By Nisha & Aakash
February is here, the month of love, the month of theatrical proposals and grand gestures. It's the period when two crore worth of roses are sold nationwide in the mere 2 days leading up to the 14th. And while almost everybody will be rushing to get a dinner reservation, hoping to secure a spot in the cozy, candle-lit corner of their favourite restaurant, not all will be successful in snagging a decent one. Then what? In the bustling, vibrant cities of Mumbai and Bangalore, fear not. The quest for the perfect Valentine's Day celebration doesn't end at the doors of a booked-out restaurant. This article ventures into exploring these hidden gems, guiding lovebirds to destinations that will make their Valentine's Day not just about grand gestures, but about creating lasting memories in the city's lesser-known yet enchantingly romantic locales.
Nisha's Guide to Bangalore Dates:
If you are here expecting me to say Olive Beach or Windmills, you are reading the wrong article. Not because I don’t think they are perfect for some people, don’t get me wrong, but it’s because you’ll probably find a similar, if not better list somewhere else for sure.
And sure, while Olive Beach’s Mediterranean theme under serial light is what dreamy dates ought to look like, let’s get off the beaten path for a few minutes, shall we?
Here’s my unpopular take on what an ideal date in Bangalore should look like.
If it’s completely on me, this is perhaps easier because through my lens, I’ll let the city unfold for you. I remember this one time my date took me to KR circle for a heritage walk on a Sunday morning. The subways were alive with art exhibitions and in the cacophony of a city honking to life, there was a quiet knowledge that this trip to the noisy parts of town, unlike most dates, was an unusually solid one.
I have a theory, if your partner can sit through Silk Board traffic with you after a date night, then it’s a done deal. Gift them a piece of something, quick (it’s still too early for a ring)!
Alright, down to the details. Here’s how I, as a woman, would plan a date in the city.
If he is an early riser, then Cubbon park on a Saturday is a delight. Cycling or walking down the pathways surrounded by thickets in the wee early mornings of a weekend is a special kind of commitment cause well, god knows, I like to sleep in. A special hello will be said to all dogs we cross, ever, because if you are not as excited as I am about dogs, then well, you know it’s not going to work. Sorry.
The guards are a pain in the A-hole but hey, trust me to sneak you in. And when we are past that, trust me to create the perfect mood near the discreet bamboo grove. I’ll lay out a mat and fish out a bag of cucumber sandwiches and hot coffee. And then we can sit there, chatting, chomping and giggling while the sun climbs higher. I wouldn't be averse to the idea of laying for a bit and reading. It is after all very cinematic and during which, if we end up holding hands, oh boy. Look, I am a bit of a romantic. But I am in an equal rush to kiss too. I take pride in being able to judge someone I am okay to get intimate with quite early on (not sure if this is a top notch skill) but then I love the build up okay, so let’s build it up.
Alright, the sun is beating down so let’s collect everything and head to Blossoms or Champaca where we will then identify if you read or not. And if you do, then I think this might be a fun little detour before we head off to grab lunch. I’d love it if you wanted to try some local food because then I’d perhaps take you to Ujwal’s Bar to try their Mangalorean fare, especially that tender coconut chicken with some KFs.
But no pressure, it’s okay if pizza is the vibe too.
I actually love doing the whole, let’s get down and dirty with food on the first date kinda stuff because it is who I am, a passionate South Indian food eater and I’d like to know if you can handle it or better still, be it.
You know it’s real when it’s time for a nap. But since it’s a date and I am not ready to take you home yet, let’s get some filter coffee and persist. I’d love at this point to be able to catch a play perhaps but a gig later in the night works just fine. But we have to do a small pit stop around Pecos in Indiranagar in the evening before heading off to maybe Watson’s for a little dancing. Don’t be surprised if the Pecos guys greet me with joy and already brings to the table a pitcher and a plate of chicken dry fry. If you, like me, have spent years going to your favourite bars, it’s bound to happen. And it’s also obviously my way of showing you how much Rock I know and how popular I am in these parts of town!
If the crowd at Watson’s doesn’t piss you off, and if you delight in surprise at how perfect the podi idli is, and you can dance to ‘Dancing Queen’ with as much fervour as you would rap all of ‘In the End’, come back home with me. I am sure you’d love my cats ( nope, no pun intended, although that would have been cool).
