India, Feb. 27 -- My claim, made on these pages, that Mumbai is now the food capital of India, has been strengthened after my visit to the city last week.

We all know that Mumbai is the centre of inventive and creative food. I doubt if The Bombay Canteen or O Pedro could have opened in any other city. Nobody of consequence in Delhi would have gone to Masque, despite the excellence of its food, because of its less-than-salubrious surroundings, had it opened in the capital.

Both of Alex Sanchez's brilliant restaurants have South Bombay written all over them. Most Indian cities would not have given Ekaa the chance it needed to establish itself. And as for the wonderful Bandra Born, you can't really take it out of Bandra.

But what has surp...