There is one journey which every self-avowed seafood lover in Mumbai must take and that is to head towards Gajalee in Vile Parle and order the tandoori crab. Throw caution (and the wallet) to the winds and order the biggest one available. You do not very much more — maybe a solkadi or a buttermilk. Maybe a bombil — Bombay Duck — fry to fill in the waiting time. And then, this most succulent and sweetest meat of all will take up the rest of your meal.

Of course, there are several other ways and places to eat crab in Mumbai. Any halfway decent Gomantak/ Malvani/ Mangalorean eaterie will have some version or the other. The smaller ones are fine for a whiff and a promise but it is the larger version which fills all your senses and fulfils every promise. Mahesh Lunch Home, Excellensea, Saayba, Apurva, Ankur, Trishna, Highway Gomantak — it's a long list and this doesn't cover it. If you're a regular on the circuit, then you have your own favourites. The trick is that the masala must never overpower the sweet flavour. If you do that, you might as well eat chicken (in fact, that is possibly the only way to eat chicken). There's that whole butter-pepper-garlic thing and if you must do it, inflict it on squid. But tandoori masala, I hear you asking. The thing is Gajalee (at Vile Parle) does something special which makes it special. It seems to blend into the crab.

The steamed crab at say Kamling, with just a garlic, spring onion and chilli dip on the side is another of those Mumbai experiences. The soft shell fried crab, Chinese style, at Vong Wong is worth a repeat. I would only nod at crab cakes and cutlets and stuff because nice as they are, they're just nice. Not eye-popping, mind-blowing, tastebud-exploding fabulous like the main item.