Visitor is happy but natives will not mind more

Two friends called last week and asked for suggestions for restaurants where they could take overseas visitors. The mind boggled. The visitors, in both cases, had done the coastal seafood rounds. They wanted something more, something a bit touristy, vibrant with Indian colour and exotica. The mind collapsed under the weight of the demand.

Other cities may have these - and they do - but Mumbai has always been resolutely itself. But perhaps, we are missing out on something, especially on packaging and selling our Indian advantage. I have no answers, but hope that this might provide some food for thought, or even discussion.

Don’t we need something iconic and exotic like Chocki Dhani outside Jaipur or Vishaala in Ahmedabad? So Mumbai doesn’t have the handicrafts and folk dance aura but we have Bollywood, we have the completely fake romanticisation of the underworld. And of course, we have all the glory of Maharashtra and its culture. Why can’t we exploit all those?

Imagine a restaurant showcasing the best of Maharashtrian cuisine and throwing in some lavni as well? And why not a fun Bollywood type place, as a tribute to the most camp, the most in-your-face aspects of our famed film industry? Waiters dressed like old Bollywood stars, special nights that focus on some of the various decades and trends of our cinema, innovative menus? Anyone? Anything?

Then there’s the sea. Who would believe that it runs along the entire length of the city? Try finding at least seven (just a random number) reasonably priced family eateries that give you the pleasure of viewing the Arabian Sea or a hip restaurant that does the same. Let me know when you do.

Meanwhile, a friend visited from Delhi and was blown away by Mumbai. What energy, what vibrancy, he sniffed as he battled a cold that he was polite enough to insist he had brought with him. Now he’s plotting and planning a shift. Maybe some people don’t need exotica to get Mumbai. But it would be fun for the rest of us if we had a little of it.