BLACK BOOK

Mumbai Country: Getting There Average High Temperature How Long to Stay FKA: Bombay Air India and United 90° Four days, then Population: 21 mil. Airlines offer direct head to the Predominant Languages: 22 flights from New Jersey’s beaches of Goa or the Official languages in India. 80° English, Hindi, Marathi Newark daily. JAN MAY SEPT DEC Jaipur palaces.

The truth is, spending time in India’s largest city, formerly known as (and still often called) Bombay, can be exhaust- ing. After all, this Arabian Sea–facing megalopolis has a population more than twice that of New York City, in a space just three-quarters the Portuguese, and British size—hence the terrible rule before India regained traffic. (The good news: its independence in 1947. Elephant-related jams Despite all of this are down since a 2013 foreign sway, law banned pachyderms today has a South Asian from the center.) And aesthetic all its own. You’ll yes, there are jewel- see it in the booming arts encrusted palaces every- scene (the always-hop- where, but you’ll also ping district now find gleaming skyscrapers has galleries showing and slums that are cities homegrown talent like unto themselves. Sahej Rahal) and the Yet Mumbai’s madness admirably ambitious is part of its undeniable restaurants serving hybrid allure. Along Marine dishes like lamb tacos Drive, the glittering water- and curry arancini. And front thoroughfare, colo- then there’s the shopping nial architecture brushes (anyone who works in up against Art Deco the design world knows mansions and Buddhist that whole itineraries are pagodas, a nod to the built around the markets city’s centuries of Gujarati, and boutiques selling covetable saris, silks, and gems). It’s all dizzying, for sure, but only in that intoxicating way which The exterior of the Taj Mahal Palace makes you want to travel

Hotel in Colaba. in the first place. Photograph by Brian Pineda. Maps by Peter Oumanski

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Colaba, the “Stroll Marine neighborhood you’ll want to stay in. Drive, with its famous Art Deco buildings, as Mumbai’s Modern Art Scene the sun sets like Is Thriving. See the Best of It at . . . a big orange Chatterjee & Lal lozenge into the Owned by a husband and wife who are also art critics, Arabian Sea.” it’s one of the best galleries in Mortimer Chatterjee Mumbai’s Colaba art district and Tara Lal, owners, Chatterjee & Lal and has a knack for project- ing Indian talent onto the global stage—after debuting here, multimedia artist Sahej Rahal’s Adversary con- tinued on to Liverpool’s Biennial and Japan’s Setou- In This Massive City, These Are chi Triennale this year. the Hoods You Need to Know Gallery Maskara In this soaring rectangular space in Colaba, the ceilings What You’ll Do are 45 feet high but the The Vibe How Long to Stay Our Insider Tip While There walls seem windowless (there are a few covered by blinds), adding to the Think colonial See the historic Make this your Grab a butter­- provocative feel of installa- sites, local Gateway of base—it has garlic crab tions from artists like Max AND WHEN YOU’RE design stores, India; hit the bou- the best restau- lunch at the Streicher, who filled the HUNGRY AFTER . . . and hip bistros tiques; sip a rant scene

COLABA no-frills, 50-year- that define White Zen beer and shopping in place with inflatable floating Chatterjee & Lal old ­Trishna. modern Mumbai. at Woodside Inn. the city. bodies (which was pretty Stop in for a caramel-fudge much as creepy as it sounds). Millionaire Brownie, baked fresh each day at the super- Weekend like the Visit the Now home to Most of a day Volte popular Theobroma bakery, well-heeled locals 127-year-old Bollywood stars, and into the Peel yourself away from just a five-minute stroll starting with local-art-focused this polished, night, thanks to from the gallery. lunch at the Bombay Art Colaba and detour to this creative suburb its walkable Fatty Bao, then Society, which industrial-style spot Gallery Maskara hasn’t quite shed clutch of spiced rum ­recently moved between Colaba and Bandra Cap off an early-evening its decades- cocktail bars drinks at sceney into a funky new visit with a cold pitcher and bistros. that is widely considered old boho skin. of Kingfisher and a bowl of MasalaBar. Bandra building. the city’s leading authority Beef Chilly Dry at iconic on video and new media expat hangout , A former fac- Browse the tiles Half a day. Go in Head to the art. Its concrete spaces have on the next street over. tory hub reborn and silk damask the late after- Four Seasons’ hosted big names like Anish Volte as a glam row wallpaper at noon to shop 33rd-floor Kapoor and Nalini Malani Walk two blocks west to the of hotels and Raghuvanshi Mills, before cocktail Aer bar at sun- (who just finished exhibiting Farzi Café, one of Mumbai’s shops popular a cotton mill hour at the set; get there 30 at New York City’s MoMA), hottest new restaurants,

