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Ranked number one restaurant in Mumbai on TripAdvisor.com and Editor's Choice in publications as varied as Fodors, Rough Guide and the Lonely Planet, tonight we were eagerly anticipating our visit to Trishna, fish restaurant par excellence.

Badshah Pani Puri, Stall Number 16, Chowpatty Beach, Mumbai, India.

Juhu Beach, Juhu Tara Road, Mumbai

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Could one street be a more obvious terrorist target? After our less than wonderful experience in Leopold on Saturday night, we were at it again this evening.

We headed south to the Regal Cinema in Colaba to catch box office sensation 3 Idiots, already the biggest grossing Bollywood movie of all time, after just 10 days on release.

Against the clock, we turned our noses up at Cafe Mondegar, and followed the crowds heading to backstreet kebab staple Bademiya.

We're off the meat, so skipped the throngs of carnivorous backpackers swarming round the grill, and instead grabbed a paneer masala roti wrap (heated in a microwave) to go.

Gap filled, we headed through the metal detectors to the sanctity of the Regal, and the warm, tender embrace of Aamir Khan...

(We later learned that the stall is owned by Muslims, so perhaps not the terrorist target it first appeared)

Bill for two: 180 rupees (£2.50, AU$4.50)

Passable wraps at Bademiya, Tullock Road, Colaba, Mumbai, India‎ - 022 2284 8038‎

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Cuisine from Sonor Bangla, home of Calcutta's famous Howrah Bridge, where the subtleties of their cooking techniques are a revered art form.

Bagan Niramish Bhojan Thali. Traditionally thali's are plate meals served on a metal platter with small bowls, featuring dry and wet vegetable dishes, roti, pappadoms, rice, pickle, curd and a sweet. Today's five course lunch included creamy cheesy curd mash; yellow chilli dahl; ochre, peas, red chilli and radish masala; nutty mushroom dahl; poori bread to mop up, plus a block of paneer and pistachio sweet named chhana.

We also sampled Howrah Mango Chatni (chutney) on the side, which was light, fragrant, sweet and fruity.

All washed down with a Zaffrani Lassi, sprinkled with Zafffron (saffron) the most precious and expensive spice in the world, thick, lemony, limey, sweet and salty. A lip smacking taste sensation guaranteed to leave you sucking the straw for the last drops.

Verdict: delicious nosh, so worth ignoring the stark and sterile restaurant interior, and glossing over the lack of conversation on other tables.

Bill for two: 410 rupees (UK£5.50, AU$10) 

Sitaram Building B-Block, Dr D N Road, Opposite Cid Office Crawford Market, Fort, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400001, India‎ - 022 23424693‎

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Rather ghoulish evening, eating next to bullet holes in the first spot targeted during November 2008's terrorist attacks on Mumbai. 

Paneer Tikka Masala served in a squat copper pot with an excessively oily red film on the surface. The Masala was muscley, semi-spicy and mixed with large cubes of paneer. Very oily.

Black Dal Rice served in a tall, hammered copper pot with wee handle. Small hint of chilli, mild and nutty. Enjoyed our first Dal served with white rice.

Not knowing what to expect when ordering the Kashmiri Naan, we were taken aback when an oversized pizza arrived lopping onto the table. A strange Western-friendly twist on an Indian staple, topped with paneer, cashews, tomato, red chillis, honey and a secret ingredient: cherries! 

Not enough Kingfisher Beer because we'd foolishly left the hotel without enough cashola for Leopold's inflated prices. Unfortunate as we could have done with rather more sauce to wash the less than satisfying nosh down with.

Bullet holes, resident drug dealers at next table, shutters down and lights up at 00:30 with no warning. Bland...

Bill for two: 912 rupees (UK£12, AU$22)

Leopold Cafe, Shahid Bhagat Singh Rd, Mumbai, Mumbai City, Maharashtra 400039, India‎ - 022 22828185‎

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Located in the heart of Colaba, opposite the Regal Cinema, Sahakar boasts friendly and interested staff, delicious snack food, and orange plastic seats resembling a Parisian laundrette.

Paneer Masala Dosa: initially a little disappointed to receive a folded Dosa, when we were hoping for a large rolled paper-thin wonder, the grated paneer cheese on top of this spicy South Indian staple was a delicious first. Served with coconut chatni (chutney) - just the right temperature, not too hot - and sweet sambar, a tasty vegetable and lentil stew which we spooned into our mouths.

Accompanied by salty and sour Khada Pav Bhaji, which are made up of potato, chick pea, cilantro (coriander) with a spicy tomato base, served with by lightly fried, buttered white dinner rolls: not sure how Indian these were, but they are damn effective! 

Discovered Mosambi juice for the first time: sweet limes with added sugar. The perfect sauce to wash our food down with.

Delicious stuff at Sahakar Refreshment, c/o Sahakar Bhandar, Nathalala Parikh Marg, Opposite Regal Cinema, Colaba, Mumbai 400 039. India

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We are 37,000ft in the air, aboard British Airways flight 309, on route to Mumbai.

We are embarking on a global recce in search of our perfect place to live: you can read about our trip here.

Each day for the next five months we'll be blogging our culinary adventures here on SauceandNosh.com.

Pictured above is the first meal of our trip, a rather tasty inflight vegetable dhansak with lime pickle and all the trimmings.

Don't worry, it's going to get more interesting than this...