Where to eat and what to do if you find yourself with 24 hours in Mumbai's most elegant - and touristy - part of town:
8.30am: Pancakes at Mondy's Sweet pancakes filled with bananas and drizzled with honey may say backpacker in Asia but it's really hard to not think "holiday" when enjoying some with a milky cup of coffee in Colaba - even if you aren't a backpacker. Cafe Mondegar is a great place to linger over a newspaper, watch the hawkers set up their stalls and take a deep breath before plunging into the madness that is Mumbai. The menu is a no-frills affair with plenty of hearty staples like omelettes and stacks of toast, butter and jam. The lively frescos on the walls by the famous Goan caricaturist Mario Miranda are perfect to stare at while munching away and contemplating what to do with the rest of your day. In and around the area: Shopping on Colaba Causeway, the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, the Gateway of India and ferries to Elephanta Island. 11am: Vada Pav near VT (sorry, CST) This quintessential Maharastrian snack is everything you need to fuel up after a couple of hours spent bargaining your way through Colaba. You can't do any better than a hot, deep-fried batata vada (a big ball of spiced and battered potatoes), sandwiched in between a fluffy pav (bun) and sprinkled with green chutney and crunchy chilli, garlic and peanut powder. Cheap and tasty, this streetside favourite is easy to eat on the go - which makes it perfect for Mumbai's busy streets. In and around the area: The gorgeous gargoyles and Gothic grandeur that is Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus), Rajabai Tower, the elegant Raj-era buildings along D.N. Road from Flora Fountain at one end to Crawford Market at the other. 1pm: Fish and prawns at Fort You can't go wrong with some light-as-air Neer dosa (rice pancakes) with spicy prawn koliwada or gassi and crunchy fried Bombay Duck at Apoorva. The popular seafood canteen is bang in the centre of the throbbing, labyrinthine commercial heart of South Mumbai known simply as Fort. Pair your meal with some refreshing mosambi (sweet lime) juice to rehydrate before stepping back out into the muggy Mumbai afternoon. In and around the area: The art gallery district of Kala Ghoda, Prince of Wales Museum, Fabindia or Khadi Bhandar for traditional Indian outfits, accessories, handicrafts and ethnic home ware or the Bombay Store for quirky souvenirs. 5.30pm: Bhelpuri, sevpuri and panipuri at Chowpatty Beach These spicy, sweet and sour concoctions popularly lumped under the title chaat are synonymous with Chowpatty Beach. While they do contain enough of Mumbai's notorious local water to possibly make you ill, those with strong stomachs will be rewarded by one of the most surprisingly delicious streetsnacks you could find anywhere. The common base includes potatoes, chopped onion and tomato, chickpeas, spicy chilli and coriander chutney, small puris, sweet and tart tamarind sauce and generous helpings of chaat masala powder. To this mix, bhelpuri adds puffed rice while sevpuri adds the angel-hair-like sev made from fried chickpea paste. The result? A microcosm of Mumbai's mad mix presented in a plate. In and around the area: The carnival atmosphere of the beach with pony rides, yogic contortionists and rope-walkers. 8pm: Kebab rolls at Bade Miyan This kebab stand tucked down one of Colaba's dodgier streets is a Mumbai institution and the long lines of people and cars waiting to cart away their rolls are an indication of just how popular Bade Miyan is. Try the seekh kebab rolls, baida rotis or spiced goat brain with thin rumali (handerchief) rotis, all served with a hot green dipping sauce. Vegetarians are the only ones likely to suffer from a lack of choice but everything on the menu is a good bet for anyone else. In and around the area: Relive the (albeit faded) Golden Age of cinema from a balcony seat at Regal Cinema - one of the city's old single-screen Art Deco movie theatres. 11.30pm: Night cap overlooking the Beautiful Bay If three hours of Bollywood song-and-dance routines have left you thirsty, a quick pint at Leopold's Cafe (of Shantaram fame) is only a few minutes down the road. Those looking for a more glamorous location for evening drinks can hail a cab down to the Dome Bar on the roof of the InterContinental Mumbai for a bird's eye view of what the Portuguese many years ago named Bom Bahia or the 'Beautiful Bay'. In and around the area: A late night drive down the 'Queen's Necklace' stretch of Marine Drive with its lovely Art Deco houses and apartment blocks. Related posts:
12 Comments
31/1/2012 04:48:17 pm
That's a lot of food...which suits me just fine!
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Radhina
31/1/2012 05:19:55 pm
I've heard of it but never found it. Where is it in Fort (in relation to a major landmark)? I tend to get lost in Fort very easily :)
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1/2/2012 06:17:57 pm
Since every time I go there, I'm chaperoned by my lovely aunt, I can't currently give you an exact reference on a map (but I will do soon), but I can tell you it's about 2-3 minutes walk from Rhythm House. In which direction is another story, but I'm sure if you get to RH, someone can direct you.
Rana
31/1/2012 11:09:23 pm
I love Colaba... sadly didn't eat anything there :-(
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Radhina
1/2/2012 01:16:47 pm
That's to keep the travelling companions happy ;) There's a falafel restaurant on Colaba Causeway called Piccadilly (not sure what they were thinking when they named it?!?) But the shwarmas and falafel sandwiches are yummy :)
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1/2/2012 06:19:22 pm
Aaaahhh just saw your comment on the falafels. Are they really good shawarmas? I've tasted falafels once in Bombay before...forgot the same right now, but it wasn't very good. Will check this one out :)
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Radhina
2/2/2012 04:24:35 am
Great shwarmas and falafel sandwiches and very creamy, yummy hummus is what I remember :)
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Richard
3/2/2012 10:50:56 am
Now, if you could move up a little to the north and over the Sea Link to Bandra, a western-suburb odyssey would be helpful. Meanwhile, I think I'll check our some of these funky places.Nice one, girl.
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22/6/2012 10:56:25 pm
Your blog was so simple, I went ahead and created one too, thank you.
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