Mumbai food: Snack like a Sindhi at Chembur's Sindhi Camp

Sev Ki Mithai at Jhama Sweets.Pics/ Sameer Markande

After Independence, Chembur was one of the areas in Mumbai where camps were set up to settle refugees from Pakistan. Sindhi Camp is home to many eateries that were established by the community where traditional snacks have been drawing in crowds for decades.

This weekend, a food trail organised by Wandering Foodie will celebrate these eateries. "The idea was to promote regional Indian food and bring forth the offerings which are already famous or yet hidden, in an authentic way.

Sindhi cuisine is relatively unexplored, and we had a great evening learning about it, so we felt like sharing the experience," says co-founder, Vinod Sarma. "Our tours are not just about the food. Guests will also learn about the history and culture of the Sindhi community in Mumbai."

We dropped by these eateries, and ended up stumbling upon a few more gastronomic gems.

Siddhivinayak Refreshment House
Not on the list of the crawl but one of our personal favourites is a small shack located in a narrow lane near Vig. Fondly known as Ladda Ragda Pattice Wala, the eatery can seat up to 10 people. In operation for over 60 years, we found how almost any local on the road will be able to give you directions to this place. Try the Chhole Pattice (R30), and you are bound to return for an encore.

Siddhivinayak Refreshment House is fondly called Ladda's Pattice

Time: 9 am to 10 pm
At: Old Barrack No T-107, Sindhi Camp, Gandhi Bazar, Chembur Colony, next to the Janakalyan Bank, Chembur.

Jhama Sweets
The landmark mithai shop might have expanded with branches within Chembur, and in Navi Mumbai, but their flagship store that got a swish facelift recently, remains a draw. "The store was started by my family in 1947 after they settled here, post Partition.

A sea of gulab jamuns at Jhama Sweets

We made four items, including the Sev Barfi and pedas. Today, we make over 100 items including chaat, farsan and sweets. We also have a cake shop next door," says owner Govind Jhamamal Lulla. "Sometime back we started selling Vegetable Biryani and Dal Pakwan but it too much of a hassle, so we discontinued it."

Sev Ki Mithai at Jhama Sweets.Pics/ Sameer Markande

We suggest you try the melt-in-mouth Gulab Jamuns (Rs 20 per piece), the popular Sindhi delicacy Singhar Jhi Mithai (Sev Barfi made from unsweetened, sev which are deep fried crunchy strands of gram flour, mawa, milk, sugar and nuts, Rs 560 per kg), the Pista Barfi (Rs 560 per kg) and the savoury Matthi (Rs 240 per kg), which is a traditional North Indian-style crispy snack, made of firm dough prepared with semolina, maida, carom seeds, black peppercorns and ghee.

Time: 9 am to 10 pm
At: Chembur Camp, Gidwani Road, Chembur (E).
Call: 25531762

Sindh Pani Puri
Bang across the road from Vig is Sindh Pani Puri, popular for its ice-cold Pani Puri (Rs 30) made from boondi, Dahi Vada and Mirchi Bhajji (Rs 50). The tiny roadside shack is packed in the evenings, so head there early before they run out of goodies.

Time: 4 pm to 10 pm
At: Shop No. 13, Chembur Camp, Gidwani Road, Chembur (E).
Call: 8898131313

Gopal Mutton
Non-vegetarians needn't feel left out in the neighbourhood. The quaint eatery in one of the bylanes between Vig and Jhama does not have any tables but serves delicious food. The spicy Keema Pattice (R140 per plate) comes highly recommended.

Time: 4 pm to 12 midnight
At: Chembur Camp, Gidwani Road, Chembur (E).
Call: 25536668

Vig Refreshments
Opened roughly 66 years ago, the eatery is a two-minute walk from Jhama. We swear by their Dal Pakwan (Rs 30) and chilled Salted Lassi (Rs 120; in pic).

A popular breakfast item in Sindhi homes, the dal is a simple preparation of chana dal perked up with green chillies, cumin seeds and spice powders, while the pakwan is a deep-fried puri like snack made from plain flour dough.

"I took over the shop from my father-in-law and have been running it for 48 years. We sold only Dal Pakwan and Chola Puri in those days. I introduced items like Luchas and Ragda Pattice. The taste remains the same. Patrons across generations have visited us ,including celebrities like Prithviraj Kapoor and Raj Kapoor," shares owner Arjun Dev Arora.

Time: 7 am to 10 pm
At: Chembur Camp, Gidwani Road, Chembur (E).
Call: 8691070000