India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) (63 page)

Om Chambers, 123 A.K. Marg, Kemps Corner.
020/2363-0842.
Main courses Rs 280–Rs 390. AE, MC, V. Daily 12:30–3pm and 7–11:30pm.

India Jones
PAN-ASIAN The menu is a treasure trove of exciting Asian dishes. If you’d rather not spend time wading through the menu, settle on the humungous two-person Grand Platter, which will take you on a veritable culinary odyssey, starting with soups and appetizers and culminating in a platter of green chicken curry, wok-fried prawns, stir-fried sea bass with celery, barbecued pork with honey, wok-fried mixed vegetables in black-peppercorn sauce—and the list goes on. For the not-so-ravenous, there’s plenty to choose from: superb silken tofu, wok platters, live seafood (try the grouper, filleted and steamed with Vietnamese mint), and a separate
teppanyaki
counter (extremely popular, so book your seat). Wait staff are also adept at making spot-on recommendations, so no need to panic about the voluminous menu. Finally, it’s a big tossup between India Jones’s legendary
tab tim krob
(jellied water chestnut and sago in chilled coconut milk) and the sublime green tea and wasabi ripple ice cream. Our only complaint? The cheap wooden chopsticks.

Trident Nariman Point, Nariman Point.
022/6632-4343.
Main courses Rs 450–Rs 1,500, Grand Platter Rs 1,750 per person; unlimited dim sum lunch Rs 1,250. AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 12:30–2:45pm and 7:30–11:45pm.

Joss
PAN-ASIAN Since opening in 2004, this has grown into one of Mumbai’s best places for modern Asian cuisine. Chef Farrokh Khambata has carved quite a name for himself catering to the city’s discerning foodies; he specializes in Japanese, Malaysian, Balinese, Chinese, and Indonesian fare, tending to invigorate known favorites with a bit of personal flair. Above all else, it’s what he does with fish that impresses—his Japanese sea bass with shoyu and ginger is superb, as is the miso-encrusted Chilean sea bass. But then how about Mekong whisky flambéed prawns, crab cappuccino soup, or the Oriental crab bisque? He also makes silken tofu steaks that virtually melt on the tongue, and there’s an excellent Balinese curry cooked in the clay pot. Khambata’s sushi has quite a following, and there are Japanese set menus for those of us who can’t make up our minds. Expect exquisite desserts, too, like the hot Kahlúa soufflé and chocolate cigars with prune and Armagnac ice cream. This is one chef who loves to give diners something to talk about.

K. Dubash Marg, Kala Ghoda.
022/6635-6908.
www.jossrestaurant.com
. Main courses Rs 340–Rs 1,000. Japanese set menu Rs 1,100–Rs 1,800. AE, MC, V. Daily 12:30–3:30pm and 7:30–11:30pm.

Khyber
NORTH INDIAN Khyber has been going strong for decades now, and its classic Mughlai cuisine and tender kebabs remain outstanding, although not quite up to earlier standards. Start with
kali mirch rawas
(fish seasoned in black pepper), firm yet meltingly good; or chicken
badami
(in rich almond sauce) and
paneer shashlik
(grilled Indian cottage cheese, spices, and vegetables). Follow these with Khyber
raan
(lamb) or mutton
chaap
Mughlai and piping-hot
naan
bread. To cleanse the palate (Mughlai cuisine is very rich), order the fresh seasonal fruit or the
ras malai.
Besides the great food, Khyber is an experience in royal dining: The opulent decor includes original paintings by some of India’s most famous artists (the likes of M. F. Hussain and Anjolie Ela Menon). Not much changes at this Mumbai institution, and service is sometimes slow.

145 MG Rd., Kala Ghoda.
022/2267-3227
through -3229. Reservations required but are only guaranteed for seating before 8:30pm or after 10:15pm. Main courses Rs 250–Rs 695; average meal Rs 1,350. AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 12:30–3:30pm and 7:30–11:30pm.

Konkan Café
COASTAL After walking through the vast marble lobby of the refurbished Taj President, stepping inside this recreated Mangalorean village comes as a bit of a surprise—the mood is laid back and summery, although not quite beach shack. It’s here that Chef Ananda Solomon has earned his reputation (and quite a following) for his heavenly dishes from up and down the Konkan coast. It’s a region that stretches from Karnataka, through Goa, and right up to Maharashtra, which means there’s quite a variety and a range of tastes, tied together by Solomon’s love of pounding his masalas by hand and then biding his time to ensure he gets just the right tastes. Although the menu is constantly reinvented, look for specialties like
the
meen pollichathu,
rawas
cooked in a spicy tomato-onion sauce and baked in a banana leaf; and the heavenly
sukha
mutton. You can also sample specialties like
kori kachpu,
a yellow chicken curry, or fish
moilee,
pomfret rubbed with turmeric and lime and cooked in fragrant coconut milk. If you’re left with any doubts, get the consistently good seafood
thali
. And, of course, no coastal meal would seem right without a quick nip of
feni,
the prodigiously famous Goan liquor distilled from coconuts or cashews.

Taj President Hotel, 90 Cuffe Parade
022/6665-0808.
Main courses Rs 395–Rs 695. AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 12:30–2:45pm and 7–11:45pm.