Traditional and modern Indian cuisine is beloved the world over, from naan bread and saffron rice to butter chicken and saag paneer. But for those intrepid travellers intent on exploring Mumbai, curry isn’t the only option anymore.
If you’re looking for reasons to visit Mumbai or curious about it’s take on foods from around the globe, here are three of the city’s finest.
An Italian Meal from The Good Wife
Gnocchi – Source: Getty Images
Turns out, you can enjoy top quality gastropub fare in the heart of India’s most popular cultural centre. After visiting the Gateway of India or the Elephanta Caves, relax in the modern, casual atmosphere of the The Good Wife, complete with stunning, upholstered seating and unforgettable decor. It’s a cool contrast to the heat of the streets, and the hearty cuisine is sure to make its mark on your memories of this amazing city.
Start with gnocchi made with tangy goat’s cheese and topped with slow-roasted tomato sauce, then move on to a plate of fresh ravioli with three kinds of mushrooms and a walnut cream sauce. Finish up with the cheesecake of the day, and top it all off with The Good Wife’s signature cocktail: a careful blend of orange vodka, blueberry, raspberry, passion fruit and campari. Forget being the best Italian meal in India; this is a contender for the best meal of its kind anywhere.
Fine French Cuisine from Slink and Bardot
Lemon Tart – Source: Getty Images
Mumbai has had an on-again-off-again relationship with French food, but perhaps the best motivation for falling in love with French cuisine in India is the Slink and Bardot restaurant. Decadent, modern and even vegetarian-friendly, the menu won’t disappoint—and neither will the décor. An odd and aged collection of rooms, the restaurant truly brings historic Parisian style to mind.
Start off with a perfect shared dish, the French picnic basket, and enjoy an array of appetite-whetting items that includes brie, red-wine jam, pickled vegetables and chicken liver parfait. Indulge with the buffalo cheek bourguignon, served with potato fondant and topped with red-wine jus.
The dessert menu is worthy of a visit on its own, featuring rich chocolate tartalette, lemon tart, tonka-bean crème brulee and ice cream. Perhaps the most outstanding choice, however, is the Paris-Brest, a collection of choux pastries with praline mousse, rum ice cream and carmelised nuts.
A Seafood Adventure from Wasabi by Morimoto
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Not only was this restaurant founded by one of the world’s favourite Iron Chefs, but it is also considered one of the most visually stunning fine dining establishments in Mumbai. A large venue with modern furnishings, Wasabi by Morimoto features a Japanese menu that caters both to vegetarians and omnivores.
The white fish Carpaccio appetizer is a guest favourite, as are the miso soup and wide selection of beautiful, made-to-order pieces of sushi and sashimi. Ingredients are imported from Japan to keep the menu up to Iron Chef standards. Follow up your seafood starters with the pan-roasted chicken, dripping with richly-layered teriyaki flavours that enhance the protein without overwhelming it.
The dessert menu is typically Asian with one important exception: takoyaki—a bread-y ball typically filled with octopus—covered in chocolate!
There is no reason one shouldn’t eat like royalty in the City of Dreams, whether you’re filling up on curry or taking a break with some of the Mumbai’s most delicious global meals.
