Mumbai’s landmark Trident Hotel in Nariman Point opens new bar ‘ness’ with a menu that celebrates Marine Drive and Mumbai

The mesmerising influence of Marine Drive on Mumbai is undeniable. It's the reason why countless Mumbaikars, and tourists sit along the promenade every single day in awe of the mighty Arabian Sea that hugs Mumbai's coastline while watching the sunrise and sunset. Embracing this very emotion, ness, the Trident Nariman Point's newest bar, serves a potent Dawn Sbagliato that resembles the setting sun visible at Marine Drive. Made with campari, Chenin Blanc, sweet vermouth and Prosecco is sweet and smooth and eases you into the evening while in the comfort of a cosy setting as overlooks it at Nariman Point.

Situated at the end of the lobby on the right side, ness replaces the five-star property's famed Opium Den bar, which took Mumbaikars and tourists on a journey from drink to food at India Jones, the restaurant at the lower level. The bar was conceptualised as an extension to a fictitious character India Jones's home and his 'diary of cocktails' all concocted by him. While the entry to the lower level has been sealed, the new bar at ness sits atop it with a splash of colours and a conscious brightness to make the new bar more inviting for visitors, says Akshay Chonkar, EAM F&B Service manager at the property.

Making the most of Marine Drive
Chonkar shares, "We wanted to create a bar offering an elegant yet casual lifestyle ambience. The conceptual narrative is that of a large villa pavilion attached to the main house and opens out to the sea vistas beyond. Derived from the Gaelic word for a promontory jutting into the sea, ‘ness' embodies both a physical and metaphorical land extension. Therefore, a residential series of lounge and bar seating spaces combine to create an indoor-outdoor experience with breathtaking sea views."

The newly refurbished bar comes at a time when they took up renovations after completing 50 years in 2023. They started with giving a new avatar to The Regal Room, the most significant banquet space in the hotel, followed by The Verandah - the lobby-level all-day and night restaurant followed by other restaurants at the property. As they rechristen Opium Den with food and drink to showcase a newer version called 'ness', the purpose has been served.

It's visible from the entrance because of the abundant use of glass allowing in a lot of natural light, and the decor is an immersive window pane-like structure to display the alcohol on offer with the use of muted colours like white. This lets more natural light stream in during the day in the bar boasts of laidback seating in most parts. The sprinkling of cosy corners, adds Chonkar, makes it perfect for date nights, and higher tables and stools place strategically road-facing to enjoy the view of Marine Drive. Interestingly, the space has been separated by sliding doors into two sections - one air-conditioned and one with fans to allow guests the liberty of opening the windows to enjoy the monsoon, which is only a few weeks away. Interestingly, the restaurant is going to take no reservations.

Being informal, warm, friendly and inviting was the basis of the menu when they were planning it, says chef Saurav Banerjee, who is the executive chef at Trident, Nariman Point, for the last six years. With a little quirkiness and Mumbai focus, they started experimenting with some twists. He says, "We wanted the food to not be complicated. When you come to a bar, the food needs to comfort you; we went a little international and played around with our strengths from India Jones with a couple of baos, as well as some international meats because of our clientele."

While putting all this together, they didn't want it to be too long and have a concise selection with 9-10 dishes in vegetarian and non-vegetarian food respectively - so there is enough for everyone but they are always open to be flexible.

With a career that spans 33 years, chef says, "The culinary experience at Ness reflects Mumbai's diverse and dynamic character. The menu features flavourful dishes and gourmet favourites that cater to all palates -- from local food favourites like the Akuri Keema Taco, the Avocado "Bhajji" and Sabudana Butter Fruit Bhel to gourmet delicacies such as the Miso Cod to a Lamb Merguez and Toadstool - it is versatile."

So, imagine our joy in enjoying a plate of Avocado Bhajjis (fritters), a classic ode to Mumbai and its love for street food and bhajjis. Deep-fried crisp with a generous helping of avocado, it is a perfect accompaniment not with the classic mint chutney as they do away with it but a creamy blue cheese and celery dip; the combination retains the emotion of enjoying the monsoon favourite but at the same time elevates the experience. It also helps to keep the food light depicting the focus on unique bar snacks but not too complicated as the menu focuses on simplicity, says Banerjee.

Celebrating Mumbai
Interestingly, it complements The Saffron Sunset Sipper is a delicious and heady mixture of rum, coconut liqueur, saffron-infused syrup and pineapple juice that is pleasing to the palate - a delicious mixture that cleanses the palate every time you take a bite of the avocado bhajji with the dip, taking away the creamy aftertaste almost instantly, for you to go at it again making it a refreshing drink. Interestingly, Chonkar, who instructs us step by step, how to enjoy it best, says there is more thought to the cocktail than what meets the eye. "The cocktail is inspired by different elements in the city - every alleyway in Mumbai always has a local "nariyal pani wala". We have brought together rum, Malibu, local rani pineapple and coconut water to celebrate this, creating a refreshing yet flavourful cocktail," he shares.

The Black Cod with miso glaze served with charred edamame hajikame (ginger pickled in vinegar) is an absolute flavour bomb of bite-sized cod that gets a subtle saltiness from the miso and sourness from a bite of pickled ginger, that automatically builds your appetite. This leads us to the Akuri Kheema Tacos, which is simply slow-cooked minced lamb served with coriander in a taco making for a juicy meat treat. A smoky and heady Marines Sour cocktail follows with a crisp mix of Islay single malt, orange maple syrup, and sour mix but not without some drama as it is served in a cloche (translucent cover) as it is infused with smoke, and even kept at a tilt.

With a variation of fish and lamb, the pork that comes next was simply divine. The Sticky Pork Belly is cooked to perfection with star anise and ginger which is an amalgamation of deliciously sweet and earthy flavours. We pair it with The Yellow Pages cocktail, which has vodka, turmeric honey syrup, lime, chamomile tea showcasing the sweetness of the honey and a surprising yet unique aftertaste of turmeric making it a drink with diverse flavours. Chonkar explains, "Yellow Pages is inspired by turmeric that is a part of every Mumbai household's culinary repertoire. In this cocktail, we combine fresh turmeric, locally sourced organic honey and chamomile tea to showcase a "sunny" cocktail because of its colour and presentation."

If the cocktail took us by surprise, the Asian Spiced Grilled Chicken exuded the peppery Sichuan and sweetness from the caramelised onions and yoghurt dip but also had a citrusy aftertaste because of a subtle orange zest that Banerjee says is just perfect. Would you end a meal with a cocktail? The Plantain will make you reconsider it. The cocktail could almost act as a dessert for its sweetness from the house-infused spiced rum, vanilla, banana, honey and lemon - that is served with masala banana chips in a neat conical wrap clipped to the side - adding spice while inviting another sip of the drink. Chonkar further shares, "With all its ingredients that make up the cocktail, Plantain is also served with Mumbai's special "masala" banana chips, another local favourite."

While the music at the bar is a mix of up-tempo to cater to different younger age groups, the property still proudly retains one of its oldest elements in the lobby. "Close in proximity to ness, is the iconic grand piano, which has been mesmerising our guests for five decades with soulful classic tunes performed by our resident pianist, Schubert Vaz every evening over the years," Chonkar concludes.