India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) - Keith Bain [121]
Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, Apollo Blunder, Colaba. 022/6665-3366. Reservations essential for dinner. 5-course meal Rs 1,550–Rs 2,100. AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 12:30–2:45pm and 7–11:45pm.
Souk MEDITERRANEAN/MIDDLE EASTERN Plenty of light, flavorful dishes accompany the full-on, close-up views of the Gateway of India. At lunch, be sure to reserve a table at the window, and prepare for a long, languid experience in the company of society women trading gossip. At night, the venue is predictably romantic. The menu carefully showcases an array of flavors, from traditional Lebanese sharvarma, Turkish kebab istanbuli, and Athenian-style grilled lamb chops, to Casablancan lamb shank (lahm barkook), Moroccan prawns chermoula, and Greek chicken stew (dijaj stifatho). Kick off with a selection of hot and cold mezzes: Syrian kibbe, cigara boregi from Damascus, Egyptian fattir, and sambusek from Beirut—the combinations are endless. There’s also a popular mezze buffet offering the usual suspects (hummus, salads, baba ghanouj, tabbouleh, falafel, and assorted olives), together with meat- or seafood-based salads and delicious, hot pita bread. And between morsels, you can sit back and take in the views, and contemplate the mains. We’d opt for a tagine—lamb for meat-eaters, and green beans, artichoke and fassulia for vegetarians. There’s also an interesting variation of Moroccan b’stilla, made with asparagus. Finish with rose petal ice cream and a cup of Moroccan mint tea.
Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, Apollo Blunder, Colaba. 022/6665-3366. Reservations highly recommended. Mezzes Rs 475–Rs 625, mezze samplers Rs 950–Rs 1,050; main courses Rs 695–Rs 1,550. AE, DC, MC, V, Daily 12:30–2:45pm and 7–11:45pm.
Thai Pavilion THAI This beautifully designed, sophisticated restaurant at the Taj President in far south Mumbai was the city’s first Thai restaurant and still its best. Although it’s over 15 years old, a design update has injected a dose of cool, too, so you can stare at the stunning textured walls (made from hundreds of panels of sculpted wood collected from across the country) or you can hop onto a barstool around the big, busy open kitchen and watch as chefs churn out dish after delectable dish. It’s hard to know where to start, so order a maparoo mojito while you decide between miang kham phak (wonderfully creamy tofu wrapped with betel leaf, served with plum sauce), stir-fried morning glory flavored with yellow bean paste, stir-fried sea asparagus with raw mango, or soft-shell crabs with pomelo. The grilled lamb comes with a lovely mint and cucumber sauce, and the steamed John Dory is perfectly flavored with lemon and garlic. Save room for fok thong sankaya (steamed custard served in a baby pumpkin) or, just as delicious, spiced crème brûlée with sun-dried rose petals. If you want a table on a weekend night, you’d better book—you’ll be among the city’s flashest foodies.
Taj President, 90 Cuffe Parade. 022/6665-0808. Reservations highly recommended. Main courses Rs 550–Rs 760. AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 12:30–2:45pm and 7–11:45pm.
Trishna SEAFOOD Another restaurant frequented by the who’s who of Mumbai, Trishna is considered one of the best in the world (although many Mumbaikers prefer better-priced Mahesh Lunch Home, reviewed below). Butter pepper garlic king crab is Trishna’s signature dish, but you’ll also find jumbo pomfrets and tiger prawns (done in any style) cooked to perfection. Despite its reputation as a somewhat snobbish restaurant, Trishna isn’t about ambience (it’s a very ordinary white interior with