Mumbai Mix: a comprehensive review of the best Indian food on campus
Come and join us as we indulge in our favourite Dosas – brought to you from the streets of Mumbai to our very own Farmers Market…
You’ve had Indian food, sure, but we guarantee you haven’t had anything that tastes close to what Mumbai Mix has to offer. If you spend a lot of time on campus, chances are you’ve probably heard of Mumbai Mix – the only authentic Indian food stall at the Farmers Market on Tuesdays. If you haven’t, you must’ve at least seen it with the long queues of hungry students there every week, or got a whiff of their homemade custom masala (mix of spices), or probably had a chat with the lovely team operating the family-run business.
Mumbai Mix serves a minimalist menu, making choosing what to have for lunch so much less stressful for the indecisive ones among us (seriously, what’s up with those 20-page menus everywhere?). With their most popular option being the Dosa Wrap with Biryani Rice, you could also opt for something lighter like the Dosa Wrap by itself, or a crunchy, deliciously golden vegetable samosa, and some delicious homemade masala chai on the side – a delectable substitute to your afternoon skinny latte. Alternatively, you could also go for a vegetable biryani and potato curry if you’ve got a bigger appetite.
I’ve heard everyone raving about their food constantly, and after reading the fantastic piece on the authenticity of the food and how it started off in Felix last week, I knew I had to give it a try myself and see what the hype was all about and boy, the whole experience was amazing!
Queuing for their food was an experience within itself – the fragrant aromas wafting from the food got me excited and made for a mouth-watering wait. At the front, the service was immaculate – the team (Mohini, Deshna, and Dimple) greets you with smiles and are pleasantly cheerful and chatty, offering that perfect break from revision after a long morning at the library.
The Dosa Wrap was in its own league, with a combination of flavours and aromas I’d only ever tasted in local markets whilst travelling abroad. It really felt like I had just been handed a slice of Mumbai, with the authenticity of the flavours oozing from the masalas second-to-none.The pancake, made solely using lentils and rice, was delicately thin yet incredibly satisfying, and the ladies at Mumbai Mix even spice each individual wrap to your liking - even serving extra hot pancakes that would satisfy that heat craving for all those “Nando’s Extra Hot isn’t even that spicy” people. A potato and onion filling complemented the pancakes beautifully – the potatoes were slow-roasted to perfection, and spiced enough so that they were indulgent but not overpowered. The dish was then topped with freshly-made chutneys – including a fiery roasted red pepper, a delicate tamarind and date, and my personal favourite, a soothing coconut-coriander.
To complement the wrap, I opted for a vegetable samosa - how could I not with the beautiful crispy golden coating (literally felt like it was calling my name!). The contrast between the crunchiness of the pastry combined with the hot and hearty filling made for the perfect side dish for my wrap, and left my home-cooked food craving 100% satisfied (and was such a yummy change to your usual library café food or a cold BLT).
Whether you’re watching your wallet or your waist, Mumbai Mix is the perfect venue for both. At only £6 for a Dosa Wrap and £1.50 for a Samosa, this stall is definitely a hit if you’re bargain hunting at the Farmers Market, or if you’re on a student budget (RIP student finance). If you’re trying to stay lean, you’ll definitely want to swap your salad for a yummy wrap, which is surprisingly quite low in calories (who would’ve guessed you could have that much potato with so little damage done, eh?), and rich in nutrients with all the locally sourced ingredients used. Being gluten-free, you also don’t get that belly bloat with Mumbai Mix that you do with other food, and you’re satisfyingly full without feeling like you’ve just consumed a truck of food. With a full vegetarian menu, you’ll also be doing your bit for the environment (a great way to add No-Meat Tuesdays to your week without even missing the meat!)
With all that said, what are you waiting for? Head down to the food market next Tuesday and get a taste of this amazing goodness for yourself – we’re sure you won’t regret it!
