Anand Stall (Vada Pav)

Vada pav is Mumbai's sandwich: a spiced potato fritter (vada) deep-fried in a chickpea batter, placed inside a soft white pav bun with dry chutneys — garlic chutney, coriander chutney, tamarind — and a green chili on the side. It was invented in Dadar in 1966 by Ashok Vaidya, and within a decade had spread to every train station, street corner, and office park in the city.

Anand Stall near Vile Parle Station is not the most famous vada pav vendor in Mumbai — that distinction is contested between Ashok Vaidya's original location in Dadar and a dozen other contenders. But it is consistently excellent and accessible from the suburban rail network, which is the only sensible way to move around the city.

The pav is pillowy and slightly sweet. The vada interior is mashed potato with mustard seeds, turmeric, and curry leaves, achieving a flavor that is warm, savory, and complex. The garlic chutney is the key: pungent, dry, applied generously. The whole thing costs approximately 20 rupees and is the purest example of what food is supposed to do — provide maximum pleasure per unit of cost.