Pav wow

With endearing sincerity that even involves signing a regulations form, an iconic snack centre launches a cut-price pav bhaji festival. We drop in for a taste-test and pack other favourites to go

There's a strange mix of calmness and chaos inside DP's (Durga Parmeshwari) Snack Centre in Matunga — the patrons wait idly, while the staff scurry around. You can tell from the leftover biscuit crumbs that the two septuagenarian pals who are chattering away with abandon have long over- stayed their post- morning- walk chai session; a group of youngsters are enjoying their dosas without any guilt of having massbunked their class; and a loving mother urges her timid daughter with a nivala of a parantha, nodding gently and assuring the teenager that a bite won't hurt the figure.

The cashier is excited to receive the third "participant" of their ongoing pav bhaji festival, where for a flat Rs 99 you can eat as much as you like. First up, you're given a coupon, which you have to fill out with basic details, like your name, phone number and email ID. Adjacent to the cash counter, the digital marketing employees of the establishment have set- up a desk, where you have to sign a rules and regulation form that has clauses that make you stop and wonder if you've come to eat or bunjee jump. "Please be responsible for your health, digestion and acidity levels," the laughter- inducing form reads. It's adorable and dunderheaded in equal measure. Now, do remember to hang on to the coupon you're made to sign at first, especially if you're looking to make the most of the unlimited offer.

Customers at DP's festival

It however, includes only two variants of the street- style treat — masala and Jain. A waiter places the masala pav bhaji on the table and the inviting aroma is all you need to get going. The pillow- y pavs are brimming with a buttery goodness without being greasy and off- putting like the portions that are served at Sardar Pav Bhaji in Tardeo; and the vegetable mash is a mélange of kadak flavours, which with a dollop of butter has somehow simmered down to a delicate savour. A single plate is satiating enough, and since the offer doesn't extend to the snack centre's other famed eats, a couple of dishes to go are advisable for foodie explorers or those who're making a maiden visit to the space.

Jain cheese pav bhaji

The waiter hands over a brown paper bag comprising masala pav (Rs 88), Jain cheese pav bhaji (Rs 170) and DP's special pav bhaji (Rs 185). An hour later when the contents are unpacked they're still in mint condition.

The masala pav, possibly DP's most lauded dish, is made of soft pavs doused in bhaji. Perhaps it's loved more than the regular dish because here, the bhaji is richer and thicker, lending a certain intensity to the dish. The fact that the flavoursome Jain cheese pav bhaji — rid of garlic, onion and other kitchen essentials — stands out in comparison to their special pav bhaji, which is garnished with cheese and dry fruits, also comes as a surprise. It's hard to tell why that is, but maybe the lack of non-Jain ingredients leads to a more generous use of the veggies, which elevates the dish by making it more wholesome.

DP's special pav bhaji

Weird as dry fruits in pav bhaji may sound, the one at this haunt manages to retain its palatability, adding a fun twist and crunch to the mushy treat, even though it lasts only for a bite. It's also important to point out that in both the variants, the addition of cheese has been restrained, unlike most other places that have the tendency of going overboard with the much- loved ingredient.

The rules and regulations form

And so, it seems, that DP's, much like Mumbai, has the ability to satiate all, including those with a slightly bigger appetite.

AT DP's The Fast Food Centre, LN Road, Matunga East.
TIME 8 am to 11.30 pm: 12 pm to 8 pm (festival timings)
CALL: 24145326

DP's The Fast Food Centre didn’t know we were there. The Guide reviews anonymously and pays for meals

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