My favourite
aspects of our city are the sea, architecture & food. It’s sometimes hard
to see from within the tangle of indiscriminate over-development and lack of
infrastructure but, surrounded by the mystical Arabian Sea, geographically,
this is one spectacularly beautiful metropolis. Tune out the ugly concrete
structures and focus, instead, on the stunning Victorian and art deco treasures
that south Mumbai is home to. And, from street food to fine dining, Mumbai can
satisfy the most fanatic foodie.
EAT
Le 15 Patisserie For Macarons
The beguiling,
young debutante of Mumbai’s culinary scene caters to anyone with a chronic confectionary
habit. Their offerings are simply world class. My personal favourites are the
dark chocolate and the dark chocolate & orange macarons.
Camy Wafers for Potato Chips
Ground zero
for any serious snacker. This vintage Mumbai institution has a variety of
freshly made munchies and baked goods on offer but the star is their paper thin
potato wafers (chips) that are like little crispy slivers of salty sunshine. I
challenge you to find a better chip anywhere in the world.
EXPERIENCE
The Willingdon Club
Step back in time and channel your inner viceroy by getting a member to sign you in for a round of golf at this tony colonial gem. Follow it with waffles, club sandwiches, sev puri & chilled shandies on the whitewashed veranda overlooking the lawns — a treat as much for its ambience, as for the quirky cast of characters that populates it.
Step back in time and channel your inner viceroy by getting a member to sign you in for a round of golf at this tony colonial gem. Follow it with waffles, club sandwiches, sev puri & chilled shandies on the whitewashed veranda overlooking the lawns — a treat as much for its ambience, as for the quirky cast of characters that populates it.
The Hally Pacific Warehouse
The labyrinthine
warehouse of antiques dealer,
Farida Hoosenally is piled to the rafters with exquisite colonial, art deco
& retro furniture and artifacts awaiting restoration and sale. You could
easily spend hours wandering the multi-leveled space, discovering treasures
from bygone eras.
Hally Pacific Pvt. Ltd.
522, Sayani Road
Prabhadevi, Mumbai-25
By appointment
Contact: Farida Hoosenally
Office: +91-22-65806004/5
Mobile: +91 98200 85947
A Parsi Wedding at the Colaba Agiary
Wangle an
invitation to a Parsi wedding or navjote (the Zoroastrian initiation ritual) at
The Seth Jeejeebhoy Dadabhoy Agiary in Colaba’s Navy Nagar, on the southern
most tip of Mumbai. The sea-facing agiary (fire temple) grounds are charming
and the mouth-watering, traditional feast, served on banana leaves on long
communal tables, is well worth the trauma of finding a stately matriarch in
pearls looming intimidatingly behind your chair, staking claim to your place
for the next seating, before you’ve even started your dessert.
AVOID
Tongas
Although these
horse drawn carriages have a kitschy, romantic appeal, the horses used to pull
them through the terrifying Mumbai traffic are subjected to abysmal living
conditions and cruelty
For the rest of my insider guide to Mumbai, including unmissable experiences and tips, check out: Condé Nast Traveller’s guide to Mumbai.