LOWER LOWER with blinged-out turned designer many rooftop minutes ahead as well as established locals for ­Indian-Italian snacks like socialites. homeware spot. hotel bars. to snag a seat.

like Ranbir Kaleka. Dal Chawal Arancini. Icon by Tim Boelaars. Photograph by Brian Pineda

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MUMBAI

HOW TO GET Yes, You Can Fill a Suitcase Here AROUND MUMBAI Sprawling Asian cities In Rome, you nearly kill and lenghas spun in can- keep their cool in the can be a beast to navigate, your­self trying to see dy-floss pinks and golds Mumbai heat. Looking and Mumbai is no excep- all the sights; in Mumbai, sparkle almost as brightly for the chicest housewares tion. Though certain neigh- borhoods are eminently you do the same to hit as the society brides this side of Paris? Check walkable (strolling Colaba every cult-worthy boutique, who shop here for their out Good Earth for throw or Marine Drive is a must), A LOCAL WITH TASTE homeware emporium, trousseaux. Northwest of pillows embroidered in going from hood to hood Architect Bijoy can be tricky. Luckily, and silk-draped jewel the store, at iconic Bun- Mogul motifs. Bonus: black-and-yellow cabs are house (the saris at Sabyasa- galow 8, owner Maithili When you finish shop- Jain, of Studio reliable and easy to hail, chi alone are worth plan- Ahluwalia exercises ping, Mumbai’s best Mumbai, Designs and Uber is popular and His Ideal Day Off affordable, as are two local ning an itinerary around). her phenomenal eye Lycheetini is served at the competitors, Ola Cabs Kick off the day atLe Mill, in editing the shawls, St. Regis’s rooftop Asilo “In the mornings I and Meru Cabs, both of a sunlit store in Colaba dresses, and furniture that bar, a short walk away. like to shop . . . which have download- at for able apps. (Meru also has with racks of beautifully stock the semi-industrial a budget-friendly option, spices and stroll Chor colored knitwear from space—we never leave Meru Genie, which costs Bazaar, filled with antiques local designers, as well as without a pair of the about 25 percent less.) from the colonial era. Be sure to factor in traffic one-shoulder maillots by store’s own cotton harem The ground floor at the If there’s time, I’ll dash into when moving around— Shivan & Narresh (though pants, which help wearers Gem Palace, in Colaba. Nalli, which has many rush hour varies by area, you’re forgiven if you go locations around Mumbai, so consult your concierge before hitting the road. straight for the store’s for cotton towels and lungis.” coveted home goods line). “Lunch will usually be Right around the corner WE ASK THE something casual . . . MOST STYLISH is the Gem Palace, a fantasy like fish curry atTaste of Rajasthani splendor and SHOPKEEPERS­ IN of Kerala, in , where MUMBAI WHAT jewelry designed by the the food is served on ONE ITEM TO Kasliwal family, including banana leaves, in the South BRING BACK HOME the late, great Munnu Indian tradition.” WITH YOU Kasliwal and his equally “Don’t miss the galleries . . . Siddharth Kasliwal, talented eldest son, Sid- in the Colaba/Fort area— Gem Palace dharth (head’s up—these a great place to while away “Go to Taherally’s, in the Chor Bazaar, for their jewels can run to six an afternoon. Two of my beautiful 1920s-era figures). A seven-minute favorites are the Chemould antique chandeliers from walk north gets you to Prescott Road gallery—the when Mumbai was under British rule.” romantic Sabyasachi, with lineup of young artists is really dynamic—and Gallery chandeliers and boudoir- Cecilia Morelli Parikh, MMB, which doubles as Le Mill style fitting rooms, where a hub for panel discussions “The twentieth-century heavily bejeweled saris and screenings.” shadow puppets are typical of the south of India, and “Nights are for eating you can find them at Phillips and drinking . . . Antiques, near .” and I will always head Maithili Ahluwalia, to one of Mumbai’s excellent Bungalow 8 16 “The elephant god Ganesh, The number of seafood restaurants, like Fresh Catch, for ambotik hugely popular in Mumbai, “selfie-free” zones is the god of knowledge, curry, followed by a drink introduced to wealth, and success and the city this year. at the Royal Bombay is the remover of obstacles. Yacht Club, which has been Pick up a statue at any

Photograph Parker. Illustration by Tom by Denise Nestor around since 1846.” handicrafts store.”

