, Orange, Cranberry, Peach, Lime)
When you have friends who mirror your continuous, exciting hunt for good food, you've got to blindly follow them when they tell you they know the meanest pizza spot in town.
Lil Gamby at Linking Road, Bandra, looks more like a hip graffiti-lover's pub during weekday afternoons. However, I am yet to find a worthy contender for their gorgeous sourdough pizzas.
We kick-started our little party of two with their Handcut Truffle Fries and a Ranch dressing that lovingly showcased the 'soft girl era' of garlic. The potato strips were chunky and generous. They were served hot, with curls of steam escaping out of each bite (just how I love my fries).
For drinks, I called for the 'Fiesty Taxi'. It turned out to be right up my alley: glass rim coated in salt and red chili powder, and a hearty punch of guava, peach, and orange.
Things got serious when it came to our pizza -- the 'Gamey Mistress'. I've had sourdough pizzas before, but none as light, airy, and delectably chewy as Gamby's. The base sauce was right on the money with its flavor: tomato-y, slightly spicy, and with just a hint of natural sweetness from the fruit. The burrata glowed with generous dollops of olive oil on each slice. All in all, I am going back for this one.
I followed my friend's cue and dunked a bite of my pizza in their Ranch dip --- yum. And with the rest of the crust, as is the unsaid rule among pizza folks: dip it in chili oil.
~ On My Plate ~
Alka Aunty's OG Kanda Poha
It's official: Sundays are for poha.
Not the basic, dry, sad affair, but the Kanda Poha that Alka Aunty makes.
It's the taste of home. Light, gentle sweetness from the onions. Moist, warm flakes of poha (flattened rice) gently hold bites of green chilli for tiny sparks of spice. Think steaming, snuggly comfort on a plate.
The gamechangers: A generous dousing of freshly grated coconut, a healthy squeeze of lemon, and a purposeful heavy-handedness with the coriander garnish.
As a Gujarati, I was zero years old when I found out that you cannot underestimate the power of this simple, age-old Maharashtrian delicacy.
~ On My Plate ~
Mixed Vegetable Gyoza
Green Tea & Yuzu Cooler
Yakisoba Noodles
Post a haircut, I took myself for a lunch date to Tamari. Upon entering the restaurant, I felt like I was in a small Izakaya in Japan.
Their dining menu has more options than their online one, so I had to reroute when I saw they also had gyoza. My mixed vegetable ones stayed true to their half-moon shape, pan-fried, and slightly chubby. Tucked with corn, zucchini, green chilies, and mushrooms, these were crispy, chewy, and delicious as is. (You know you've met good gyoza when you can munch on them without a dunk in any sauce.)
However, their in-house tomato dipping sauce was a superb pairing to the dumplings. The humble gyoza filling hummed happily with this sour, flavorful and spicy sauce. Next, I dunked my gyozas in soy sauce and the resulting bite was mild, salty, and earthy (another combo that I could eat forever). BUT here's what I discovered: A tad bit of chili oil and that tomato sauce on top of a generous gyoza bite was my reigning favorite.
Next up, their Green Tea and Yuzu cooler. The green tea was surprisingly mild, and the yuzu was present, but it was missing zest and some punch. This one fell flat for me.
Lastly, their Yakisoba Noodles (apparently a Chef's special here). I was a bit disappointed with the use of soba noodles instead of the original, fat noodles. The latter would have ensured that the strands were well-apart and slurp-worthy. The stir-fry was missing the smokiness that makes Yakisoba, well, truly Yakisoba. However, the noodles did have a lot of flavor, were enjoyable to eat, and the umami quotient was hands down the mushrooms that had soaked up the sauce beautifully.
I'm heading back soon to try their Silken Tofu Ramen (a crowd favorite).
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Where: Tamari, Bandra West, Mumbai
When: January 29th, 2026.
~ Dinner Date at Baoji Asian Kitchen, 27th June, Friday ~
1. How it Started
1a. Cutie Alert: Jhoomu
2. Round 1: Water chestnut and Asparagus Cheng Fun
3. Round 1: Purple Aubergine Open Face Bao
4. Round 1: Thai Chilli Guava Mary
5. Some blurry, happy, selfies because I was feeling cute.
6. Round 2: Lotus Stems
7. Round 2: Turnip Cakes
8. How it ended
Breakfast Date at Journal Bombay ~ 3rd June, Tuesday
The morning rain gave us just the perfect setting to enjoy a warm cup of coffee, catch up on almost 3 weeks of life updates, and also click some moody food photos.😇
☕Started with a Cappuccino (Oat Milk): I love the creamy nuttiness of oat milk once it mixes with the brew.
🥑 Got their Avocado on Toast: I love how they make their guac so this wasn't a surprise but I'd rather have them skip that Balsamic Vinegar drizzle.
🫑 Dhoklu (BFF) recommended their Bell Pepper Hummus. Damn, that was creamy, slightly sweet with the classic smokey aftertaste of charred bell peppers, mildly spicy, and with just enough salt.
🌺 Here's a cute corner of the cafe with bright pink flowers.
Manchurian Dosa | 11th May, Sunday
Went with the Nanus to eat Manchurian Dosa and Schezwan Cheese Frankie at Ghatkopar, on a whim. 👯♀️
The Manchurian was green oniony, hot, sour, and garlicky. The chutney was a refreshing contrast against the heat of the Manchurian. The dosa was beautifully soft and yum. 🤤
Unfortunately, it was too dark to take a photo of the Schezwan Cheese Frankie. But it ticked all the boxes --- flaky, crispy cover, potato filling that was heartily assembled with cheese and a generous addition of onions (my favorite part is their crunch), and the goodness of Indian Chinese's version of Schezwan sauce.🤤
Bruch at Juco Cafe | 10th May, Saturday
