I decided to change things up a bit this month, and instead of bringing to you a roundup of my monthly favourite restaurants, bars and eateries, I urged a few friends to help me out. These are some of the most popular food accounts on Instagram, who eat out on a regular basis, risking juvenile diabetes and cholesterol, only so that they can present to you the best of the city’s food scene. In a completely random order here’s a roundup of some of my favourite Instagram food accounts, and their favourites for the month of September.
1. Food Of Mumbai aka Saloni Kukreja:
Saloni has been diligently highlighting the best of the city’s food scene via ‘Food Of Mumbai’ since the past four years now. Food of Mumbai is my one stop shop for updates on what’s new in the food space coupled with street food recommendations and Saloni’s travel escapades. #GirlLove
Food Of Mumbai Recommends: Foo, Lower Parel, Mumbai
“Foo is attempting to do something different by introducing the small plates or ‘tapas’ concept to pan Asian food,” Saloni explains. She also loves that the food is modern yet simple and hearty, with an emphasis on Cantonese and Japanese style of cooking. The decor is stunning, the food is presented beautifully and their signature cocktails deserve a mention as well.
Must Haves: Peruvian Lobster Sushi where the lobster is cured just like you’d find in a ceviche; Foo Butter Japanese Fried Blue Rice; and highly Instagrammable Black Marble Sesame Cheese Cake.
2. The Mumbai Glutton aka Trupti Marolia:
Trupti is hands down the most down-to-earth and relatable food account I follow. May it be her mother’s achaar recipes, rants and reviews with her brother or her gym time updates – I love them all! #ChalaVandre
The Mumbai Glutton Recommends: Santé Spa Cuisine, BKC, Mumbai
Trupti advocates Sante Spa Cuisine as the perfect place to balance her love for eating out with her strict gym regime. “It allows me to indulge without actually indulging,” she quips. Having an all vegetarian, holistic menu with plenty of vegan, gluten free options Sante is slowly becoming a favourite with those who want the best of both worlds – health and taste.
Must Haves: Daikon Shiitake Miso Soup which as Trupti mentions is “to die for”, Beetroot and Spinach Hummus with Multigrain Khakhra Chips, and any of their pizzas that are made with a ragi base and are stone grilled to perfection.
3. The Hungry Mumbaikar aka Rohit Haryani:
I have been ardently following all of The Hungry Mumbaikar’s posts and the work he does, especially his street food jaunts across the city. Rohit has a knack of compiling and showcasing hole-in-the-wall eateries, and the best of Mumbai’s street food via his droolworthy images.
The Hungry Mumbaikar Recommends: Vinay Health Home, Charni Road, Mumbai
Rohit discovered Vinay Health Home last month on one of his many food trails exploring the city’s hidden gems. “It is a great place for simple and homely Maharashtrian snacks and is definitely worth stopping by for a quick bite if you’re in the area,” shares Rohit.
Must Haves: Misal Pav, Batata Vada, Sabudana Vada, Thalipeeth, Poha….. when you go there just get one plate of them all!
4. Mumbai Food Lovers aka Harsh Jhaveri:
This list would be incomplete without mentioning Harsh. I consider Harsh to be one of the pioneers of Instagram blogging because he been eating out and posting pictures on Instagram before it was considered cool. Most of it with his own money. His feed is studded with the best vegetarian food from across the city, may it be high end restaurants or street food. #MFLClub
Harsh Recommends: Rue Du Liban, Fort, Mumbai
This swanky, upscale Fort eatery serves Mediterranean and Levantine fare and is the brainchild of industrialist Jay Mehta, so you can expect some amount of Bollywood spotting here. “A meal for two without alcohol can set you back by approximately 4000 bucks, but it’s worth it because of the quality of ingredients. And you won’t find such dishes elsewhere in the city,” Harsh mentions.
Must Haves: Mahalabia which is a Middle Eastern milk pudding. This one’s a daily special, so call in to ensure that they have it on their menu.
5. Saylee_Padwal aka Saylee Padwal:
I am an ardent admirer of Saylee’s stunning food shots, and her tongue-in-cheek captions that accompany every post. (And maybe a tiny bit envious of how supremely talented she is.) Her feed is a dream, and each image makes you want to dive right into the food. She’s also the president of Biryani Lovers Co. And I’m the vice-president. #Baeryani
Saylee Recommends: Bono Boutique Ice Cream, Bandra (W) and Kemps Corner; Mumbai
Saylee recommends this hole-in-the-wall ice cream parlour for some of the best ice creams this city has to offer. “Bono stands out from the rest because of their innovative flavours you won’t find elsewhere. It is a must for all ice cream fanatics,” recommends Saylee. Bono is run by two sisters who share a passion for food, that they showcase through their exquisite ice cream flavours. Yes they may be a bit pricey, with scoops ranging from Rs. 200 onwards, but they’re absolutely worth it because of the top notch ingredients they use.
Must Haves: Dark Chocolate Italian Truffle Oil because how beautifully truffle oil is taken beyond the realm of savoury food. Other favourites include the Blue Cheese Honey and the Sugarfree Dark Chocolate Sea Salt.