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How Expats Started Brown rice congee a Restaurant Revival from One Street Over.

It used to be that eating Ellipsis before making a AND EVEN THE out in Mumbai meant lit- name for himself in Ban- INDIAN CUISINE HAS tle more than hotel dining dra with One Street Over, FOREIGN ROOTS or sitting down to hum- where the vegetable Indian-born chef Atul drum Indo-Chinese. But tempura udon pairs per- Kochhar earned a Michelin in the past five years, fectly with the ginger- star at Tamarind and at Benares in London, before international chefs with infused Gershwin cocktail. opening the latest must- cred have been descend- When he opened his book spot in Bandra. NRI ing on the city, opening second venture in May, (the acronym for non-resi- dent Indian, here short for inventive restaurants with the seafood-focused not really Indian) brings radically tasty dishes Bastian, his loyal Bolly- cuisine from much of India’s that rival the traditionally wood disciples followed global diaspora under one blond-wood roof—think Ma- epic street food here. him right down the laysian glazed pork belly, San Francisco’s Alex street (yes, that’s Katrina braised Caribbean goat, Sanchez kicked things off Kaif munching chili stir- and South Africa’s (delish) bunny chow curry. A Grande Dame with The Table in 2011, fried crab at the table next which still draws a loyal to you). Back in Colaba, Still Rules the THEN THERE’S OUR following for East-West restaurateur and Mumbai Hotel Scene . . . NO-FAIL STREET 100 small plates, like kohlrabi native Pooja Dhingra lured FOOD SHORT LIST Many consider the 1903 Number of lamps truffle risotto and chili- Hungarian- Colombian Taj Mahal Palace, facing the lit at sunset at the Taj WHAT BEST AT Mahal Palace. cheese toasties. Then chef Pablo Naranjo Agular Arabian Sea in Colaba, as much a landmark as the came Toronto native Kel- from Paris in February Pav Bhaji A Sardar Pav arch on vin Cheung, who helmed to head up the breezy vegetarian Bhaji, a the harbor, opposite the Colaba’s ground-breaking Le 15 Café. Now there’s a Sloppy district grand hotel’s entrance. The . . . BUT THESE ALTS line out the door for the Joe. snack bar. Palace’s 550 silk-draped ARE ALSO WORTHY OF YOUR RUPEES bistro’s Parmesan waffles Chikoo Ice Cream guest rooms, most of which and oh-so-expertly spiced Hand-spun Taj Ice have views of the sea or the Abode “Obataimu in Fort A red-hot Colaba masala chai. And it’s not sapodilla- Cream, in palm-fringed pool, have long flavored ice Bhendi been a favorite of visiting address and retro Mumbai is like a live just foreigners making design (colorfully hand- cream. Bazaar. presidents, princesses, and inroads: Though based in stitched cushions, vintage performance space even the queen of daytime sari fabrics) distinguish this New York City for the past Mutton Seekh Kebab Roll Grilled Ayub’s, TV herself, Oprah Winfrey, more intimate property. 30 years, celeb chef and who splurged on its and a store–you meat wrapped a hole- The Oberoi, Mumbai $7,000-a-night Ravi Shankar Mumbaikar Floyd Cardoz in roti in-the-wall The only hotel that may can watch tailors returned home last year (flatbread). in Fort. Suite. If you’re staying some- steal the Taj’s thunder is where else, the swank Sea to help open the colorful Pani Puri this stalwart Lounge bar, excellent Wasabi with killer views. sew the collections Bombay Canteen, which A fried puff Elco Pani by Morimoto sushi restau- is beloved for its pulled- with spices, Puri Center, St. Regis Mumbai as you shop.” potato, onions, a take- rant, and recently reopened This upscale Lower Parel Kelvin Cheung, Executive Chef, pork vindaloo tacos and and flavored out joint Taj Art Gallery are reason spot has a rooftop pool, One Street Over, Bastian pumpkin-spinach daal. water. in Bandra. enough to pop in. a great spa, and 395 rooms.

Cocktail Spot MasalaBar in Bandra • Most Insta-Worthy Market Phool Gulli flower market • Architecture-Spotting The Global Vipassana Pagoda, modeled after Burma’s Shwedagon Pagoda • Afternoon Beer Cafe Mondegar • Top Cup of Chai • Prithvi Café • Cultural Excursion • Atmospheric Stroll The

REPORTED BY SARAH KHAN, DAVID PRIOR, DIVIA THANI, HANYA YANAGIHARA Photograph by Amrita Diwanji

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