Mumbai Food: Three foodies launch a Sri Lankan eatery for street grub

It was sometime last year that chef Lakshit Shetty and siblings Sahil and Jai Wadhwa launched Hoppumm as a popup at a flea market Despite being armed with enough ingredients to last the evening the response from patrons exceeded their collective expectations We had to prepare the food from scratch almost three times recalls Shetty Fortunately the 30yearolds sixyear stint as sous chef at a fivestar meant he had the necessary expertise to rustle it up in a jiffyAnd now having tasted the hoppums derived from Sri Lankan hoppers and topped with everything from eggs to soya kheema we can safely say that the reaction wasnt entirely unexpectedVatthalapam a Sri Lankan puddingBowl of goodnessAfter hitting a homerun at fashion boroughs and weddings in the last one year the popup now has a home at Bandras 28th Road A week prior to its October 18 launch we visit the space on a sultry afternoon to find it packed with friends and family In fact actor Imran Khan and his wife recently dropped by for a tasting That proud feeling when your childhood buddies successfully adult and have a restaurant of their ownwith some seriously smashing food Well done posted Avantika on Instagram Its precisely the adulation that inspired the trio who have known each other since their Bombay Scottish days to go brick and mortar Bandra expectedly became a goto choice for destination given the suburbs penchant to host all things experimental Weve seen the evolving trajectory in the hospitality sector where people are now more open to sample food from smaller set ups Unconventional cuisine is the new flavour says ShettyMultigrain hopper with prawn moileeSmall and cosy the 15seater exudes architectural influences from Sri Lanka where elements like cane and wood furnishings give a sense of its country of inspiration But the highlight here are the bowlshaped Sri Lankan pancakes filled with a range of fragrant curries To make it flexible they offer combinations where you can pair a base staple ndash hopper string hopper idiyappam neer dosa paratha or kothu roti with a flavourful filling The team visited the island twice to get a sense of the street food There are several parallels between South Indian and Sri Lankan food given the cultural exchanges But there are pronounced differences too which is seen in the ingredients used Usually a Sri Lankan would say they use more spice and more coconut milk in their recipes he says The key then was not to tweak it We wanted people to taste the difference They shouldnt feel like theyve visited an Indian restaurantSpinach hopper with vegetable stew PicsAshish RajeA street experienceWe begin our tasting with the hoppum with the prawn moilee a creamy sweetspicy gravy What we love is the play of textures the golden brown pancake is crispy outside and tapers to a spongy feel at the centre Its a meal that requires you to eat with hands for best results We also try the vegetarian stew which almost makes us momentarily forget the prawn moilee and thats something given the diehard seafood lover that this writer isLakshit Shetty with Jai and Sahil WadhwaFor a more street food Sri Lankan experience we try the Kottu roti a flatbread that is shredded and then mixed with vegetables meat and eggs along with aromatic spices and sauces If you take a stroll down a busy street in Sri Lanka youll be greeted with the sound of street vendors making kottu roti and people carrying takeaways Its immensely popular he says All dishes are served with spicy relishes called onion sambol While the vegetarian options are limited in Sri Lanka here theres enough to please the herbivoresFor dessert we try the Vathalappam a kind of coconut custard pudding suffused with the creaminess of coconut and the sweetness of jaggery Its a befitting end to our Lankan experienceCatch 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