India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) (70 page)

ISKCON, Hare Krishna Mandir, Juhu Tara Rd., Juhu.
022/2620-0337.
Buffet
Rs 270; Sun buffet Rs 320; snack time and a la carte menu dishes Rs 30–Rs 120. MC, V. Daily
7:30–11am, 12:30–3:30pm, 4–6pm and 7:30–10:30pm.

Out of the Blue
EUROPEAN/INTERNATIONAL Part nonstop festival, part restaurant, this vibey Bandra hangout attracts a savvy crowd out for a bit of entertainment as accompaniment to some fairly decent dishes. There are art exhibitions, tarot readers, musicians, magicians—plus there’s room for many other improvised events and happenings likely to raise an eyebrow and keep you smiling. It’s strictly European on the food front, but with hints of local influence (how about the masala mafia pasta, or
desi
fondue?) to keep things interesting. We love the seafood—prawns marinated in chili and lime, and deliciously spiced grilled fish. Plus there’s a spa menu for anyone watching his or her figure.

Hotel Pali Hills, 14 Union Park, off Carter Rd., Khar (W).
022/2605-8227.
Main courses Rs 175–Rs 400. AE, DC, MC, V. Daily noon–3:30pm and 7pm–midnight.

Penne
ITALIAN Like a bright, modern trattoria, this snazzy, unpretentious Juhu restaurant offers authentic pasta, risotto and 13-inch Neapolitan-style pizzas, and is a good place for a reasonably priced steak. Start with gamberi Portofino—fresh prawns sautéed with lemon, chili peppers, garlic, and herbs, and served on a bed of pasta with creamy white wine sauce—and then order the New Zealand rack of lamb, which is oven-grilled, scented with lavender, and hugely successful. Lighter dishes, like the vodka-flamed penne pasta, and the lobster risotto with Jura whiskey are also highlights, as is the delectable grilled John Dory, served with a sublime lemon butter mustard. However, if you want to join the regulars for a massive full-fledged feast, you’ll have to turn up for the massively popular weekly barbecue buffet that happens every Sunday between noon and 4:30pm—come very hungry.

14 Silver Beach, AB Nair Rd., Juhu.
022/2625-5706.
Main courses Rs 330–Rs 1,450; pizza Rs 400–Rs 525. MC, V. Daily noon–12:30am.

Prithvi Café
LIGHT FARE Another prime people-watching spot, this pleasant, unpretentious café is where many of Mumbai’s up-and-coming and struggling
artistes
come to nosh and discuss their art. The cafe serves great fresh
parathas
and a variety of teas and coffees over which you can linger undisturbed—the nonalcoholic Irish coffee is legendary. The menu is a literal tour de force of Mumbai’s best-loved dishes and snacks, borrowed from the eating houses that made them famous. It’s an ideal place to sample traditional
chaat,
yummy samosas, good old
vada pao,
and excellent kebabs, without having to wonder through the city.

Prithvi Theatre, Janki Kutir Society, Juhu Tara Rd., Juhu.
022/2617-4118.
Main courses Rs 50–Rs 275. No credit cards. Mon 3–11:30pm; Tues–Sun 12:30–11:30pm.

The Thali: A Meal Unto Itself

You can’t leave this city without consuming at least one thali, the meal that really tests the size of your appetite! It works like this: Sit down, and in less than a minute you’re expected to declare which thali you want—ordinary, special, and so on. Seconds later, a large, stainless-steel (or silver) plate (thali) arrives along with six to eight small bowls (katoris) resting on it. The waiters then fill every one of the multiple katoris as well as the rest of the plate with a large assortment of steaming-hot spiced vegetables, savories, dals, beans, rotis, puris, and potentially much more. To wash it down, you’re served water (best avoided unless you’re certain it’s been purified) and a glass of delicious, superthin, cumin-flavored buttermilk (chaas). As you eat, your katoris will be topped up, so indicate what you want for seconds, thirds, fourths—a veritable onslaught that won’t stop until you say so (although some waistline-minded restaurateurs have started serving “limited thalis”). Then it’s a round of rice or khichdi (a mixture of rice and dal) and, in some restaurants, dessert. Not only are thalis a great value (you pay Rs 50–Rs 250), but they come pretty close to the home cooking of the country’s Gujarati (or Rajasthani) population (and there are thalis from most other parts of the country, too). There are so many good thali places to choose from, but
Panchvati Gaurav
(Vithaldas Thackersay Marg, across from Bombay Hospital, Marine Lines;
022/2208-4877;
Tues–Sun 11am–3pm and 7–10:30pm; Mon lunch only) definitely stands out—especially at lunchtime, when office workers flock here. It’s dedicated to producing Gujarati thalis that are world-class, excellent value, and served with a bit of a flourish (they even have a nonspicy thali). Another local favorite, and the ideal place to end a visit to nearby Crawford Market, is
Rajdhani
(361 Sheik Memom St.;
022/2342-6919;
daily noon–4pm, Mon–Sat 7–10:30pm), which also specializes in Gujarati meals (with Rajasthani thalis once a week)—the space is tiny, but the tastes are exceptional. If you’re looking for a thali joint closer to Colaba,
Chetana
(34 K. Dubash Marg, Kala Ghoda;
022/2284-4968;
www.chetana.com
) is a highly recommended, strictly vegetarian place with many delicious options, including a Maharasthrian thali, and one aimed at health-conscious foodies. Attached to the cafe is a very handy bookstore that’s especially good for books on spirituality and Indian philosophy, history, and culture.