Bombay Daak

Bombay Daak is a bar and restaurant in Reclamation, Bandra West, from the team behind the restaurant Ekaa. It is inspired by dive bars, with a dark, music-filled room, big windows and plenty of noise, and its concept is daaru-chakna, the Indian habit of pairing drinks with salty, spicy snacks. The menu draws on regional drinking cultures from across the country, including Coorg, Kashmir, Nagaland, Jaipur, Bihar and Goa.

The welcome sets the tone: guests are offered a shot of bird's-eye chilli wine on arrival. Drinks include the Santra Season, infused with pickles and chutneys, and the bar is a comfortable place to sit if you are on your own. The food is where the concept really comes alive. A good order for the table is the Hot Gram, with three kinds of pulses, peanuts and pineapple; a bhuna tongue roast with brown onion emulsion and dill; chicken and rasam; house-made luncheon meat served in a retro tin; and Milkmaid Prawns, a Tamil-inspired pairing of condensed milk and shellfish.

This is a place for groups and late nights. The dishes are built for sharing, so come with friends and order widely, and expect a bouncy playlist that keeps the energy up. Vegetarians are well catered for, with several meat-free snacks. If you are looking for a quiet drink or a formal dinner, choose somewhere else.

Bombay Daak is popular, particularly with large groups and late-night crowds, so reserve ahead, which you can do through the Zomato app. Weekday evenings are easier than Fridays and Saturdays. Allow a couple of hours to work through a good spread of plates and drinks. Turn up with an appetite: the snacks are substantial enough to replace dinner if you order four or five plates between two people. If you are unfamiliar with some of the regional dishes, ask the staff to explain where each comes from.

Taxis are the easiest way to get there, especially at night. The rest of Bandra's bars and cafes are a short ride away, including Subko on Chapel Road for coffee the next morning, and O Pedro in the Bandra Kurla Complex is a short drive away if you want a more substantial Goan dinner first.