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Most foreign tourists gravitate toward the peaceful, crumbling mansions of Colaba despite the area’s proximity to Gateway of India touts and the (decidedly non-budget) Taj Mahal Hotel. Mumbai real estate being what it is, ”budget” means something entirely different in this city from what it means elsewhere in India. Even bottom-of-the -barrel digs charge rates that would mortify any self-respecting budget traveller. Reservations are a good idea at any time, especially in season November – February. Check-out is noon unless otherwise noted. Most hotels have a variety of rooms ranging from windowless cells to comfortable, airy digs.

YWCA INTERNATIONAL CENTRE, 18 Madam Cama Rd.
A 4 minute walk from Regal, on the left. Second fl. Open to men and women. Although it’s more expensive than most budget hotels, you get your money’s worth at the Y. Rates include all-you-can-eat buffet breakfast and dinner, TV lounge, daily room cleaning, telephones, and towels in spotless, spacious rooms with balconies. All have attached bath. Reserve 15 days in advance.
Rs100 membership fee (good for 6 months).
Dorms Rs625, singles Rs700, doubles Rs1300, triples and family rooms up to Rs3200.
If reserved ahead: dorms Rs800, singles Rs900, doubles Rs1650.
Tel: 22 – 02 – 50 – 53 or 22 – 02 – 05 – 98

SALVATION ARMY, 30 Mereweather Rd., Boman Behram Marg.
Behind the Taj Mahal Hotel, under the arcade. Pistachio-green walls make it as drab and institutional as you’d expect, but if you’re on a budget nothing beats it. Passable dorms and large, nondescript doubles. Breakfast included. No hot water. Lockers Rs50 per day. Maximum 1-week stay.
Check-in 10am. Check-out 9am.
Dorms Rs135; doubles with or without bath Rs505 – 585 with 3 meals included.
Tel: 22 – 84 – 18 – 24

HOTEL SEA SHORE, 1-49 Kamal Mansion, 4th fl., Arthur Bunder Rd./Haji Niyaz Ahmed Azhi Marg.
From Regal, follow the Causeway to Arthur Bunder, 9 blocks down on the left. The entrance to Kamal Mansion is on the right, sown an alley before Arthur Bunder hits the ocean. The rooms range from claustrophobic cubicles to large, airy, ocean-view suites. Sparkling common bath.
Singles Rs350; doubles with TV Rs450 – 500.
Tel: 22 – 87 – 42 – 37 or 22 – 87 – 42 – 38

HOTEL LAWRENCE, 3rd fl., ITTS House, 33 Sri Sai Babi Marg, Rope Walk Ln.
First left off K. Dubash Marg when coming from B.G. Rd., just past the Saniuk Thai restaurant. Nine clean, airy rooms with shared bath and friendly, helpful staff. Breakfast included. Hot water upon request. Reserve 3 weeks in advance.
Singles Rs400; doubles Rs500; triples Rs700.
Tel: 22 – 84 – 36 – 18

HOTEL PROSSER’S, Curzon House, 2-4 Henry Rd., Apollo Bunder Rd.
Located where Henry Rd. (the 6th left off the Causeway, south of Regal) meets the sea. High ceilings and spacious rooms. Common bath. 24 hour check-in. Noon check-out.
Singles or doubles Rs400 – Rs600. Off season Rs350 – Rs550.
Tel: 22 – 84 – 17 – 15

INDIA GUEST HOUSE, 1-39 Kamal Mansion.
All rooms with common bath. Thin walls afford limited privacy.
Singles Rs300; doubles with window Rs450, without window Rs400; triples Rs550.
Tel: 22 – 83 – 37 – 69

HOTEL CARLTON, Florence House, 12 Mereweather Rd., Boman Behram Marg.
One block away from the Salvation Army, behind the Taj. The lively veranda, equipped with chairs and tables, allows residents to escape their cramped quarters for a glimpse of cat house life across the street.
Singles Rs350; doubles Rs550 – Rs600; triples with A/C and bath Rs1200; quads Rs900.
Tel: 22 – 02 – 06 – 42 or 22 – 02 – 02 – 59

