‘You get the best bargains at Colaba’

merawallah mumbai...

Swetta Keswani, TV actor

Roti:
My favourite rasta food is: I love Elco Arcade’s ragda pattice and pani puri, and in Bandra there are great places like Mani’s dosa and Jai sandwich.

My favourite restaurant is: Koyla, Basilico, Mangi Ferra.

My favourite nightspot: Nowadays all the places are quite sad…Poly Esther’s is perhaps the only place left that plays good music.

The most expensive I’ve had was at: The Grand Hyatt, The Hilton Towers, many other places - I’ve eaten quite a few seven course meals!

The most value for money food is at: Just Around the Corner in Bandra

Kapda:

I shop mostly at:  Phatfish, Si Branché and Style Mantra in Bandra. For shoes, I go to Sole to Sole in Lokhandwala.

My favourite rasta shopping area is: I don’t really shop on the streets - the cheap tees at Westside are probably the closest I get to rasta shopping!

My favourite designers are: Ram Manvani and Manish Malhotra. When I get married, I’ll probably buy something from them.

The sale I never miss is at: I always miss the clothes sales! I just catch art exhibitions and furniture expos that happen now and then.

The most expensive thing I’ve bought is: My heavy sarees. They cost around Rs 30,000 and I rarely wear them

The cheapest thing I’ve bought is: Osho chappals for Rs 50!
The best bargains are at: Colaba Causeway for its junk, glares, bags…although I can’t really bargain well at all!

Makaan:
My favourite area in Mumbai is: Worli Seaface, Marine Lines…and any place facing the sea! And Madh Island and Manori are the best in the rains, it feels almost like Goa!
Heritage structures should be: Protected from modern monuments. Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus is such a beautiful place, but the snake-like subway structures have totally spoilt it.

The one place that holds fondest memories for me is: I’ve lived in Mumbai all my life, there are so many places! But I guess it has to be Bandra, where I went to college…we used to go to bandstand and chill in the rains eating masala pav and other rasta food.
 —Aarefa Johari