::: Hogger By Birth ::: Food Guide for Best Restaurants, Cafes, Lounges and Eating Places in Mumbai

Ever had Bataashe or GupChup in North India or Puchkas whenever you visited Bengal or the Gol Gappas when you'd been to Delhi the last time? Well it's all one and the same- the tangy Pani Puri of Gujarat & Maharashtra, with a slight difference of tartness and spices here and there.

In a Pani Puri, there's a blend of boondi, moong, ragda and potatoe mash, whereas when you move towards the north, there's more of hot stuffing of chickpeas and potatoes again. Being a Mumbaikar, authentic pani puri means 'Pani Puri' to me and not any other variations you find all over India. And I'm sure its the same case with other Mumbaikars, a major reason being a palate built for ice cold Pani which is hard to find in Puchkas or Gol Gappas. (No offense north Indians... Nothing equals your Aloo Tikki Chaat till today.)

This street snack might be a matter of sanitariness for the ones who don't know how to explore the real fun of life. And living in a city like Mumbai, i feel my immunity glands have become unconquerable enough with all the roadside dust, hawker's sweat and the dirt of his nails that I've gulped all my life with extreme delight. But it still continues to remain the most demanded street chaat by my tummy till today.

Be it a pani puri wala bhaiya round the corner of the street or a glove geared stall wala at a wedding party, it is a fun watching people of different ages swig down these huge fried water bombs and the different expressions that come on their faces- "Ummm lovely", "Wooof spicy" or "Ummm how tangy".