Ask the locals, they say – they know the real good places to eat!

Indeed Vasai Local restaurant is a gem of a seafood paradise – and not only because the Karama locals recommend it, but also because it represents the genuine cuisine, and culinary pride, of a seaside city in India, just north of Mumbai: Vasai.

Vasai Local is a happy little place, humble with seven tables, but with a heart bigger than you can imagine!

In fact, every dish is prepared as a prized reflection of home – and Vasai is famous in India for the freshest seafood and exciting preparation in the kitchens.

And there I found dishes that I had never tried before!

Above, Solkadi – a very interesting, and for me, unusual drink!

Based on coconut milk, but then totally re-invented with the addition of a mysterious kokum (later found to be a fruit in the mangosteen family – Aha! That’s where the tangy flavor came from!), a little bit of salt, and then chili-spices paste for taste and probiotic contents!

So it is a spicy coconut drink, with underlying hints of tartness (think tamarind) – a genius of a refreshing drink, and apparently an excellent digestive, as well.

But it is the seafood that leads the way at Vasai Local!

As a non-Indian, I am not qualified to understand deeply the miracles of Indian cuisine; but as a dedicated Indophile – lover of all things Indian! – I always marvel at the composition of so many different flavors, coherently molded into one multi-dimensional dish of many perfections.

Take the above Surmai fish steaks, for example.

Known also as the King Mackarel, the surmai is one of the healthiest fish with high levels of omega-3: also it is a staple in the Vasai fish markets. So, how to prepare it?

Well, an equal mix of creativity and fireworks, it seems!

At Vasai Local, they call these the VaLo special – Surmai Tava and Surmai Koli… same fish, two spectacular versions…

Look closer…

…and you can imagine the exciting flavors bouncing off of that thick marinade!

In the same fashion, the pan-fried prawns, some also coated in semolina for that extra crunch..

Or go for the pomfret, perhaps stuffed with tasty peppers!

Fish and prawn curries are there…

…served with these very interesting – and yummy! – balls of golden fried dough.

And in a few minutes, your table is transformed into a festival of flavors!

A superb weekend meal fit for kings and queens in Dubai, heralding from the shores of the Indian Ocean at Vasai.

And so, for a delicious coastal Indian meal of the freshest seafood prepared in Vasai style, look no further than Vasai Local restaurant in Dubai! If you are unfamiliar with the intricacies of authentic regional Indian cuisine, but wish to expand your experience of original delicacies, you can’t go wrong at Vasai Local – every dish is a speciality.