BENTLEY’S HOTEL, 17 Oliver Rd.
A peaceful refuge from Mumbai’s bustle – vintage rooms with hardwood floors, white-washed balconies, and mosaic tiling. Individual baths, TV’s and breakfast included in price. 70 beds total.
Singles Rs955, with A/C Rs1130; doubles Rs1220, with A/C Rs1420.
Tel: 22 – 84 – 14 – 74 or 22 – 84 – 17 – 33

FOOD
Eating in Mumbai can result in anything from gastronomical delight to gastrointestinal distress. The distinctive street food is a constant temptation, and the city’s restaurants brim with the best international food in India, as well as every conceivable type of Indian cuisine, including a few (Parsi, Malvani) not to be found anywhere else. Not surprisingly, the Good Port of Mumbai is also renowned for its seafood. There is no better place to splurge on your meals. Serious eaters should refer to the Mid-Day Good Food Guide (Rs50). Some Mumbai specialties are pao bhaji, batter-fried balls of potato and chilies served on white bread, and puri, innocent-looking fried pastry shells, which come in two varieties – flat and disc-like or hollow and spherical – and can be filled with anything from green chutney, tamarind sauce, chile paste, fried vermicelli and puffed rice to potato, tomato, onion, green mango, and coriander.

FORT CENTRAL VEGETARIAN RESTAURANT, Cawasji Patel Rd., Fort
From Flora, take VN Rd. away from Churchgate and turn left onto C. Patel. Spicy Punjabi food at its best. Great service. Delectable masala dosa Rs14, main dishes Rs24 – Rs50.
Open: daily 8:30am – 11:30pm.
Tel: 22 – 87 – 00 – 80

TRISHNA RESTAURANT, 7 Sri Sai Baba Marg.
Follow Dr. VB Gandhi Marg past Rhythm House, turn left at the first intersection and walk 2 blocks; its on the right. Trishna started out as a food stall, and by word of mouth became Mumbai’s trendiest seafood restaurant. Freakishly-sized shellfish at rock-bottom prices. Pomfret (enough for two) Rs300; crisp calamari Rs130. Reservations essential for dinner.
Open: Monday – Saturday, noon – 4pm and 6pm – midnight, Sunday noon – 4pm and 7pm – midnight.
Tel: 22 – 67 – 21 – 76 or 22 – 65 – 96 – 44

PICADILLY LEBANESE FOOD, Donald House, Colaba Causeway.
Next to Kamat and across from bus station. Stunning Lebanese cuisine at low prices. Falafel roll Rs40; homemade hummus Rs50. Also offers American fare including veggie burger Rs45.
Open: daily 8am – 11pm.
Tel: 22 – 82 – 32 – 17

OLYMPIA RESTAURANT AND COFFEE HOUSE, Rahim Mansion.
Opposite Leopld Cafe, Colaba Causeway. Time stands still in this 2-tiered, turn-of-the-century, Iranian-style cafe. Brain masala fry (Rs27) is their most famous dish, but no-brainers will also be satisfied. Mutton biryani Rs15.
Open: daily 11am – 11pm.

SAHAKARI BHANDAR, to the right as you face the Regal cinema.
Don’t let the garish, pseudo-western sign out front deter you from entering this fast and friendly snack joint. A convenient and dependable place for bhel puri (Rs14 – Rs16) and pao bhaji (Rs24). Don’t miss the chickoo milkshake (Rs25). Great, cheap South Indian tiffin (dosas Rs15).
Open: Monday – Saturday 8am – 9pm.

MAJESTIC, Colaba Causeway.
Opposite Mondegar’, up a few stairs. Proves that there is such a thing as budget in Mumbai. Simple dishes (Rs18 – Rs50) and basic thalis (Rs25) served in a huge hall with low tables under whirring fans.
Open: daily 7am – 11pm.

