A viral video featuring travel vlogger Nick Gray enjoying sabudana vada (made from tapioca) at a famous Maharashtrian restaurant in India’s Mumbai has sparked quite a debate among food enthusiasts. The reel shows Nick visiting Dadar’s iconic Prakash Shakahari Upahar Kendra, where he claims to have found “the very best breakfast.”
Nick introduces his audience to his “favourite dish in the whole world,” initially naming it sabudana (tapioca) vada but later referring to it as “Indian donuts.” He explains that these popular breakfast items in Maharashtra are made from tapioca and peanuts. As he cuts into the crunchy vada with two spoons, he humorously confesses his fear of making a mess.
The video has racked up over 870K views, but not everyone agrees with Nick’s choice of words. Instagram users quickly jumped into the comments to correct him, arguing that sabudana vada is not a “donut.” One user suggested, “Tapioca fritters instead of donuts maybe? Donuts are dense and sweet, while these are light and savoury.”
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Nick responded, “Yes, I think you’re right. I just wanted it to go viral so more Americans could learn about sabudana wada.” The comments section soon filled with suggestions for other must-try Indian dishes and a few light-hearted jabs.
One user wrote, “BTW, Indian doughnut could be Mendu Vada, not sabudana vada.” Another added, “You can call it Sago peanut fritters… Just the perfect place to have it in Mumbai.” Others chimed in with comments like, “NOO MAN. Don’t call it a donut. It is called a ‘vada’.”
Despite the debate, many appreciated Nick’s effort to showcase the diversity of Indian cuisine. “Finally, people like you are showing that Indian food is more than just chicken tikka masala, naan, butter chicken, and biryani,” one user noted.
