1. Sindh Pani Puri, Chembur Chef Sanjyot is a fan of this 1951 eatery in Mumbai’s Chembur. “I love the Sindhi style of pani puri, the atte ki puri (puris made of wheat flour), and the boondi (deep-fried drops made of flour) are just great,” he says.
1. ELCO, Bandra Started by a refugee Mohandas Bhagnani, ELCO serves Sindhi pani puri recipe which amassed such popularity over the years that celebrities (and Chef Sanjyot) often stop by to snack on the chaat.
1. Jai Jhulelal, Mulund Chilled pani puri and mirchi pakoda chaat (fried chilli fritters which are chopped and mixed with spices, onions, and flaked rice) at this Mulund outlet makes for a sumptuous breakfast.
1. Prashant Corner, Thane A gentleman Prashant Sakpal founded Prashant Corner in Thane in 1989 to give his customers a taste of authentic, pure, delicious sweets and savouries. The pani puri continues to be a standout.
1. Guru Kripa, Sion “Whenever I crave samosa (fried South Asian pastry with a savoury filling), I head to Guru Kripa. Not just the samosa, I also enjoy eating chole (a spicy chickpea curry) with my samosa,” Chef Sanjyot licks his lips.
1. Hotel Vaibhav, Mulund Chef Sanjyot shares that the misal here has white vatana (peas) in it instead of matki (moth beans) —- “A very ‘Mumbai’ way of making misal,” he says.
1. Mamledar, Thane Started by a man named Narsingh Murdeshwar, the outlet is now managed by his grandson Damodar Murdeshwar. Aside from the misal, some must-haves are the dalimbi usal (an authentic curry preparation) and the kharvas (Indian milk pudding).
1. Raju Dabeli, Mulund “I have tried dabeli (a snack where potato masala is stuffed between pav that is slathered with sweet chutney and garnished with a mix of vegetables and spices) all over India, and hands-down, the best dabeli you get is here,” Chef Sanjyot affirms.
1. Ayub’s, Khar For Chef Sanjyot, who loves himself some midnight snacking, this has been a great haunt. “I love the seekh kebab roll here,” he notes, adding that you should definitely try it if you like kebabs.
1. Sheetal Bar and Kitchen, Khar “I absolutely love the chilli chicken rolls here; it’s like a whole portion of chilli chicken dry wrapped up in a rumali roti (a thin and limp form of Indian flatbread),” the chef says.
1. Quality Rolls “Hands down the best frankie masala I have tasted is at Quality Frankie,” Chef Sanjyot shares. “They have two outlets; one in Khar and one in Juhu. I love how crisp the roti is and how tangy the filling is. It’s the perfect balance.”
1. Ashok Vada Pav, Dadar Each time Chef Sanjyot feasts on the vada pav (deep-fried potato dumplings placed inside a bun) at Ashok Vada Pav near Kirti College, Mumbai, he is completely blown away by the taste. “It is one of my favourites,” he smiles.
1. Aram Vada Pav, CST Started in 1939 and one of the oldest vada pav haunts in the city, it is located outside Mumbai’s iconic CST Station. A menu favourite is the butter cheese grill kothimbir wadi pav (a fritter made with coriander leaves and gram flour).
1. Manju Sandwich, Mulund While Chef Sanjyot has a bounty of favourite sandwich places for when he needs a good pick-me-up, Manju Sandwich is one of the top contenders for the delicate balance they manage to achieve with the chutneys, veggies and cheese.