KAMAT VEGETARIAN RESTAURANT, Colaba Causeway.
Opposite Electric House. The self-proclaimed specialists in South Indian delicacies and North Indian dishes serve a wide variety of dosas (Rs20 – Rs48), great thalis Rs35, Kashmiri dum aloo (Rs55).
Open: daily 8:30am – 9pm.
Tel: 22 – 87 – 47 – 34

CAFE CHURCHILL, Colaba Causeway, between Walton and Garden Rd.
This tiny, brightly colored cafe serves American snacks that taste better and cost less than those at the bigger tourist hangouts in the area. All-day breakfast skillets Rs40 – Rs60; sandwiches Rs40 – Rs60; brownies and cakes Rs25 – Rs50.
Open: daily 10am – 11:30pm.

KHYBER RESTAURANT, 145 MG Rd.
Where MG Rd. meets K. Dubash Marg. The finest Mughlai cuisine in all the city served amid lavish antiques and mirrors. Chicken makhanwala (Rs275) in thick, tangy tomato sauce; chicken badami (Rs275) is superb. Reservations a must.
Open: daily 12:30pm – 3:45pm and 7:30pm – 11:45pm.
Tel: 22 – 67 – 32 – 27

SANUK ORIENTAL, 30 K. Dubash Marg.
Classy Thai food. Meat and Vegetable curries Rs180 – Rs280. Pad thai Rs120 – Rs220.
Chinese lunch buffet Rs250. Reservations recommended.
Open: daily 12:30pm – 3:30pm and 7:30pm – 11:30pm.
Tel: 22 – 04 – 42 – 33

ENTERTAINMENT

NEHRU CENTRE, Dr. Annie Besant Rd.
Is the same complex as the Nehru Planetarium, on the right just past the Mahalaxmi race course. Indian and Western classical music and theatre.
The Planetarium within has English shows Tuesday – Saturday at 3pm and 6pm, Rs 10.
Tel: 24 – 92 – 05 – 10

NATIONAL CENTRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, Marine Drive.
At the very tip of Nariman Pt.., just beyond the Oberoi. The compound houses a main theater, an experimental theater, and a third venue scheduled to open soon. More European and American offerings than at the Nehru, but good Indian music and theater, too.
Tel: 22 – 83 – 37 – 37

PRITHVI THEATRE, Janki-Kutir, Juhu-Church Rd.
Along a lane that juts off the main road leading to the Juhu bus station. The theater hall here is a city legend and one of Mumbai’s most popular, with performances in many languages.
Tickets Rs100. Call for dates and times of English shows.
Tel: 26 – 14 – 95 – 46

NIGHTLIFE
Unlike most cities in India, Mumbai knows how to party. International partiers pack the city’s pubs and discos in search of the next ”in” thing. Beware of the pervasive ”couples only” policies on busy nights (although only single men are likely to be turned away), and the occasional refusal or dirty-looking T-shirted or sandal-clad travellers. Bars and clubs in Mumbai tend to close by 1am – 2am, causing a mass exodus to the 24 hour coffee shops at luxury hotels.

THE GHETTO, 30 Bhulabhai Desai Rd., Breach Candy.
Located in an alley on the seaward side of the road, just before Mahalaxmi. Photos of the Edge and Jim Morrison, and loads of graffiti adorn the walls of this popular, yuppie-filled bar. Great atmosphere and music make this worth the Rs70 taxi ride from Colaba. Beer Rs100, spirits Rs70 and up.
Open: daily 7pm – 1:30am.
Tel: 24 – 92 – 15 – 56

