Eating at places like Swati Snacks just plain old make my heart sing!
There is no replacement for this all vegetarian, regional food café which serves up some of the most lip-smacking, authentic Gujrati food you could ever have – anywhere (other than perhaps Gujarat –of course).
Even though in concept Swati is a food joint which is priced really well – it caters to a rather affluent cross-section of Bombay’s population. I love the modernized, new café look that Swati has acquired without diluting its amazing flavor and quality of food.
Arrive early, if you don’t want to wait for a seat – though there always is at least a 20-minute wait involved. They are open from 12:00 – 2:30 PM for lunch and 7:00 – 10:30 PM for dinner everyday.
If you really want to experience all the various foods Swati has to offer – go for the tasting platters priced at a really reasonable Rs. 250 (about $6), which gives you little samplings of all kinds of delicious eats from their traditional panki to the sweet malai malpuda which melts in your mouth.
Swati is heavily patronized by the Gujrati community themselves – which speaks volumes for just how good the food must be.
I think in my very short, food frenzied, visit to Mumbai, my meal at Swati ranked as number one!
Here is some of what we ate:
MASALA GUAVA JUICE & TENDER COCONUT WATER
Their fresh juices and waters are very good and must be tried.
PANKI
Panki is a very traditional Gujrati dish where thin layers of a besan pancake (chick pea flour) are steamed in banana leaves with chilies and chutneys. It was so delicate that it melted in my mouth.
FADA NI KHICHDI
Fada ni khichdi is a made with a mixture of broken wheat, lentils, vegetables and a whole lot of yummy spices.
SATPADI ROTI WITH GATTA NU SHAK
This multigrain traditional roti (bread) was served with a yogurt gravy made with besan rolls (gatta – chick pea flour). It was delicious!!
SEV PURI, BHEL PURI & DAHI BATATA PURI
These three dishes are classic Mumbai street food items. Swati makes the most amazing chutneys and as a result all their chaat items are so so good. I loved their bhelpuri so much that I ordered a second plate before finishing the first one.
CORN HANDVO & FRANKIE
The corn handvo is a very popular tea time snack made with corn and a lot of lentils and spices. Their vegetable frankie which is a spiced potato and vegetable mixture wrapped in a thin roti, was very good too.
DAL DHOKLI
This is a very traditional Gujrati dish where pieces of thin rolled dough is cooked together with a traditional Gujrati daal resulting in a brothy kind of dish, which is sweet and spicy.
RAGDA PATTIES
Ragda patties are basically spiced potato patties, which are topped with white pea gravy.
PAV BHAJI
Pav bhaji is a fast food dish that originated in and across the Mumbai region. It consists of potatoes and vegetables that is cooked with a thick spicy gravy and is eaten with thick squares of buttered bread (pav) that is book on a tava (iron pan).
MALAI MALPUDA
This was the only dessert we tried and it was so delicious that it just melted in my mouth.
MY RATINGS FOR THIS MEAL
Food: ☆☆☆☆ ☆
Service: ☆☆☆
Ambiance: ☆☆
Cost: $
I recommend: Everything especially their traditional Gujrati fare and their chaat items.
