Nisha's Mumbai: Nisha JamVwal Offers A Peak Into City's New Dining Destinations, A Wedding To Remember, And A Mesmerising Fashion Gala

OJU — Bandra’s Boho Spirit Finally Drifts South

Mumbai’s boho, free-spirited Bandra has always stolen a march over SoBo when it comes to chic little cafés and eateries and spirited eateries dotting winding pathways of Pali Hill and what used to called Bandra Reclamation . I’ve often lamented this imbalance, but finally there’s a glimmer of hope on our side of the Sea Link.

Neuma has unveiled Oju, a Japanese-inspired evening spot co-owned by Ankit Tayal, Vicky Shah in a collaboration with filmmaker Karan Johar. This oasis of Zen in Colaba’s rush is open to the sky and very relaxing in its atmosphere!

The shibui-inspired design has an out of Mumbai relaxed feel— raked-sand minimalism, oversize rattan light installations that feel like floating boats, and a skylight so you can watch the moon while dining . Understated chic at its finest. The clincher for me are the monumental urns with arching palms — they brought a tropical calm to the space.

I was on the run that evening and only managed to managed to sample the delicate spinach hors d’oeuvres suggested by Suved Lohia who is also part of the management and he introduced me to the refined, clean flavours that made me want to return soon for a full experience curated by Chef Moh and the gifted Chef Nitin Bharadwaj whose skill we’ve long enjoyed . Ive promised Vicky I’ll be back at Oju soon— to experience the full repertoire.

Soraia — A Neo-Botanical Reverie at the Racecourse

Last week I wrote about the opening of Akina; this week my palate took me to Soraia, Dhaval Udeshi’s latest triumph at the Racecourse where Neel by maestro Rahul Akerkar once stood.

Dhaval’s journey is an inspiring story — from having no capital to launch new restaurants, to reviving failing ones, and then rising to become one of Mumbai’s more successful restaurateurs. His story is grit meeting gumption.

Soraia, which he calls a “neo-botanical premium casual dining experience,” is exactly that — lush, inventive, layered. From lush al fresco to swish indoors and hors d’oeuvres to entrées to desserts I hadn’t encountered before, the evening unfolded like a tapestry of textures and flavors — unexpected, refined, memorable. The sitaphal martini was a winner as were the truffle galauti kebabs!

My dinner companions added to the sparkle — Dhaval himself who regaled us with the story of creating memorable restaurants, stylist Teena Ahuja, Ina Arora (director at D’Decor), and artist Shashi Bansal with her irreverent humour. Good food paired with mentally stimulating beautiful people of Mumbai creates its own alchemy and even tastes better with?

A Wedding of Heart — The Pai & Parulekar Celebration

Speaking of magic and new beginnings — IVF pioneers Dr. Rishma Pai and Dr. Rishikesh Pai, along with their warm, gracious samdhis Ashish and Pallavi Parulekar, hosted their children Arnav and Aishwarya’s wedding: a four-day celebration that felt less like a function and more like a festival of hearts.

I’ve attended weddings across continents, with great extravagance but money cannot buy joy and happiness! This wedding glowed with a certain tenderness and apnapan — the family’s deep involvement in every detail, their care for guests, the warmth that greeted you at every venue. It felt personal in a way only few weddings manage to be. I went home from all the functions feeling loved and cared for by them all.

And then the pièce de résistance — the OG Miss Universe, Sushmita Sen, making a surprise appearance at the “Happily Ever After” soirée. She swept in like a burst of joy, radiating her signature warmth, blessing the couple, and embracing Rishma Pai and me with affectionate camaraderie. Her grand entry in a swish off shoulder fishtail black gown paired with classic diamonds lit up the night.

Of all the celebrations the intimate mehandi was the most memorable and familial. Not only because of the beautiful Phulkari take home pressies but also the very relaxed afternoon tea feel with sun streaming through the windows over a languorous afternoon called “Balle Balle” reminiscent of drum bears and the punjabi bhangda dance being performed by traditional dancers in kaleidoscopic dhotis and mirrored waistcoats!

Vaishali S — Couture, Culture & A Stairway of Dreams

But my weeks finale was an immersive artistic celebration.

Couturier Vaishali S’s spectacular 25-year celebration of her journey in fashion. Beautifully orchestrated by Chaiti Narula and French Press Global, the show unfolded on the iconic steps of the Asiatic Library, transformed with soft lighting and silver-toned cushions strewn on the sides of the softly lit stone steps for seating that created a magical amphitheatre in the heart of Mumbai. The setting was magical with a hush of anticipation in the air.

Vaishali’s tribute to India’s handloom heritage was powerful, almost reverential. Every garment echoed the warp and weft of India’s cultural identity — fluid, sculptural, evocative multilayered and with her typical Piping details creating stoles trains and veils cascading on the outfits. Exclusive guests sat along the stairwell on those handcrafted silver cushions along the steps; a few sat on sofas placed before the majestic stairway — yet all eyes were transfixed by the living poetry she sent gliding down those heritage stone steps.

I had the privilege of wearing a mesmerising teal, floor-length, multi-layered ruched gown — a piece that made me feel like a shimmering sea creature. Someone whispered that I looked like “a beautiful mermaid rising from the waves,” and for a fleeting moment I believed them.

In her heartfelt address, Vaishali shared how handloom quite literally saved her life. “I left Vidisha at 17… now my daughter is 17. My mission was to put India’s handloom on the international map,” she said simply, without artifice.

Today, she is among the world’s top 30 couturiers — and the only Indian to present at Paris Fashion Week. Her rise is a tribute to artistry, perseverance, and vision.

Allesandro Giiliani of Buconni Institute, the backbone of her global journey, has played an integral role in placing her firmly on the world map.

A night of beauty, purpose, and Indian pride — the perfect finale to a vibrant Mumbai week.