Mushrooms are one of the few ingredients that work well in many types of dishes. From appetizers and salads to mains, they work well on their own or as an addition to a dish. More importantly, they are one of the few ingredients merrily relished even by staunch carnivores, and are considered a popular ingredient. There are plenty of different types of mushrooms; all are equally loved and, for the most part, easily available. While they feature in all sorts of forms on almost every menu, these are some of our top picks when it comes to mushroom-based dishes in the city.
Roasted Shitake Button Mushroom and Miso Risotto at Salt Water Café – While the name is long and quite a mouthful, this risotto has been on their menu for a very long time. Which just goes to show you how incredibly well received this risotto is. While the miso might sound like an odd component, it actually is very subtle and lends well, making this slightly different from another other regular mushroom-based risottos.
Fungi Town Burger at Crave – This is the perfect fast-food joint and the two things they excel at are their pizzas and burgers. Despite being serious meat eaters, we find that, on more than one occasion, we have opted for their mushroom burger instead of their knockout lamb one. The burger has a mushroom and ricotta patty and is filled with a blue cheese dressing, caramelised onions, truffle mayo and yellow cheddar. It is a beautifully different burger, and a great choice for vegetarians (besides a fried veggie-based patty).
Mushroom Chai at Masala Library – Like everything on the menu at Masala Library, the mushroom chai is also a unique and interesting dish. What one would call a regular mushroom consommé is served in the form of tea at this restaurant. It comes to the table in a little teacup, where the dehydrated mushrooms act like tea leaves and, for theatrics, a dash of truffle oil acts as the tea sweetener. If you forget all the drama (as nice as it is) and judge solely on the taste and flavours, it is a lovely dish.
Farfalle with Three-Mushroom Ragout at Indigo Deli – There are a few signature dishes on the menu at all the Indigo Deli outlets that are really popular with guests, and this Three-Mushroom Ragout Pasta is one of them. We are not exactly sure which three mushrooms are used, but they make for one tasty pasta dish.
Mushroom Masala on Toast at The Willingdon Sports Club – While this is a slightly unconventional entry on our list, it is still a tasty and worthy contender. Available only at The Willingdon Sports Club in Mumbai, this is a simple mixture of mushrooms, onions, tomatoes and green chilies served on toast. A quick and rather uncomplicated snack, but a great one.
Pan-Fried Mushroom and Burnt Garlic Soup at Pronto – They have a couple of outlets across the city and, despite having seating, Pronto is known more as a delivery or takeaway outlet. Most of their food is Italian, with a couple of salads and sandwiches, but it is their pan-fried mushroom soup with burnt garlic that is one of their most memorable dishes. Unlike the others that come soaked in cheese sauce, this soup is healthier, tasty and has a wonderful garlic kick, which most other mushroom-based soups lack.
Written By
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.