Aakash's Guide to Mumbai Dates:
Being a writer and a novelist, and growing up on Seinfeld, I have a range of pet theories with which to explain the world and the complicated process of being a human in the chaos of 21st century living. Chief among these is the role of chance and context in enriching life. Scheduled dining rarely meets our expectations, much like the meticulously planned dates that can't seem to hold a candle to the spontaneous. A chance encounter that leads to a meal in a nondescript location that turns into a walk by the sea, that leads to something more, who is to say, are the elements that a best date is made of.
But we do not live in a perfect world, where meet cutes are occurring at the drop of a hat. Nowadays, courtship has moved to dating apps and instagram DMs. Even Djokovic is sliding into Kohli’s DMs so what good are we lesser mortals. There is no silent smoldering. And wistful glances in the social media age. There is little “organic meeting” but perhaps one can recreate those conditions by choosing the right locations.
A few years ago, the favourite dating spot in the city would have been the many dive bars. Since I am not totally comfortable using that term since it is a loan word from American English, and the British-era “permit room” has a colonial hangover, we will stick to the restaurant-bar. Drinks are cheap here. Food is good here, and in your early 20s, has no after effects. So at Janata in Bandra or Gokul in Colaba, the two of you, or three or four, since this is the age of monogam-ish, can get drunk over chicken lollipop and rums and coke, or gins and tonic, go for a walk to Marine Drive or Carter Road and enjoy the conversation turning philosophical with the cool, salty sea breeze on your face.
The other option, if you really want to impress your date, with a knowledge of Mumbai is to select two of the semi-hidden rooftop places in the city. If you are a smoker, all the better for you, because smoking in the open while there is a breeze in your face is not a pleasure that is common in Mumbai. I hesitate to name the locations because they are as of yet, still hidden, or underused and no reels have been made about them. There is Cloud 9 in Colaba, and Rangsharda in Bandra. The former is where Cyrus Broacha got married and still sometimes has wedding anniversaries and all kinds of celebrations that do not book out the whole terrace to save on cost. So you can enjoy your date in the background of an old Parsi couple celebrating 50 years of wedding bliss, and not feel too far removed from a scene in a rom-com. The latter is where Shahrukh pushed Shilpa Shetty to her untimely demise in Baazigar but also overlooks the road leading up to reclamation and since there are no high-rises in the immediate vicinity offers a 360-degree view of Mumbai and sunset. In the fortnight-long winter of the financial capital, this might even be its best restaurant-bar.
So the element that might recreate the meet-cute of rom-coms is alcohol, but not too much. Followed by a walk at one of the sea-side places. There are many ways to play around with these elements. If you are the artsy types, a walk to an art gallery could be a safe bet. Or perhaps a bookstore. Gives you things to talk about in the awkward pauses between deeper conversation. I’ve suggested Bandra and town because these are the locations closest to my home. But I am sure they are replicable in other parts of the city. Perhaps, if you are the driving kind, I don’t know why you would be in Mumbai, a Mysore Masala dosa in Vile Parle, followed by a taad gola sundae at Naturals Now, followed by driving around the city to soft music would be fun in its own way. Too gentrified for my taste but I’ve enjoyed that kind of date too, as long as the other person is doing most of the driving.
This brings to a final important question. Is the city, location, food, and place important to determine whether or not a date has been enjoyable or successful or not? One of my favourite moments in Seinfeld is a discussion about the first date, where both parties are analysing every minute detail. That laugh… Can I keep hearing it for the next six months or longer? One might have developed all kinds of tests based on what food you like or don’t like, what books you like or don’t like. Maybe the most important test is that even when things go bad, when the movie you wanted to go turns out to be shit, or the food is not quite up to the mark, when both of you are sweating because of the humidity, did you still have a good time? Did you want to kiss the person in the back of a kaali-peeli while dropping them home and the only thing that stopped you was a fear of prying eyes, even though you never expected to be in this place? In this situation? That unpredictability is what I’m chasing. The best date is the one you didn’t even know you wanted to have.
I love this! As a Bangalore gal myself, the bookstores and park date sounds ideal. Can't wait to check out the Mumbai spots someday!