When in Mumbai...
from
January/February 2007
by J.J.C.
Despite the Mumbai railway bombings of last August, terrorism is not a big worry for travelers to India’s financial center. Clean water is. Bottled water is generally safe (if you’re doubtful, you can always brush your teeth with Diet Coke), though even fashionable restaurants pose some risk because you don’t know about their kitchens. However, this reporter ate out frequently in Mumbai and, following general safety rules like avoiding ice and raw vegetables, never had a problem. Fashionable restaurants pop up all the time in this city, and the food is quite good. Indigo (behind the Taj Mahal Hotel) is one of the “in” spots, offering world-class cuisine, like a delicious lobster risotto. For more casual dining, the Sea Bar & Grill on Marine Drive in Nariman Point offers good food and is right on the beach.
The adventurous should consider moving beyond beer and soda and trying an ever-expanding choice of Indian wines—it’s a wonder what a few well-placed government subsidies can do. Sula wines, made from grapes grown in the Nashik region about 110 miles northeast of Mumbai, are the creation of a repatriated Silicon Valley techie, Rajeev Samant, and a Sonoma Valley winemaker, Kerry Damskey. The product—from Shiraz to sauvignon blanc—isn’t bad for a winery in its first decade of production.
Western travelers are conspicuous, and this brings its own problems, notably a highly organized network of beggars. For that reason, it’s usually best to use a hired car to get around the city. In some areas, like Nariman Point, companies and hotels are conveniently close to one another. The Tata Group’s offices, for example, are just a few blocks from the Oberoi and the Hilton, two jointly owned hotels that are connected by a hallway. If this is your commute, it’s better to walk—provided the humidity isn’t too much like a soggy towel.
