Soupy Dimsums

Slow meals, soft notes.🥟

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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.

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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.

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~ 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.

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~ 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.