Oldie But Goodie: Oceania at Rangsharda

Photo: Sheena Dabholkar.

It’s got no décor to speak of, it shuts at midnight, and it isn’t even particularly cheap. Why then do we keep returning to Oceania, the al fresco terrace bar on the third floor of Rangsharda, the budget hotel near Lilavati Hospital in Bandra? Because on the nights the Bandra-Worli Sea Link is lit up, the view is magical. Because even when the lights on the Sea Link are turned off, it offers a spot of quiet in the suburb, on a Saturday night, when the streets are clogged with traffic and noise. Because they don’t play annoying music and you can have a conversation without having to shout. Because the tables are placed at a good distance from each other so you can have a private chat without fear of someone eavesdropping.

The charms of Oceania are then of the intangible kind—the only effort they seem to have made in doing up the place is to string colour-changing Diwali lights along the wall; the light brown Nilkamal plastic chairs and faded red checked tablecloths look like they haven’t been changed since the Rangsharda opened in 1991. What has changed is the prices on the menu, courtesy of in-house restaurant and bar, Westerlies. A bottle of Kingfisher Ultra, a plate of both chicken reshmi kabab and chilli chicken are all currently priced at Rs250 plus tax each. Then again, you could choose to just sip on your Old Monk and Coke and nibble on the spicy mini papads they serve gratis. You may find yourself, as we did, in the company of families staying at the hotel, groups of pot-bellied men, and a table of hipsters also privy to one of Bandra’s best-kept secrets.

Oceania

LocationHotel Rangsharda
Near Lilavati Hospital
Bandra Reclamation
Bandra (West)

Phone2640 1919, 2643 8120

HoursDaily, 7pm to midnight

Websitewww.hotelrangsharda.com