Bringing the Essence of Mumbai to the plates of Sydney

By Abhati Tarkunde

Durga’s Indian Street Food and Dessert Bar has recently opened its doors to customers, as an endeavour to provide Indian food that is beyond curries and tandoor grilled food.

Vendors on the streets of India provide an array of delicacies that are rich in history as well as flavour. “Indian street food” is an umbrella term for these dishes and this food venture attempts to bring the predominant ones to Sydney. From chole bhature of Pubjabi food to dosas of South Indian origin, Durga’s menu is a journey across India.

The interiors appear to be a blend of small Indian eateries and café style seating. Classical Indian music plays in the background while the place is taken over by the aroma of spices socialising with one another.

Sanjay Dhodhi, a food enthusiast from Mumbai, has launched the establishment to summon the authentic flavours of Indian cuisine to his new country. Most of these dishes have multiple versions and varieties, but Dhodhi has curated the menu in a manner that largely concentrates on the styles found in Mumbai.

In 2013, Dhodi opened his paan shop called ‘Durga Paan and Falooda House.’ After years of running it, he finally decided it was time to expand into other nuances of Indian cuisine this year. His inspiration for the restaurant was to bring Mumbai to Sydney via his food.

Having migrated to Australia in 2008, Dhodi had been in relentless search of the exact flavours of his hometown, and when he fathomed that they did not make their way here, he decided to take matters into his own hands. “I have started this business to show the world what the actual taste of Mumbai is,” he says.

For anyone who walks through the door at Durga’s, Dhodi recommends having the masala soda, vada pav, pav bhaji, chole bhature and jini dosa. Comprehending how a densely populated country like India has different taste palates and spice levels over different regions, the restaurant offers food of medium spice by default, but can be adjusted according to the customers’ preferences.

I was hungry enough to try all of the signature dishes. The cheese vada pav was packed with spices, as the robust flavours in the potato dumpling were balanced with the creaminess of the cheese. The masala soda was refreshing and reminded me of how I guzzled these on hot summer days in India.

The milkshake style lassi took me by surprise as it was textured and easy to gulp, simultaneously. The jini dosa was accompanied by two chutneys and sambar, all of which were delicious. The chole bhature, which honestly stole the show for me, beautifully encompassed every element of the dish exactly how it is supposed to be.

I finished my lunch with a dessert, the malai kulfi with falooda, nuts and rose syrup. I was extremely satisfied with how the dishes were not too heavy, leaving me with just the right amount of fullness after the meal.

Additionally, the restaurant offers snacks, South Indian food, Mumbai chaat, sandwiches, ice-creams, falooda, beverages, ice golas, roadside specials and most importantly, they have an entire dessert bar with famous Indian sweets.

Dhodi says that he always tries to recognise what customers are looking for, and he works to perfect recipes by tasting and gauging which ingredients are missing or can enhance the dishes. His love for food fuels his motivation to run the restaurant immaculately.

However, he acknowledges the challenges faced by the new business in this time of pandemic. “These restrictions are worrisome for any new business, because people don’t know us yet, they haven’t tried our food.” Even after restaurants reopening with social distancing measures, dine in is not the once flourishing option it used to be.

“Now is a difficult time for us. But the takeaway orders are keeping us going,” he says. They are in the process of bringing their services to Menulog, DoorDash and UberEats.