Travel Vlogger Calls Sabudana Vada 'Indian Donuts' In Mumbai, Netizens React

A video shared by travel vlogger, Nick Gray, that has gone viral, shows him enjoying sabudana vada at Prakash Shakahari Upahar Kendra, a vegetarian restaurant in Mumbai's Dadar area.

In the video, Gray praises the restaurant for having "the very best breakfast" and introduces his "favourite dish in the whole world."

Initially calling the dish sabudana vada, Gray later describes it as "Indian donuts", explaining it is a popular breakfast item in Maharashtra made from tapioca and peanuts. Using two spoons, Gray carefully cuts into the crunchy vada, expressing concern about making a mess.

Gray's reel, which has garnered over 974K views, sparked a flurry of comments on Instagram. Many users corrected Gray's comparison of sabudana vada to a "donut," suggesting more accurate descriptions like "tapioca fritters" and emphasising its light, savoury nature.

One user commented, "Tapioca fritters instead of donuts maybe? I know you want it to be relatable but donuts are dense and sweet. These are light and savory. Wouldn’t fritters be more apt?"

Another user pointed out, "BTW Indian doughnut could Mendu Vada and not sabu Dana vada."

A different commenter added, "NOO MAN. Don't call it donut😂😂its called a 'vada'."

Someone else said, "Doughnut aikun kasatari jhala 😢."

Another humorous comment read, "These are Indian donuts. Boy, do you want to get beaten in the restaurant? 😂"

One user appreciated Gray's efforts, saying, "Finally people like you are taking efforts to show that Indian food is more than just chicken tikka masala, naan, butter chicken, and biryani 😂🙌."

Gray acknowledged the feedback, expressing his intention to make sabudana vada more recognisable to Americans. He replied, "Yes, I think you're right. I just wanted it to go viral for more Americans to know about sabudana wada."