Do street food joints at Mumbai beaches meet hygiene standards?

In the song From the Ritz to the Rubble popular British indie band Arctic Monkeys vocalist Alex Turner croons Well this towns a different town today Said this towns a different town to what it was last night Turner probably has no idea how these words relate to Mumbai which is changing all the time Its also as much Ritz as it is rubble like the transition from Bandras quaint alleys to the chaos of Dharavi But its alive and howIt is possible to spot a glimpse of this microcosm in places like the bustling Chowpatty in Girgaum or Juhu where you will find a burqaclad newlywed laughing coquettishly as she enjoys spicy pani puri Beside her a collegegoing kid slurps away at a juicy gola while a touristy firang struggles to eat pav bhaji with his handsAs these two street food centres cater to so many people on March 5 the Government of Maharashtra decided to designate them as Clean Street Hubs after they went through a facelift and passed the audit by the Food Safety Standards Association of India FSSAI that confirmed that both destinations had met with the institutions cleanliness and hygiene standards Read on to find out how both fared when we dropped byPicsSuresh KarkeraGrub shup in GirgaumOn a Tuesday night we arrive at Girgaum Chowpatty glittering in the glow of the freshly installed lights The stalls have been refurbished and elevated with the help of embankments and coarse green mats made to replicate grass have been laid out by the sides One wall sports a bright mural comprising a lifesize bicycle The centre space has a brand new wash basin that appears speckled mdash a closer look confirms its food splatter and paan spitWe also spot green and blue dustbins demarcated for dry and wet waste A laudable move towards waste segregation but a peek inside confirms no one really cares The cooks and stall owners are dutifully wearing masks and gloves in keeping with the new rules They seem delighted about the change the nonchalance of the customers nothwithstandingWe try a few eatsAt Opposite Amar Juice Centre NA Purandare MargPani puri We are not fretting about paying R40 for a plate of pani puri at Sharma Ji stall while it costs between R15 and R20 on the streets After all in India sanitation comes at a price Not a fan of ragda we opt for the one with batata only and ask the bhaiya to skip the sweet chutney too We dislike the overtly spicy and flavourless pani puris here and miss the chatpata version we relish near our office in KalanagarPav bhaji At Shettys pav bhaji the stallwalas are enthusiastic and attentive Our plate comes soon with a generous dollop of butter and pavs that glisten from the grease Its a bit much and the strong kick of overused garam masala dampens the extravagance Our verdict Not worth R100Gola At the far end of Chowpatty is Daddys Corner Ab toh firangi log bhi aa rahein hain says Pushpendra the owner referring to the clean sweep We pick the kalakhatta flavour and pay R60 for our treat and enjoy the sweet tangy and masaledar taste of the desi popsicleCleanlinessmet standardsVarietyaverageAmbiencepicturesqueTaste verdictStreet jam in juhuOn the following day when we head to Juhu Chowpatty it feels like Saturday Alan Walkers hit chartbuster Faded is blaring from a stall and the place is crowdedDustbins are placed haphazardly facemasks hang lazily around the necks of thelawallahs unattended plates lay strewn around the stalls mdash our first impression is What has changed Its a little better our companion remarks We move on hoping that at least the food leaves a markAt Beside Dominoes JBS Survey No 73 Juhu Tara Road JuhuSev puri We ask for a plate of the classic Bambaiyya chaat that comes at R40 at Sai Kripa Bhel Puri and Chaat Centre The vibrantlooking snack is a perky medley of flavours and we love the tang from the chopped raw mangoesPav bhaji Maybe Juhus cleanliness standards are not as high as Girgaums but its pav bhaji is definitely better The amount of butter used is generous but not overbearing and we enjoy the piquant vegetable mash The pavs are softer too At Krishna Pav Bhaji a plate of the dish costs R120Ice cream falooda Having had falooda with kulfi forever we are astounded by this desividesi mix and are eager to see what the sweet vermicelli tastes like with ice cream We opt for the kaju anjeer ice cream falooda at Dreamland where the pocket pinch is R90 per sundae We relish the dessert that is made with kajuanjeer syrup milk sabja falooda anjeer ice cream and dried fruitsCleanlinessaverageVarietyimpressiveAmbiencebustlingTaste verdictCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates