For authentic Indian food in a traditional environment the choices range from the Kandahar of the Oberoi at Nariman point, Jewel of India at Nehru Centre in Worli (those interested in exotic cocktails have a bar here), Tanjore of the Taj Mahal Hotel on Apollo Bunder, for kebabs and crisp naans and chhole (gram), there is Copper Chimney at three places viz. Dr. Annie Besant Road, Worli, Kala Ghoda and JVPD scheme at Juhu (the owners of this restaurant also eat here) and Bombay Brasserie in Worli itself. Pure vegetarians can have their say with a thali (a lavish spread of a variety of Indian foods) at Chetana at Kala Ghoda, for Gujarati thali there is Rajdhani near Crawford Market, reasonably priced vegetarian south Indian meal on a banana leaf or thali at Rama Nayak near Matunga railway station. Wannabe artists converge with the established ones at Samovar for lively ‘intellectual’ conversation over a beer or a mid-afternoon snack. Interesting tea and kulfi can be had to end the meals here, which is near Jehangir Art Gallery at Kala Ghoda.
Those interested in seafood but don’t want it to be fishy, there are number of outlets. Trishna at Kala Ghoda, Mahesh Lunch Home on Cawasji Patel Street, only Fish with distinct Bengali flavour of doi ‘machch’ and shorse data machch is in Hotel Rosewood at Tardeo.
Ever heard of Salad Bars? Then come and see for yourself how a salad buffet for lunch and lavish exotic dinner spread makes Palms an evergreen favourite at The Oberoi Hotel at Nariman Point. Or you may go to the Golden Gate (Saladero) on Madame Cama Road. Coconut based dishes and spicy Thai noodles are most popular at Thai Ban on Turner Road at Bandra. Not just Jazz By the Bay is a Jazz Bar on Marine Drive where one can have salad buffet at lunchtime and the ‘a la carte faire } for dinner are equally popular. There is also live music on certain days.
For Italian food lovers with a special nose for pastas in a variety of colourful sauces you can enter in Lido at Church Gate or Revival on Marine Drive. The Chinese food is available at number of places all over Mumbai. One can have grilled tiger prawns and spare ribs with honey, the shark-fin and crab meat soup, steamed noodles with lemon grass, ‘turn yum’ soup, baby corn pattaya, corn cream and the chili garlic noodles, steamed ‘dim sums’ and the chicken in red chilly at Ming palace on Colaba Causeway, China Garden at Kemps Corner, Sailor’s Bar and Restaurant on Pherozshah Mehta road. Also visit Golden Dragon at Apollo Bunder and Ling’s Pavilion at the same place. Accommodation is absolutely no problem for a visitor notwithstanding the time of his arrival in the city. What’s more, there is all class of hotels from five stars to homely lodges. You don’t have to be a Mumbaikar to be a Mumbaikar!
People can have pizza and other fast food from such outlets as Domino’s in Prabhadevi or the Pizzeria on Marine Drive and Croissant etc. at Church Gate and Birdy’s by Taj at Cuffe Parade. The climate of Mumbai will not tire you but will certainly make you hungry. So get hungry and get the stomach full!
The two main partners in Vada-Pav viz. the Vada and the bread are ably turned as ‘made for each other’. Vada- Paav is an easily available and easily eatable staple food of Mumbai. Middle classes and the sundry especially those who call footpath as their home and heavy workers seek it after. Vada-Paav can be purchased while passing by. Paav- Bhaji and Missal (a spiced preparation of sprouted beans) also come in handy for all Mumbaikars on the move. All these culinary rituals related with Paav come to a standstill if the bakers strike the production or Aatta and Maida (and they do if the government increases sales tax on these two items) then the regular beneficiaries are left with no option but to eat vada , bhaaji and missal without Paav. It is certainly more admiring than the strike of BEST workers when lakhs of Mumbaikars cannot reach their destinations as the buses remain off the roads.