If there’s one thing in the world that can make you shed tears of happiness and grief at once, it is wada pav. Wada pav is one comfort food that bizarrely manages to cause severe discomfort. Yet, it has its own brand of loyalists to boot. It is known for its fiery taste that gels beautifully with the crisp wada covering and the soft pav. Once popular as Mumbai’s street food, it is now available at food joints and restaurants across India. Undoubtedly, it deserves a dedicated post of its own from the now Mumbaikar me, doesn’t it? 😉
Wada pav is the Indian version of a burger which costs less than half as much and tastes twice as good. It consists of a fried potato dumpling (batata wada) placed in a bread bun (pav) which is sliced almost in half. Spicy dry red chutney is often sprinkled on the insides of the pav which gives it an extra zing. If that isn’t enough, fried green chillies are served along-with to make sure you blow smoke through your ears. You can give them a pass but a wada pav is meant to make you remember your forefathers with every bite, mind you. 😀 Quite touching and spiritual, yes? 😛
I tasted my first wada pav in Mumbai at the Dadar outlet of Jumbo King. It wasn’t designed to offer seating and was quite small in area. I stood outside and watched dazedly at the crowd crammed into that little space. It never seemed to thin, instead it kept on multiplying somehow. When I pointed this out to A his simple reaction was, “Its normal. Grow up.” Although I was tad disappointed at having to witness all this for a mere batata wada, its taste made me eat my own words, along with those green chillies. 😀 😉
To the uninitiated, there’s no ungodly hour to dig into a wada pav. Mumbaikars can have it for breakfast, lunch and dinner and in between meals. Across Mumbai you’ll find numerous joints, big and small, offering hot and crispy wada pavs throughout the day. Since they’re cheap and easily available they’re often the first thing strugglers and outsiders turn to for their hunger pangs. We know too well how this maximum city beckons swarms of dreamy-eyed future success stories with its glitz and glamour, don’t we? 🙂
Wada pav is a booming business opportunity too since it doesn’t need much investment and has good returns. I’ve seen many women entrepreneurs earn a decent living by making and selling wada pavs in mobile food trucks. The appetising aroma of freshly fried crisp wadas is impossible to miss and attracts hordes towards it. Samosa pav is another variant usually found on the counter. Though not as popular, it does have its own audience.
Its scrumptious taste cannot discount the fact that wada pav isn’t a healthy food choice though. One cannot lead a lifestyle which features wada pav prominently. It was interesting to watch few policemen recently go through a complete makeover in a specially arranged health camp. Irregular meal timings and turning to this ‘yummy little devil’ for a quick bite were the main reasons behind their health problems. Indulging in moderation, hence, is the key. Personally, I run an extra mile the day I want to treat myself. 😉
Have you tried the typical Mumbai wada pav? How was your experience? Tell me about it.
This post is written for #BlogchatterA2Z and #AtoZChallenge for April 2019
Only a Mumbaikar knows what a Wada Pav means to us! Just as only we know where to get the best one ! I am salivating as I read this, Varsha. I can’t wait to get to Bombay and sink my teeth into one!
You know I’m trying to scour my memory for any instance where I’ve eaten Wada Pav and I simply can’t! That’s shocking and needs to be remedied soon!
God! Two things that I love about Mumbai are Bhakarwadi and Wada Pav. During my last visit to India, my sil cooked it for me and i still cant believe its heavenly taste and this posts made me have one right now!
Wada Pav is the staple food of Maharashtra. It is quite tasty and filling.
Thanks for sharing, have a good day.
We last visited Mumbai in Nov 2018 and we gorged on Wada pav. My husband, who believes in eating healthy fell in love with this dish so much that on the second last day, he had Wada pav for breakfast, evening snacks and dinner. And these were all from three different places.
Wada pav is my hubbys fav, we make it atleast once a week. And i keep red chutney always ready .
