Ipshita Sharma has *the* ratatouille moment at Vasai Local restaurant and tells you all about it.
Growing up in Mumbai, you are exposed to cuisine from every part of India. From the parathas of the North to the rotlis of the West, the luchis of the East and the idlis of the South, there is so much to discover.
Indian cuisine is not all spicy. It is not just butter chicken or dosas. Our many states have a multitude of cuisines that are widely disparate.
I am the product of a North Indian roti eater and a Bengali fish eater and I have been brought up in a vada pav eating Mumbai and therefore there is no particular dish that has my true loyalty because of the deep love I have for all the various foods of India.
Thankfully, living in Dubai affords me the opportunity to access all these cuisines… except the West Indian style of food that comes from the coast. Malwani food or the similar Koli food is a very distinct kind of cooking that focuses on fresh fish, spicy curries, rotis made from rice flour and with a focus on bright and tart flavours.
The Kolis or the fisherfolk from the Maharashtrian coastline are a fantastic community that has been immortalised in film as the largest-hearted, full of love community that they are. This craziness and exuberant love for life comes across in their clothes, love of jewellery and more than anything — in their food.
When I read about this little family-run family favourite Vasai Local, I knew I had to try it out. Started by an actual Vasai local, SupriyaTakkar Fernandes, this restaurant has a menu that focuses on seafood and everything a true blue Mumbaiite would love.
I get there with the full intent and empty tummy to try out all their best. I start with a thali or set meal because it rings all my nostalgia bells. It comes with rice flour bhakri, rice, prawns red curry, dal and a whole fried pomfret. It was fantastic, with everything checking all the boxes. My memory and palate were all tingling with joy.
Then comes the fried prawns platter with green and red spices and rava fried (with semolina), the rava bombil (Bombay Duck) and stuffed pomfret.
Everything is served with bhakris and washed down with really amazing solkadi (smoothie made of Indian mangosteen and coconut milk). These tastes of home bring up all memories of times eating these seafood thalis as a family.
I then get to meet the lovely Supriya, who turns out to be from a school not very far away from mine. I just know that this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
Check out this unassuming little restaurant and you will be charmed… by the food, by the owner, by the seafood that’s brought fresh daily and never frozen and by the utter awesomeness of everything.
The Good : Koli food needs to be put on the Indian culinary map and Vasai Local is the restaurant to do it.
The Bad : They don’t deliver across Dubai but they’re opening up a space in Al Quoz soon so watch this space!
The Trendy : Incredible food, great prices and a taste of Mumbai’s coastline.