10 Openings To Look Forward To

Hakkasan in Mumbai will be designed along the same lines as its London outpost, above.

1. Le Pain Quotidien, Colaba
One of the most anticipated openings of the year, this Belgian chain is known for its trademark pinewood decor and communal tables, and its scrumptious pastries, fresh breads and spreads (the hazelnut chocolate is a favourite). Divided into breakfast specials, tartines (open-faced sandwiches) and lunch and dinner items, the menu has been Indianised a tad (upma is a breakfast special), fortified with heavier entrees (like the New Zealand rack of lamb), with a lot of the key ingredients flown in from around the world (see the India menu here). With split-level seating, and a terrace that overlooks the Taj and beyond, you can expect this to become a South Mumbai hotspot. Slated to open before the year is out.

2. Hakkasan, Bandra
In August, we reported that Hakkasan, the Michelin-starred Chinese restaurant from London, was expected to open in Mumbai in December this year. However, the launch has now been pushed to early 2011, when it will open somewhere on Waterfield Road in Bandra West. Designed by Paris-based design studio Gilles et Boissier, Hakkasan in Mumbai will boast the same dark wood and Chinoiserie-themed decor as the London flagship. There will be the signature Ling Ling lounge, a private dining space, and a “special surprise” in the restaurant area. Slated to open early next year.

3. The Table, Colaba
In the same line as Indigo Deli in Colaba, The Table, with its dramatic black and white zig-zag floor and high-arched windows, has one of the more elegant decors we’ve seen at a stand-alone restaurant in a while. Helmed by Viraf Patel, former executive chef of Impresario Entertainment and Hospitality (which owns Salt Water Café and the Mocha chain of coffee shops), The Table is expected to be a wine bar, serving French-influenced Californian fare, with small sharing plates. Slated to open January, 2011.

4. Busaba, Lower Parel
Popular Colaba restaurant Busaba will open a Lower Parel outpost in the same compound as Blue Frog. The menu will feature some of the South East Asian favourites from the Colaba branch (momos, beef bulgogi, khow suey) as well about a dozen new items like sushi and popcorn shrimp. Slated to open sometime January 2011.

5. Debailleul, Worli
The second Belgian chain planning to open its doors here, this artisinal patisserie has acquired a cult following for its hand-crafted chocolates and pastries. To keep quality control firmly in check, everything will be imported directly from Brussels, using a special flash freezing method that will allow the products to retain their fresh flavours. With limited seating and high-end prices, Debailleul hopes to be more of a luxury food delivery and take-out service than a cafe. Slated to open January 2011.

6. Two One Two Cafe, Colaba
Since opening in September, Two One Two Bar & Grill in Worli has already acquired a devoted following for its wood-fire oven pizzas and sinful desserts. Based on the success, the owners will open another outpost in Colaba, a cafe that will serve the same signature wood-fire oven pizzas as well as more bistro-like fare. Like the Worli branch, it will have a large outdoor area, and we’re told, a bar area. Slated to open January 2011.

7. Le Mill, Ballard Estate
Opened by three French expats with Vogue fashion director Anaita Shroff Adajania as a consultant, Le Mill is a 15,000 sq. ft. concept store in a converted rice mill that will feature clothes, home decor, furniture, a cafe, a flower shop and an exhibition space. Among the designers on display will be The Row (Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen’s fab minimalist line); London-based Saloni Lodha (flirty evening and day dresses); Rajesh Pratap Singh; Savio Jon; sunglasses by Cutler and Gross; and jewellery by Mawi and Hanut Singh. Slated to open February 2011.

8. Fashion Bar and Lounge, Lower Parel
Delhi’s F-Bar is coming to Mumbai, but in a very different avatar. F-Bar, which is primarily a nightclub in the capital, will be more of a restaurant and lounge with a focus on food, and music performances by both DJs and bands. An 8,000-10,000 sq. ft. split-level venue located at India Bulls Centre in Lower Parel, it will be divided into indoor and al fresco areas and will serve “world cuisine”. Slated to open February 2011.

9. Smoke House Deli, Lower Parel
Two years after launching Smoke House Deli in Delhi, Mumbai-based restaurateur Riyaaz Amlani is bringing the Deli to Mumbai. Gresham Fernandes, the group executive chef of Impresario, will plan and oversee the menu, which will include soups, salads, burgers, bagels, hot dogs, pastas and main courses. The restaurant will have a full bar and a deli counter, with a large selection of cold cuts, cheeses and marinated meats and vegetables. The 3,000 sq. ft. space is being designed by Ayaz Basrai, the man behind Prithvi Café in Juhu and Salt Water Café in Bandra, who also worked on the Deli’s design in New Delhi. Slated to open June, 2011.

10. Megu, Andheri
The New York-based Japanese restaurant will first open its doors at The Leela in Delhi in April (along with another famed New York institution, Le Cirque), and then at the hotel’s Mumbai branch later in the year, next to Chinese restaurant The Great Wall. A rival of Nobu, the Japanese restaurant and lounge is known for serving high-end fare like Kobe beef and blue fin tuna, with stratospheric prices to match. Slated to open December 2011.