One of the biggest and most common misconceptions that people have about Gujarati cuisine is that Gujarati food is all about “Thepla”, “Dhokla”, “Jalebi-Fafda” and “sugar in everything!” Well, that is surely not the case! If you ask us, Gujarati cuisine is one of India’s most diverse and underrated culinary traditions. Wondering why we say that with so much conviction? That is because we visited “Soam”, one of Mumbai’s most iconic regional restaurants, and we were accompanied by not just good food but also the founder, Pinky Chandan Dixit.
Founder Pinky helped us deep dive into the amazingness and beauty of Gujarati cuisine because that is what unstumbled’s “State On A Plate” taps into. It is a journey through India’s culinary map without ever leaving the city. So, here’s our next episode, taking you on a journey of exploring the best of Gujarati cuisine in Mumbai at Soam.
State On A Plate: Relishing Gujarati Cuisine In Mumbai At Soam
In this episode of unstumbled’s “State On A Plate,” we explored Gujarati cuisine. And which other place would have been better than Mumbai’s iconic Soam restaurant?
The founder, Pinky Chandan Dixit, took us on a culinary journey of understanding Gujarati cuisine in good depth. What started as Pinky’s love for her regional Gujarati cuisine has now transformed into one of Mumbai’s most loved spots for regional delicacies.
She helped us understand how Gujarati cuisine has a mix of sour, salty, and sweet dishes, where sweet dishes sort of play the role of a palate cleanser. You eat something sour or spicy and then take a bite of any of the sweet dishes, and then again go back to the other dishes. According to her, Gujarati food is well balanced with all four tastes: sweet, salty, sour, and bitter.
Also Read: State On A Plate: Exploring Authentic Maharashtrian Cuisine In Mumbai
The Best Of Gujarati Cuisine
If you look at the table in the video, you will see a variety of dishes placed on it, offering different colors and flavors. The founder, Mrs. Dixit, served us literally the best of Gujarati cuisine that included dishes like: Dal Dhokli, Methi Ka Thepla with Laal Batata, Aamras Puri, Panki, Moongdal Dhokla, Khichu, Aam Ka Panna, and Garam Mohanthal.
Our anchor and content head, Natasha, was completely bowled over by the range of colors visible on the table. Natasha ate all the dishes one after the other, starting with Thepla and Laal batata, and was in complete awe of them all. What added to her experience of relishing these amazing Gujarati dishes was the never-before-heard fact that Mrs. Dixit bombarded her with.
From how preserving became a part of Gujarati culture and Gujaratis’ connection with hospitality to why Gujaratis always have thepla in their bag while travelling, Mrs. Dixit told us all!
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Also Read: State On A Plate: Exploring Traditional Nagaland Cuisine In Mumbai
About Soam
Soam is an iconic pure vegetarian restaurant located in South Mumbai. The restaurant is located right opposite the beautiful, iconic, and historic Babulnath temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The restaurant was founded by Pinky Chandan Dixit and is one of the most loved restaurants in Mumbai.
The restaurant is known to serve authentic, seasonal, and wholesome Indian home-style comfort food. It focuses primarily on Gujarati, Kathiawadi, and Marwari cuisines. Dividing their offerings into categories, they serve signature classics, seasonal specialities, street classics, and festive selections. It has a minimal, warm, and comforting ambience, free of any over-the-top drama.
One thing that makes it a favourite among the locals is that the menu here transitions dynamically with the seasons. It offers special curations based on whatever is available as per the season.
Address: Sadguru Sadan, Ground Floor, Babulnath Rd, Babulnath, Chowpatty, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400007
Timings: 11:30 AM to 10:30 PM
Cost For Two: INR 950
Summing Up
On this episode of “State on A Plate,” we relished Gujarati cuisine at Soam restaurant, and it was simply fantastic. This new IP by unstumbled is here to take you on a state-wise culinary journey right here in the City of Dreams, Mumbai!
So, if you too wish to explore India’s diverse cuisine with us, make sure you subscribe to our YouTube channel for all the new episodes. You can also follow us on Instagram (unstumbled) for more fun as well as informative content that we post regularly!
While this video is already an answer to all your queries about Gujarati food, our website also has articles on components of a Gujarati thali or authentic Gujarati food spots in Mumbai, which you can check out!