MOCHA, 82 VN Rd., near Marine Dr., Nagin Mahal.
Split into two venues, Mocha offers coffee, wraps (Rs250), and conversations on a breezy patio. The A/C bar inside serves wine (bottles Rs700 – Rs13,500) and tapas (Rs75 – Rs220). Urban sophisticates and artistes gather for sangria (pitcher Rs775) and puffs of sheesha on the many hookahs.
Open: daily 9:30am – 2:30am.
Tel: 56 – 33 – 60 – 70

LEOPOLD CAFE, Colaba Causeway, Colaba.
3 blocks down from Regal, on the left. The ultimate tourist hangout. The dimly lit A/C bar upstairs hosts the serious drinkers. Beer Rs130; pitchers Rs200.
Open: daily 1pm – 1am. Downstairs open daily 8am – 11pm.
Tel: 22 – 02 – 01 – 31

INSOMNIA, in the Taj Mahal Hotel, Colaba.
Test just how cool you are in the Taj’s new brushed steel hipper-than-thou club, which attracts Mumbai’s young heirs and hipsters in droves, despite the staggering Rs550 cover.
Open: daily 9pm – 3am. Friday – Saturday is especially crowded.
Tel: 22 – 02 – 33 – 66

NOT JUST JAZZ BY THE BAY, 143 Marine Dr.
Right next to the Pizzeria, at the corner with Veer Narimar Rd. Caters to expats and the local elite, although it might as well be in London or New York. The ”Jazz’s” great food, A/C, and live music every night compensate for the steep prices. Beer Rs130; spirits Rs150 – Rs300. Cover Rs150.
Open: daily 11am – 2pm and 6pm – 1:30am. Reservations necessary on Friday and Saturday nights.
Tel: 22 – 85 – 18 – 76 or 22 – 82 – 09 – 57

VOODOO, Arthur Bunder Rd., Colaba.
4 doors up on the left from the sea front. A dive for desperate straight men during the week, Voodoo transforms into Mumbai’s only above-ground gay disco on Saturday nights. India’s most famous gay rights activist, Ashok Rao Kavi, is a regular. Beer Rs65. Cover Rs180.
Open: daily 7pm – 1:30am.

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Raj Ghat

An early morning stroll in this park along the Yamuna River as the mist begins to dissipate is one of Delhi’s least known but perhaps most enjoyable pleasures. Come too late, on national holidays or over the weekend, and you may find yourself sharing your walk with coach loads of Indian tourists and devotees of Mahatma Gandhi, who come to lay flowers at the black marble platform (above) that marks

the site where he was cremated. Memorials to other Indian political notables can also be seen here – Indira Gandhi’s is a grey­red monolith and her son Rajiv’s is a large stone lotus blossom surrounded by 46 small blooms, one for each year of his life. Nehru’s cremation site, Shantivan (The Forest of Peace), is particularly beautiful, set in lovingly landscaped surroundings. Mahatma Gandhi Marg

Red Fort

Of all Old Delhi’s marvels, the Red Fort, or Lal Qila, is easily the most magnificent. Built by Shah Jahan in tile 17th century,

it was designed as a city-within-a-city rather than a mere defensive structure. Once home to more than 3,000 people, the fort contained an army barracks

and the royal palace, and everything associated with it, from kitchens and stables to hammams (left), a harem, reception halls, audience chambers and

a mosque. Though the fort was altered by the British after they put down the 1857 uprising, there is still a sense of its original glory. Inside the 33m-high walls, the lavishly decorated Mumtaz Mahal (now an archaeological museum) and the Diwan-i-Khas, or Hall of Private Audience, are guaranteed to entrance, while the emperor’s legendary pleasure gardens are a perfect respite from the hectic city. Neraji Subhash Marg

Veda

Among Connaught Place’s booksellers, kitchen appliance shops and showrooms still bearing imperial seals of approval, Veda’s interior is a bold collision between Marbella 1976 and Moghul mirror palace. Veda began life as a ‘fusion’ restaurant, combining classic Indian and other

Asian flavours, but it was a step too far for Delhi’s foodies. A reversion to much simpler, northern Indian fare served with a contemporary twist, such as pyramids of rice and cone-shaped poppadoms, for example, resurrected its appeal. Expect tandoori, kebabs, plenty of paneer and more unusual treats, such as lotus- root crisps. With its leather banquettes, orange walls and red glass chandeliers, Veda comes into its own after dark, but

is nevertheless a pleasant place to escape the searing early afternoon heat.

