Stylish India: 48 hours in Mumbai
Image courtesy: Melange Mumbai
Big, bustling, Mumbai, India’s financial and commercial capital and the erstwhile home of Bollywood, is currently undergoing a renaissance of sorts. This populous city, which features at the helm of India’s well-documented growth story, brims with optimism and ingenuity, while exuding an infectious, energetic vibe.
These are exciting times in Mumbai and the city has recently witnessed the proliferation of several excellent restaurants, bars and shopping destinations, which must be experienced on any sojourn to this teeming metropolis by the Arabian Sea.
Saturday
10 am
Fuel up at Le Pain Quotidien
The well-known Belgian bakery and communal dining chain opened its first outpost in Mumbai in 2011. The café, which is located in the city’s Apollo Bunder area in Colaba, opens early for breakfast and offers the chain’s signature freshly baked breads and croissants, along with fresh fruit juices, crêpes, waffles and various egg preparations. Also on offer are specially created Indian breakfast items, like Parathas stuffed with potatoes and polenta made with traditional South Indian spices.
Le Pain Quotidien at Dhanraj Mahal, C.S.M. Road, Apollo Bunder, Near the Gateway of India, Colaba. Phone:- +91 22 6615 0202, Open from 8am to 11.30pm http://www.lepainquotidien.in/#/en_IN/locations/mumbai/colaba
Image courtesy: Le Pain Quotidien
11.30 am
Discover India’s Burgeoning Contemporary Art Scene
Today, contemporary Indian artwork features prominently in the auctions hosted by Sotheby’s and Christie’s. Mumbai’s Kala Ghoda and Colaba areas are considered to be focal point of the Mumbai art scene. Both of these neighborhoods host several institutions and art galleries that offer a display platform for the many established as well as emerging artists from India. Discover the fascinating world of Indian contemporary art, at galleries such as:
Chemould Prescott Road Gallery, 3rd floor, Queens Mansion, G. Talwatkar Marg, Fort Mumbai. Ph: +91 22 2200 0211, http://www.gallerychemould.com/
Gallery at Max Mueller Bhavan (K. Dubash Mag Phone: +91 22 2202 7542)
Volte Gallery, 2/19, 1st Floor, Kamal Mahal, Arthur Bunder Road, near Radio Club, Colaba, Ph:+91 22 2204 1220,. Mon-Sat 11am-7pm, http://www.volte.in/
Image courtesy/Volte Gallery Mumbai
2pm
Tuck in at Swati Snacks
Gorge on Mumbai’s famed street foods in the pristine environs of the ever-popular Swati Snacks restaurant. The menu at Swati Snacks features many classic Mumbai street eats, like Bhelpuri (puffed rice served with spicy and sweet chutneys), Pani Puri (fried dough balls filed with pulses, potato and a spicy sauce) and Dahi Batata Puri (fried, savory bites, topped with boiled potatoes, yogurt and tangy sauces). The restaurant is well-known for its hygienic food handling so much so that most visitors to the city are known to indulge here without a care for the dreaded ‘Mumbai Belly’.
Swati Snacks at Karai Estate, Opposite Bhatia Hospital, Tardeo Road, Phone: +91 22 65808405 http://swatisnacks.com/_/Mumbai.html
Pani Puri
4pm
Indulge in some retail therapy
India has long been known for producing sumptuous textiles, now its many homegrown designers are coming into their own as their creations are now sported by international celebrities like Lady Gaga, Fergie, Katy Perry and Jennifer Lopez, amongst others. Shop until you drop at the city’s many fashion-forward boutiques like
Melange 33 Altamount Road, Phone: + 91-22 2353 4492 - http://www.melangeworld.com
Ensemble Great Western Building, 130/132 Shahid Bhagat Singh Road, Opposite Lion Gate, Bombay, Ph:+91 22 22872282, +91 22843227, +91 22845118 – http://www.ensembleindia.com
Aza 21, Altamount Road, Ph:+91 22 2353 0212 – http://www.azafashions.com/
7pm
Watch the sun set over Mumbai while having a tipple
Mumbai boasts two excellent rooftop bars, which offer a bird’s-eye view of the city. The Dome at the InterContinental Hotel and Aer located on the 34th floor of the Four Seasons Hotel, are considered to be the best spots in the city for quaffing a sundowner. However, it is useful to remember that Aer is closed for business during Mumbai’s monsoon season, which typically extends from June to the end of September.
Aer at the Four Seasons Hotel Mumbai, 114 Dr. E. Moses Road, 400 018, Worli, Ph: + 91 22 2481 8000, http://www.fourseasons.com/mumbai/dining/lounges/aer/
The Dome at the InterContinental, 135 Marine Drive, Ph: +91 22 3987 9999
http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/intercontinental/en/gb/locations/mumbai-marinedrive
9pm
Wine and dine at Café Zoe
Café Zoe, located in the old textile mill area of Mumbai, is currently one of the city’s hottest dining spots. The café, whose décor features exposed brick walls, high ceilings and charmingly mismatched bric-a-brac, serves a menu of hearty eats that hail from all parts of the globe and are perfect for lining your stomach, before you head out for some more nighttime revelry.
