Mumbai, India's commercial capital and also its entertainment center, lies on the west coast. This island city is big, crowded, noisy, and bustling with life.
My favorite dining experience in this city is at a wonderful little restaurant called Mela, which means The Fair. Indian fairs are traditionally wonderfully colorful places with magicians, jugglers, palmists, and astrologers, not to mention saffron-clad holy men and snake charmers. Village fairs attract a lot of people selling their wares, ranging from colorful bangles and pretty saris to traditional hand-embrioderery and local crafts.
This restaurant in the heart of cosmopolitan Mumbai has tried to recreate the ambience of a village fair. So there is a magician who keeps the kids (and adults!) entertained. There is a palmist, who for Rs. 50 (about $1) tells you all about your past and something about your future too!! There's the friendly village bangle lady selling bright lac bangles and the henna-vali who for a $1 will draw a wonderful henna design on your palm.
But what is truly great about this place is the food. It's authentic Mughlai cuisine. They have a great variety in kebabs: lamb, chicken, fish and prawns. Their rogan josh is mouth wateringly delicious. A good value for your money option is the kebab buffet that includes unlimited kebabs for starters, followed by a buffet spread comprising some 8 items of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes with traditiional Indian breads--nans, rotis, parathas and kulchas--followed by an assortment of Indian sweet dishes for dessert.
A word of caution--this is not a meal for the faint-hearted. So weight watchers, beware! You need a really big appetite to enjoy this food. But all in all, a great gastronomic experience!!