H·27 Outer Circle, TOll 41513535

16.00 Nature !.forte

Walk into this space in a 1960s villa set

on a leafy street and you could be forgiven for thinking you were in New York. Peter Nagy’s itinerant gallery, which has had a variety of homes since it opened in 1997, is a reincarnation of the space of the same name that he and Alan Belcher ran in the East Village in the 1980s. Focused primarily on photography, installation and conceptual art. Nature Morte has gained

a reputation for showcasing some of India’s most challenging and experimental works by emerging and mid-level artists, such as Arun Kumar, Bharti Kher, Mithu Sen and Ranbir Kaleka. With its vigorous schedule of exhibitions, this innovative gallery can be counted on to have something worth going to see almost every day of the year. A-1 Neeti Bagh, TOll 4174 0215, www.naturemorte.com

The Oberoi hotel’s restaurant is, hands down. Delhi’s most visually impressive dining experience. Famous for its sushi, Threesixty’ also serves an eclectic menu of international offerings. At lunchtime, there is a buffet feast favoured by hotel guests, but come evening the atmosphere changes completely, with low lighting and intimate seating attracting a good-looking crowd of sophisticated DelhHtes. Though

altogether less formal than Tile Oberoi’s other restaurant, Travertino (see p042), it’s best to make an effort if you’d rather not spend the evening being subjected to mildly disapproving stares.

The Oberoi. Or Zakir Hussain Marg.

TOll 2436 3030. www.oberoidelhi.com

URBAN LIFE

CAFES, RESTAURANTS, BARS AND NIGHTCLUBS

Roadside dhabas and cafeteria-style eateries aside, until recently there was no real dining culture in Delhi. When people wanted ‘something special’, they went to a hotel. Over the last five years, stand-alone restaurants have proliferated, but the sky-high land prices and rigid zoning regulations have forced most to open in odd locations. Fickle customers and even more fickle municipal authorities mean design is not a priority. Nearly all the best places to eat – if you want Indian, anyway – are the least attractive.

The fabulous south Indian thalis at Andhra Bhavan(r Ashoka Marg, on 2338 7499), the Bengali delights at Oh! Calcutta (HS-r International Trade Tower, Nehru Place, on 26464180) and street treats like the bedmi aloo at Mohan Ram (off Gali Parethwali) are mouthwatering but the eateries are visually unappealing. This creates a dilemma. Go for good food or a good-looking restaurant? Delhi’s elite opts for the latter, showing an increasing preference for European, Asian fusion or Leb-iterranean rather than Indian.

Think of this list as representing the first wave. Contemporary design has arrived with a vengeance, although the tendency is still to copy. The food is more inventive but consistency varies, even at the better restaurants. The background music? Well, that’s always the same lounge tracks. Still, Delhi has come a long way and, as diners become more demanding, things can only improve. For full addresses, see Resources.

Agni

If the chic uniforms, the geometric white tiles and the clean lines of the furnishings are emphatically international, courtesy of Conran & Partners, the menu at Agni leaves you in absolutely no doubt where you are. Perhaps Delhi’s most successful experiment with contemporary Indian cuisine, the kitchen at Agni serves classic dishes from all over the subcontinent, but the emphasis on organic produce and

a light touch with both butter and spices gives even the most familiar dishes new life. Desserts are a particular speciality; whatever else you order from the menu, do not miss out on the chocolatejamun or the paan ki rasmalai, a light creamy dessert flavoured with pistachio, saffron and a sprinkling of chopped paan leaves. Park Hote/,lS Parliament Street,

TOll 23473000