Celebrities dive into their favourite Maharashtrian dishes, and where to get the best fare in Mumbai

Momrsquos magicAkash Deshpande chef Luv RestaurantOne of my favourite Maharashtrian meals is made from aloo or Aroo leaves particularly the stems Growing up my mom had this genius way of turning humble ingredients into something memorable She would boil the aloo stems coat them in Malvani masala and shallowfry them till crisp just like bombil fry A plate of crisp fry and varan bhaat with a light kokum saarwas pure nostalgia It reminds me how Maharashtrian food can be incredibly smart and deeply comforting at once In the city though I like going to Konkan Swad for their bombil fry thaali and sol kadhi which are absolute favouritesKonkan SwadAt Mahatma Gandhi Road Motilal Nagar III Goregaon WestCall 9867890933Joys of comfort foodDhruv Ghanekar music composer and producerI have always loved a simple plate of varan bhaat It is the quintessential Maharashtrian meal that I can never get tired of despite having it every day Fluffy rice paired with simple nomasala preparation of dal topped with dollops of homemade toop or ghee and a slice of lime takes me back to my childhood days where I would look forward to having a steaming plate of varan bhaat cooked by my mother It might seem like the simplest thing to make but needs attention and care Whenever I have to indulge in a bit of snacking I head out to Kaka vada pav which is a small stall in Shivaji Park for a good biteKaka vada pavAt Behind Ravi caterers Swatantryaveer Savarkar Road Shivaji Park Dadar WestQuick happy mealsHemant Divate poet editor and publisherBombil stuffed with prawn Pic courtesyJai HindI still remember the hecticness that preceded the making of the earlier issues of Abhidha Nantar a literary journal back in the 1980s where we would do the DTP editing proofreading and printing at the Lokvangmaya press in Dadar Since this was before the advent of high technology we couldnrsquot pick up the phone every two minutes to check the timeThe only thing that reminded us about the approaching lunchtime was the clock in our stomachs When our stomachs roared we fled to Hotel Jaihind in Parel to devour food especially my favourite mdash bharlele bombil Bombil or Bombay duck stuffed with small prawns cooked in a delicious masala fried crisp to perfection used to be the highlight of my lunch Meals shared with dear friends and loved ones consistently elevated the whole experience to a higher levelJai Hind Lunch HomeAt Multiple outlets Bandra East Lower Parel PrabhadeviCall 8097454913The paver of misalMandar Bhide standup comedianMisal pav Pic courtesyAaswad on InstagramIt is hard for me to choose between misal pav and vada pav Having travelled all over Maharashtra I can say that the misal is different in each city and everyone claims to have the best version of itWhen I started my sales job in 2011 I was posted in Kolhapur for four weeks for a training programme and ate misal pav every day for lunch without ever getting bored In Mumbai I like heading out to Aaswad and Prakash in Dadar for vegetarian food and Sadichha in Bandra for crab dishes and kombdi vadeAaswad Upahar and Mithai GruhAt Sanskruti Building Gadkari Chauk 4 Lady Jamshedji Road opposite Shiv Sena Bhavan Dadar WestCall 9867890933SadichhaAt Opposite MIG Cricket Club Road Gandhi Nagar Bandra EastCall 8291612018Prakash Shakahari Upahaar KendraAt Horizon Building Gokhale Road Dadar WestCall 9867890933Also check outA classic fareLocated in Kala Ghoda this restaurant has been popular among sea food fans from the city as well as tourists AT Trishna Sai Baba Mandir Marg next to Commerce House Kala Ghoda FortCALL 9206260260Prawn koliwada Pic courtesyTrishna on InstagramSeafood bonanzaThis cityfavourite haunt is famous for its delish coastal fare From crispy bombil fry and spicy crab dishes to stuffed pomfret and flavourful prawn curries one only needs to have the appetite and the heart to indulge in classic Maharashtrian flavoursAT Gajalee Multiple locations Vile Parle Andheri EastCALL 2226166470 Vile Parle outletA traditional thaali Pic courtesyGajalee on InstagramSimple yet boldWhether you are craving bharleli vangi or a plate of fiery Nagpur saoji chicken or Malvani cocktails this Mahim landmark is a musthaltAT Diva Maharashtracha Mili Building Takandas Kataria Marg next to Goa Portuguesa Restobar Shivaji ParkCALL 0224440707A classic Maharashtrian spread Pic courtesyDiva Maharashtracha on InstagramMaharashtrian favouritesTrue to its name this eateryrsquos menu is a delight for those who love their puran poli kothimbir vadi batata usal and other snacks served deliciously hotAT Mi Marathi Alpha Society Parle Road Navpada Vile Parle EastCALL 9619557173All in oneThis eatery whips up diverse flavours from Kolhapur Alibaug Konkan as well as VidarbhaAT The Maratha Kitchen Sonawala Road opposite Corporate Annex near Udyog Bhavan Sonawala Industrial Estate GoregaonCALL 8850965616Old favouriteLoved by many for its simple and affordable menu this old outlet has stood the test of time to deliver the best of Maharashtrian snacks and dishes to MumbaikarsAT Panshikar multiple outlets Dadar Vile Parle Girgaon GhatkoparCALL 9833209882 GhatkoparatOptionskeyd0ddb8ef8f1a62a8cdd22fac27fc5ea7formatiframeheight90width728params