Mumbai Diaries 2

In the previous article, we covered quite a few of kids play areas and historical places to explore in Bombay. The other beauty of Bombay is the food. From street food to high-end restaurants, from different cuisines of the world, from appetizers to deserts, your taste buds are sure to go gaga and drooling over all the endless varieties possible. I feel you would need a year of eating out just to explore all the different eateries.

Dining

1. Yauatcha (Bandra Kurla Complex)

Yauatcha is a fine dining, high-end restaurant and if you are a fan of Chinese dimsums, you will go crazy over here. From the service to the food, everything is excellent. If you go on the weekends, you are sure to bump into some Bollywood celebrity. The portions are small so make sure to order enough, but the have a lot of variety to chose from. Make sure you reserve ahead of time though. The ambiance is very luxurious and classy.

2. Pa Pa Ya (BKC)

This is another fine dining, high-end restaurant equally as good as Yauatcha.

It is known for its Asian cuisine which is redefined through the use of molecular gastronomy and various cooking methods.

Their presentation of food was definitely by far the best. I clearly remember the palette (mouth) cleanser that is given at the very beginning as you sit down. It is a watermelon piece inside a shell where you have to suck all of it. It is supposed to refresh and open your taste buds and it equally does so. All their food is meant for enticing your senses and taste buds to give you a wow experience. The ambiance is classy.

3. Umame (Churchgate)

Umame is one of my favorites and a classic. You will get all types of southeast Asian cuisine ranging from dumplings to sushi to khousey to sashimi to Singapoeran street food and many more cuisines. The ambiance is also very classy, sophisticated and happening. You can not go wrong with Umame as the taste, presentation and service is excellent.

4. Burma Burma (Khala Godha)

You will find this restaurant inside a tiny street but the food is deliciously, lip-smacking yummy and not to be missed. As the name gives away, this is a pure vegeterian Burmese restaurant where from the ambiance to the food you can feel the Burmese culture come alive. Their khou suey is to die for and their authentic teas. It definitely is a must go for those who want to explore another culture.

5. JIA The Oriental Kitchen (Coloba)

Jia is another restaurant that serves Asian food ranging from Japanese to Thai and modern Chinese cuisine. The food is pretty yummy. However, I enjoyed the decor of the place. They have this unique honeycomb ceiling which makes you admire it for quite a while.

6. Pizza Express (Coloba)

Pizza Express is by far the favorites of my kids. My kids would crave it so much that literally would end up going there at least once a week. It is right next to Jia. If you are craving some satisfying and delicious Italian food, this is the place to go. My kids loved their super ultra thin margarita pizzas which just melt in your mouth as soon as you take a bite. Their lasagna and risotto are equally as good. Overall, their food has a very authentic Italian taste to it and the restaurant has a very laid back ambiance to it. It makes it a great family sit down restaurant.

7. Tasse de Tha (The Fort)

If you are a tea fanatic, this is the place to go. If you are not, you still have to go just to check out their enchanting interior. Their teas are very authentic and they have so many varieties to chose from. Also, they sell super cute tea pots and tea cup set. They have lot of small bites to munch on and very interesting takes on deserts. For instance, they had this ‘No bake cheesecake on pistachio feulletine’ which was a fusion take on rabadi (Indian desert).

Coffee/Desert

1. Poetry by Love and Cheesecake (Khala Goda, Fort)

It is a very small joint for coffee and cakes when you want to go out for a quick something with your friends. We had ordered a hot chocolate and literally it came with a ball of chocolate in a glass. Then they poured the hot milk over the chocolate. It was a very literal concept of hot chocolate. Even the coffees and deserts are very pretty to eat.

2. Selfieccino (Khala Goda, Fort)

This was a great place with my kids. It serves bubble waffles, churros and coffee.

However, the best part is that you can drink a personalized caffe latte with your picture on it.

3. The Belgian Waffle Co.

There are many different locations all over Mumbai as it is a franchise. They serve freshly baked, eggless waffles that are to die for. They have a variety of waffles with different toppings, but their best ones are nutella waffle (favorite of my kids) and belgian waffles.

4. 99 Pancakes

As the name suggests it, they are based on mini Belgian style pancakes and French style crepes. The pancakes have a very rich and lip-smacking taste to it, but after a few bites, you feel overwhelmed with the sweetness depending on your sweet tooth.

5. Swati Snacks (Tardeo)

They are known for their healthy food but I used to take the kids at Swati for their baraf gola (snow cone). It is made from distilled water so for non-locals who are afraid to not get sick, this is the best place to go enjoy a snow cone. They only have one flavor, kala khatta, but it is the best flavor.

6. IceKraft

This is an ice-cream heaven from kids to oldies.

The ice-cream is made very fresh on a cold slab so it comes out as a very flat roll. They also serve waffle, shakes and fries but their best is the charcoal ice-cream with the charcoal waffle cone. Their other popular flavor was a mixture of 3 different types of chocolate.

7. New York Burrito Bowl

It is a great place for some Mexican food. It is more a fast food joint and the concept is based off of Chipotle. The food is very authentic and freshly made everyday. Their leftovers get donated to poor people at the end of the day.

This might be an overwhelming list, but believe me this is only 10 percent of the eateries that I have covered. Moreover, if on any occasion, you cant go to that restaurant then you can order through these apps from your phone. I downloaded Zomato, Swiggy, and Scootsy. This are all food apps which deliver to your home. The best part is you can pay in cash once you receive the food. Honestly, I loved ordering the different deserts at home through this apps. They are a lifesaver. Do share any of your favorite places to eat at in Mumbai.