Mumbai is a coastal city and that means we love our seafood. Diners can get picky when it comes to their choice of seafood often favouring one type of dish over the other. Some are not fans of crustaceans while others enjoy it all without any discrimination. The common favourite, however, is always Shrimp and you will find it on every menu in either the appetizer or main course. Indian, Asian or European, no matter what cuisine the Prawns always shine.
We picked some of our favourite restaurants that serve some stunning prawn dishes we think you are going to love!
Prawn Dim Sum at Yauatcha, Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), Western Suburbs - It is hard to say which Prawn Dim Sum to pick at Yauatcha because not only is there choice but each one tastes just as good as the other. Pick from a Steamed Shui Mai with Chicken and Prawn or Pork and Prawn. Perhaps the simple but flavourful prawn and chive steamed dumpling. Or then the classic Prawn Har Gau. The typical Prawn Cheung Fun or it is a deep-fried version or then maybe skip all the steamed dim sum for a crispy fried pot sticker like Prawn Dim Sum. Either way, they are all fantastic and deserve a mention.
Tempura Prawns at Foo, High Street Pheonix, Lower Parel - This Asian restaurant is a popular choice for a fun and relatively inexpensive meal and while they do interesting shrimp dishes like the Charcoal Prawn Dim Sum, it is their simple and very basic Prawn Tempura that has stolen our heart. It is tricky with Tempura because it is deep-fried and a lot of places that serve it end up disappointing with thick chunky batter. Here the Tempura is crisp and you can taste the shrimp inside. It is delicious and one portion is just not enough.
Rock Shrimp Tempura at Pa Pa Ya - While classic tempura is what most diners enjoy Pa Pa Ya's version of little rocks of Tempura Shrimp clumped together with a spicy Cointreau flavoured mayo is just as good. It is one of the popular appetizers on their menu and you get a perfect mix of the shrimp as well as the crispy tempura batter without either one overpowering the other.
Prawn Gassi at Mahesh Lunch Home - You can do the tandoori prawns and butter garlic prawns but the best thing to eat at this Mangalorean restaurant is the Mangalorean speciality - Prawn Gassi. This curry is a popular choice of curry usually enjoyed with Neer Dosa or Rice and Mahesh Lunch Home makes the best one. The restaurant enjoys a stellar reputation of being one of the leading seafood restaurants in the city for years now and a meal here does not disappoint.
Green Prawn Curry at Nara Thai - One of the best Thai dishes and there are a lot of them, is a spicy green curry with Shrimp. You could just as easily enjoy the curry with chicken or vegetables but the best flavours are with Shrimp. Nara Thai serves a stunning curry that will make you feel like you are dining in a restaurant in Bangkok instead of Colaba or BKC depending on which outlet you visit.
Prawn Koliwda and Prawn Biryani at Jai Hind - There are a bunch of prawn dishes on the menu here and in fact, you can even pick the style of preparation and they can do it with your choice of seafood including prawn. Despite being spoilt for choice two prawn dishes stand out and we could not pick just one. Mumbai's signature Prawn Koliwada is a smashing hit here and they do not come soaking in oil despite being deep-fried. Serious biryani connoisseurs will turn their nose up at a Prawn Biryani but that is because they have not eaten the one here at Jai Hind. Simple humble and oh so full of flavour!
Tandoori Prawns at Gajalee- Meat cooked in a tandoor has its own unique flavour but when you put juicy chunky pieces of prawns in the tandoor they come out perfect. Gajalee is a seafood icon in the city and it's so disrespectful to pick just one prawn dish from the plethora they offer but their Tandoori Prawns are a representation of just how good the food is here. They also make for a great starter with a round of drinks before you head on to your main dinner.
Better known as the Tiny Taster, Roxanne is an internationally respected blogger and expert on the Mumbai food scene. She has hosted many events, including the Upper Crust Food & Wine Show and travels the world, sharing her knowledge and gaining more experience.
