Going native
Last week, my local watering hole was overrun by drawling interlopers. The doorman had given up trying to restrain the crowd and struggled just to keep the door open. Inside there was barely room to move, and twenty minutes later I realized I wasn’t going to get a drink. My local friends stayed away in droves, knowing better than to come during high season.
The wind, waves and stars are aligned, it’s prime time for outdoor weddings, and the Yanks have come marching in. I’ve dined with desi American friends at five-stars, spending four times the usual on bad food and getting gouged on bottled water. They’re lovely people, but I just can’t understand why they insist on talking during cricket 
on Thursday, December 28th, 2006, 6:24 pm in Bombay, Humor, Musings, Travel › 
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Manish,
Nice. Soon you will be writing about …”The mild expression, so characteristic of this race, the beauty and regularity of the features and the symmetrical form of the head are striking and convey a high idea of the intellectuality of the Asiatic race… This classical elegance of form is not confined to the head alone, the bust is often of the finest proportions of ancient statuary and when seen through the thin veil of flowing muslin as the graceful Hindu female ascends from her morning ablution in the Ganges is a subject well worth the labor of the poet or artist. ” (http://www.sepiamutiny.com/sepia/archives/004033.html)
I love your posts about Bombay, they really capture the moods of the Indian city I love best although I’ve never spent as much time in it as I’d like. As a kid, I got to spend idyllic summers in Bombay and I remember many happy days walking through ChurchGate, Nariman Point, Bandra, and so on. It’s been 10 years since I was last in Bombay (it’s great that you filed the post under “Bombay”, it will never be Mumbai to me), and I’ve never been there as an adult old enough to enjoy the city on my own. I will be passing through again in January, and was wondering if you had recommendations for good restaurants and bars in the city (for example, your local watering hole, or the bar with the flickering candles and the lovely views of a scarlet Bombay sunset).
That rooftop bar is Dome at the Intercontinental on Marine Drive. Vie in Juhu is small but has a nice beachside sunset view. Olive in Bandra is a see-and-be scene on Thursdays. The bar at Indigo in Colaba is a relaxed happy hour on Fridays.
Both do decent Italian. Japengo at Nariman Point does fairly good sushi. But the food is much better at midrange restaurants (Rs. 200-300/head) and vada pav wallas than at hotels IMO. Downtown, definitely hit Bade Miyan late at night for kababs– hole-in-the-wall. In Bandra I like arbi and mooli paranthas at Papa Pancho, red curry at Lemon Grass, saffron rice and mixed veggies with cashew at Kwik Wok, aloo rolls and dal makhani at Kareem’s, BBQ mushroom pizza at Tangy Tomato.
Everything above is absolutely correct additionaly, there is a roadside eatery opposite royal inn hotel in Khar which may not be as good as Bade Miyan is pretty close. Also there used to be a guy outside president hotel in Cuffe Parade who does a mean paneer kathi roll. For nice home food there is a place called crystal in opera hose close to chaupati which is good. The thali at golden star in charni road and matunga station is pretty good. The paranthas at Just Paranthas at linking road are great and try the Khichdi Samrat, I forget the exact location but it is definitely worth a try.
There is a new bar called Shiro in Parel which is nice.
Manish,
I spent a few years in bandra, living as a PG (paying guest). Do you know if Lucky ( irani restaurant) is still around? also Sayiba ( konkani), Casbah or KAsbah ( beer bar) opposite bandra talkies)? how about Kobe’s sizzling steaks in Vile parle? believe me I know all the aunties joints in bandra and dhobi talao. On so many occasions, i ran into Behram Contractor ( busybee) of Midday and Afternoon newspapers. Aaah… memories.
Mandarin and nanking at Colaba, pamposh at khar, there was a seedy pickup “joint” at colaba, I forgetthe name, lot of middle eastern men and women used to hang out there. of all the five star ritzy places, i used to like Samarkand at Oberois the best, Trattoria at President was decent. Shamiana at Taj was just like a fancy udipi restaurant. Speaking of udipi- Sujata at dadar wasmy favorite. also “appointment” in Andheri w.
Sorry……I just got carried away.
Stomach on Turner Road - “semi-roadside” chinese!
Hearsh Bakery near Hill Road - Is that still around? (About 6 years ago they had the best Rs 12 Veggie Burger in town)
OvenFresh near Shivaji Park - the place to “see and be seen” while you wait for your liquor license :)
Sri Krishna at Dadar for Vada Pav
I hung out a lot around Bandra too - only I never had the pleasure of running into Behram Contractor (sigh!)
Thanks, everybody! These are exactly the kind of recommendations I was looking for. Beware, GI tract, here I come!