Bringing Indian street food to the heart of Auckland is one of Ponsonby’s newest additions, Mumbaiwala.
With a fresh and authentic menu and stunning atmosphere, the restaurant transports diners and presents the best of Mumbai.
From reviews and word of mouth I’d been hearing and reading about how wonderful this new hot spot was and I knew I had to make a visit.
Unfortunately, as a vegan, I missed out on the reputable Dahi Puri which seems to be all anyone can talk about with Mumbaiwala. However, I was pleased to see an extensive and inclusive menu which gave me more than enough options to satisfy my appetite. Mumbaiwala does not let you feel left out as a vegan.
In the interests of research and trying more shared dishes, I bribed a couple of my friends to come with me, which of course wasn't a hard ask. ‘From the streets’ we ordered the Aloo Tikki Chaat - a chaat with potato cutlet, chickpeas and tangy chutneys and the Cauliflower Manchurian - a fusion of Indo-Chinese flavours described as pastry-less chilli and garlic cauliflower dumplings. ‘From the pot’ we got the Vegetable Kolhapuri with some roti and the green apple pickle on the side.
After battling and debating which curry to pick, we were very pleased with our decision to try the Vegetable Kolhapuri. Its thick, spicy and flavourful base made it one of the best curries I’ve ever had. Of course, we mopped it all up with roti until our plates looked like they’d been licked clean.
While the Green Apple Pickle was a yet to be acquired taste for me, the Aloo Tikki Chaat was outstanding with its bold flavours complementing each other beautifully. I’m a sucker for spice so this hit the spot for me, despite some of my friends struggling a bit more to push through with it. The chutneys and yoghurt perfectly balanced the chilli and made it a pleasure to eat. It just… works!
We adored the Cauliflower Manchurian the most. Ordering it, mostly out of intrigue, and not entirely knowing what we were getting, we fell in love with the truly addictive simmer sauce and the chewy bite sized cauliflower. It was perfect and I couldn’t recommend this dish more.
The drinks menu too is worth exploring. I went for a non-alcohol night and got the Lychee Iced Tea which I loved. It was not too sweet like iced tea so often is and was a great pairing with the spice that was later to hit me. The cocktail list looked fabulous, and complimentary remarks were made at the tables surrounding us who ordered them.
Mumbaiwala is for people who embrace spice and love a good flavour bite to a dish. It’s an experience - not just with food but with the whole ambience. With Covid-19 still on our doorstep, I’m not travelling any time soon, but Mumbaiwala gives me the satisfaction of feeling like I’m in Mumbai for one night and is a great new addition to the Ponsonby Road food scene. (Sofia Roger Williams)
Mumbaiwala, 252 Ponsonby Road, T: 09 213 4152, www.mumbaiwala.co.nz
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