Ah, the quintessential wada pav! 😀 I see it everywhere in Pune; people even have it for breakfast. Although I am not a fan, it does make for a filling snack once in a while.
P.S. I like the green chillies they serve with it 😀
I I.have heard a lot about Wada pav but being a South Indian never had it. If ever I come to Delhi I will surely have wada pav. This post made me want it even more
The taste of Wada Pav is something that every Jndian would agree on. Something like a national feeling. Your pic and post are so tempting.
I loved the term Indian burger. Coming to think of it this is so true. It looks scrumptious. Coming to Mumbai and not having wada pav is crime
Wada pav is favorite at my place and we can have it in breakfast, lunch, dinner even at any time of day. I had eaten Mumbai wada pav many times and indeed it is the best. here in USA I really miss that typical Indian taste of wada pav.
Drooling at the thought of Vada pav. I can savour it any time of the day. Like the fact it is a good business opportunity with very little investments
I remember once in Mc’Donalds little boy next to me asked the cashier “give me vada pav”, It’s really one thing even kids love to have…
Vada pav is my most favorite snack… I do make it at home but cannot match the taste of Mumbai Wala Vada pav. But I am luckyto find one aunty who makes authentic Vada pav.. So I am her regular customer.
I discovered Vada pao 20 years ago when I was visiting my sister in Bombay. She introduced me to the Bombay locals and the Vada pao! I was amazed at this filling dish at such a reasonable price! To date it is one of my most favourite snacks!
I l love wada pav and it was like the go to snack in college. Even today we try and squeeze in time for a soul treat at our fav joint.
My husband loves wada pav but we have tried only from kebab express here in Delhi. We did get a chance to try the authentic Mumbai wada pav but it was too spicy for our taste buds.
Wada pav is love for many Mumbaikars and a survival food for many people for many years. You might not know Marathi if you come from somewhere other than Maharashtra but you definitely know what Wada pav is…
Wada Pav is love. Ask any Mumbaikar and you would know. It’s our family fav too. I make it at home quite often adjusting the spice levels for kids.
I had the best wada pav in Mumbai with my daughter and my friend Moushmi.I am not a big fan though frankly.I know ia m starbge.I do not like medhu vada aswell 🙂 Yu have eulogised the wada pav and given it cult status, Varsha.
You have given wada pav a cult status, Varsha 🙂 I did have the best wada pav in Mumbai but frankly I am not a big fan..I do not like medu vada also.
Wada pao is my personal favourite when it comes to Mumbai street food. Its amazing to see an entire blog post dedicated to this amazing food.
For a mumbaikar, WADA Pav is an emotion. It being my husbands favorite food, I often make it at home and also when we have any guest coming from out of Mumbai, we have wada pav for them for sure as it’s one delicacy they shld try when in Mumbai.
Wada pav is my super fav snack. The things is being a mumbaikar i have had it from hundreds of sellers but there’s always this one seller from childhood who still has the same stall with tea and serves his wadas with fried green chillies and nostalgia on a newspaper. Thats my fav ione.
Wada Pav is go to food and can stomach filling at the same time. It is so popular that when I visited Mumbai I made sure I had it with my family. Completely loved your series of food, looking forward what you bring in this year at A2Z Challenge.
Vada pav is very famous in Mumbai and now in other parts of India also. I do prepare Vada pav very often in my house.
Wada Pav is our favorite at home too. I just made them yesterday at home. Mumbai wada pavs are the best. The famous wada pavs of Mumbai are near Mithibai college, kunjvihar in Thane, one in Dadar, Fort area, etc. Love them all
To be honest I tried this a while back and I did not find it to be something so nice that I would want to try it again I think I prefer the we get in Delhi to vada pav
I have so many memories related to vada pav. When I was a flight attendant, everytime I would land in Mumbai even if it was for an hour, I ensured that I ordered some bada pav for the team😁. It’s pure love
You made me nostalgic. I am a punekar by heart and the wada pav at FC road is my most precious food memory of my stay in Pune.