Imagine a perfectly fried sunny side-up ensconced in a snow-white hopper (the Sri Lankan version of the appam), crisp on the edges and soft in the middle. Served with a side of sweet-sour sambol and a piquant chutney, this is the perfect all-day snack or a breakfast of champions. Hoppumm, the newest speciality Sri Lankan eatery in Mumbai, offers a small but delectable menu that captures the culinary diversity of the island nation as well as its resonances with food from Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Hoppumm began its life as a pop-up on Mumbai’s flea market circuit. Drawing on the popularity of the appam-stew combination, siblings Sahil and Jai Wadhwa and their school friend, chef Lakshit Shetty, decided to come up with a quick meal version of the Sri Lankan breakfast hopper. As their popularity grew, the trio decided to open their first outlet, a 15-seater in Bandra’s Pali Hill neighbourhood. Appam lovers can choose from hoppers in traditional, spinach and multigrain options and combine them with one of the over half-a-dozen fillings, including mutton pepper fry, Ceylon roasted mushroom and prawn moilee. For those who want a larger meal, there are other staples to pick from, like neer dosa, string hoppers and even brown rice. For a quick snack on the go, there are street food favourites like kottu roti (parathas chopped up and mixed with a curry and fresh herbs), Sri Lankan mutton and veg rolls as well as traditional drinks and desserts like alam neer (ginger lemonade) and vathalappam(coconut pudding). Hoppumm is definitely as authentic as it is fun.
Hoppumm, Rafi Mansion, 28th Road, Bandra (W), Mumbai.