At the newly opened Bastian at the Top in Dadar’s Kohinoor Square, my friend Ishaan won’t stop talking about the dish he is currently relishing. He has ordered a Singaporean curry with mock fish meat off the Market Menu, which offers guests a pick of meat or vegetables, cooked in sauces of their choosing. “This is as good as mock meat gets,” Ishaan keeps repeating. “The texture is a little stretchy, but the flavours are on point.” Ishaan has been vegan for over ten years: fish, he explains, is what he found hardest to quit. Now seated on the 48th floor looking over the stunning Mumbai cityscape, his fish cravings are fulfilled by mock meat in a creamy gravy with hints of coconut.
Stepping into Bastian at the Top is like entering a different land. Conceived by Minal Chopra of ineedspace–a long-time designer for the Bastian group of restaurants–the sand-coloured interiors of the sprawling hotel transport guests to a rustic cave in the middle of an arid desert, even as they stand amidst the bustle of one of the busiest cities in the world. Here, stands a soaring wall with rows of earthy ceramics. There, carved into the wall, a giant laughing Buddha with illuminated necklace beads. In the forest area of the restaurant, a 39-foot plunge pool surrounded by lush foliage, for private dinners and parties. Loosely divided into three sections–the Forest for a laid back vibe, the Main Bar area where a DJ spins tunes to create a comfortable atmosphere and intimate the fine-dining area–Bastian at the Top provides guests with an eclectic mix of styles, and a sort of curated chaos that is part of its charm.
As Ishaan enjoys his mock fish meat, I am savouring vegetarian tacos, something I haven’t eaten since I left my year-long exchange programme in Mexico, four years ago (save for Taco Bell, but that doesn’t count). Biting into the soft shell of the taco, which is filled with corn and mushrooms, I am surprised by how similar it tastes to the tacos I used to eat with my host families in Cancùn (they were breakfast, lunch and dinner). I feel, for a second, like I have stepped back into a different country, heating up tortillas for myself in the kitchen. “I haven’t had tortillas like this in years,” I tell Ishaan. “You should write that,” he replies, chewing on his mock fish meat.
Both fans of sugary drinks, Ishaan and I request something fruity from the bar. Within minutes, the bartender appears with two colourful drinks–one mocktail, one cocktail–in hand. Citrusy and refreshing, the drinks are a perfect accompaniment to the dinner we are enjoying, consisting of ceviche, Hawaiian rolls, truffle butter mushrooms and more.
Before we descend to the ground floor, we take a stroll around the vast restaurant, appreciating its carefully curated decor. Since the closing of Bastian at Worli, the opening of this restaurant has been eagerly awaited by guests who now fill the space to its brim, livelier than ever. Above, wicker ceiling lamps move in enchanting patterns as guests below chatter excitedly. In the Forest section, the bar is packed and Ishaan and I sit by the pool to watch guests leave with shimmering drinks in hand. If their enthusiasm is anything to go by, Bastian has succeeded in doing what it does best: whisking guests away to another world (one with delicious food and rugged, chic interior design) even as they stay in the heart of Mumbai.
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