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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.

Masala Kraft CONTEMPORARY INDIAN Now famous as the place Hillary Clinton chose to dine when she visited Mumbai mid-2009, this is one of the city’s finest dining experiences, made memorable by the many unique and special dishes. Uncomplicated decor helps focus your attention on the task at hand—to choose from a tantalizing selection of dishes that take the best of Indian cuisine and bring them up to date for a more international palate. To savor a range of tastes, ask for a Mumbai lunch featuring various local specialties, served in stacked metal lunchbox containers—you’ll get an assortment of tastes and flavors (prawns, chicken curry, Malwani fish curry and minced lamb keema, all with rice and roti) that echo a typical