Café Zoe at Todi Mathuradas Mill Compound, 126, N M Joshi Marg, Lower Parel, Ph: +91 22 2490 2065
11pm
Surrender to the music at Blue Frog
Blue Frog is Mumbai’s premier live music performance space that also features gigs by some of the best DJs in the world. Musicians from India and around the world perform at Blue Frog six nights a week, though aside from music, the club also offers drinks and eats as well.
Blue Frog is at Mathuradas Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel. Ph:+91 22 6158 6158 http://www.bluefrog.co.in/
Sunday
10 am
Breakfast like a Mumbaikar at Shiv Krishna
Mumbaikars or Mumbai’s residents have a passion for South Indian cuisine. Restaurants that specialize in South Indian cuisine are often referred to as ‘Udupis’, for the fare that they serve is believed to have originated from the town of Udupi, in the Southern Indian state of Karnataka. Shiv Krishna is one the most acclaimed ‘Udupi’ restaurants in Mumbai and it offers a menu that features a variety of South Indian breakfast items like idlis (steamed rice and lentil cakes), dosas (crispy rice and lentil pancakes) and Uthapams (thicker savory pancakes which feature myriad toppings).
Shiv Krishna is at 55 Ranchhod Bhuvan, J.S.S. Road, Opera House, Ph: +91 22 23823966 http://www.shivkrishnafoods.com
12pm
Explore some of India’s favorite stores
Mumbai hosts outposts of many of India’s well-known and favored Indian brands like, FabIndia (cotton and silk apparel for men, women and children, organic products, home wares), Cottonworld (stylish cotton garments for men and women) and Crosswords (fiction and nonfiction books, best sellers, coffee table books, toys and games). Spend your lazy Sunday, perusing their wares while you pick up gifts and mementos for friends and family back home.
FabIndia is at Jeroo Building, 137, M.G. Road, Kala Ghoda, Colaba, Ph: +91-22-22626539, http://www.fabindia.com
Cottonworld is at Mandlik Road, Apollo Bandar, Ph: +91 22 6634 5555 - http://www.cottonworld.net/
Crosswords at Ground Floor, Mohammedbhai Mansion (below Kemps Corner fly over) N.S.P Marg, Ph:+91 22 66272100-05
2.30pm
Break for lunch at Indigo Deli
The intrepid restaurateurs who were responsible for Mumbai’s famed Indigo restaurant, (once ranked among the 50 best restaurants in the world) have now created a chain of delis that offer more casual fare. The chain, which currently operates two outlets in the city, presents a perfect spot for lunch in the midst of a hectic shopping spree.
Indigo Deli at 1st Floor, Palladium Mall High Street Phoenix, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel. Ph:+91 22 6655 1010, http://www.indigodeli.com/
5pm
Escape to the Spa by the Bay
Numerous spas and treatment centers litter Mumbai’s overcrowded landscape as mumbaikars attempt to relax and rejuvenate, while taking a breather from their often frantic, busy lives. Rewa Escape, a spa which is housed in an old bungalow at the end of a leafy lane in South Mumbai, is perhaps the city’s prettiest spa. Set amongst verdant gardens, the spa offers stunning vistas of the Arabian Sea and is truly the most tranquil spot in this mad, chaotic city. Wash away your stresses, while you partake in the spa’s many therapies and treatments, like the Tok-sen Thai massage, the Ancient Rope massage and the Turmeric Detox Ritual Pedicure.
Rewa Escape is at Rewa house Bungalow, Bank of India Lane, Opposite Cadbury House and National Garage, Bhulabhai Desai road. Ph:+91 22 23520580 – http://rewaescape.com
9pm
Savor a taste of Hakkasan
Hakkasan, London’s famed Michelin-star restaurant, opened its Mumbai outpost in 2011 and the restaurant which is situated in Mumbai’s bohemian suburb, Bandra, quickly went on to become a runaway hit in spite of its astronomical prices. Hakkasan Mumbai, which features the similar stainless steel and dark wood furnishings and muted lighting of its London parent, is a favorite of the Mumbai swish set. So don’t be surprised if you spot a Bollywood celebrity or two, while you dine on the restaurant’s exquisite Pan-Asian fare or when you enjoy some after-dinner drinks at the restaurant’s intimate Ling Ling Lounge.
Hakkasan at Krystal, 206, Waterfield Road, Bandra (West), Ph: +91 22 2644 4444 http://www.hakkasan.com/mumbai/
