Other entertainment in Asia
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Bluefrog
The most exciting thing to happen to Mumbai’s music scene in a long time, Bluefrog is a concert space, production studio, restaurant and one of Mumbai’s most happening spaces. It hosts exceptional local and international acts, and has cool booth seating.
reviewed
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Liquid Lounge
The coolest (and loudest) pub in town, this place has funky posters and neon-lit interiors, including a backlit Les Paul guitar replica dangling above the bar! A good selection of beers is on offer, and its staff in floral shirts are a courteous lot.
reviewed
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Penguin Café
Also known as Rock Ola Café, this is the watering hole of choice among Malate’s artistically inclined bohemian set. The Penguin doesn’t truly come to life until late on Friday and Saturday nights, however, when DJs or live bands set the place on fire. Try to catch a set by the wildly original Pinikpikan, an 11-member folk-rock group that performs here occasionally.
reviewed
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B
Leopold’s Café
Love it or hate it, most tourists end up at this Mumbai travellers’ institution at one time or another. Around since 1871, Leopold’s has wobbly ceiling fans, open-plan seating and a rambunctious atmosphere conducive to swapping tales with random strangers. Although there’s a huge menu, the lazy evening beers are the real draw.
reviewed
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Mungil Steak House
This log cabin bills itself as a ‘steak house’ for some bizarre reason, but it works much better as a bar (the food here – mains are 12,000Rp to 50,000Rp – is greasy and takes hours to arrive). As well as beer it sell jugs of arak, and the sea views are top-drawer.
reviewed
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Sound & Light Show
Each evening (except Monday) this one-hour show gives Red Fort history the coloured-spotlight and portentous-voice-over treatment. It’s great, if only to see the red fort by night. Tickets are available from the fort’s ticket kiosk. Bring mosquito repellent.
reviewed
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Orgo
This one has the added bonus of Japanese mixologist Tomoyuki Kitazoe crafting crazy drinks such as soursop calamansi martinis in addition to panoramic views of Marina Bay. Air-conditioned glass enclosures available for wilting patrons. Let’s orgo to Orgo!
reviewed
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Eastern Promise
A classic British-style pub in the heart of Kemang, with a pool table, a welcoming atmosphere and filling Western and Indian grub. Service is prompt and friendly, the beer’s cold and there’s live music on weekends. It’s a key expat hang-out.
reviewed
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D
B@92
Hip bar with a laid-back attitude that features some live acts and hosts a pretty large – and mixed – expat and well-to-do locals crowd. Has an atmosphere somewhere between a British pub, American chain bar and small music venue.
reviewed
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E
KC Garden Restaurant
One of Changspa’s liveliest evening spots, KC’s is the pickup point for all-night full-moon parties (Rs400 including transport; full-moon night May to August). Movies are projected at 8pm several nights weekly.
reviewed
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De Coffee House
Smart new cafe with stylish decor and a long long list of coffees (including Irish, hazelnut-flavoured and cappuccino), though most of the prices are absurd. Food including omelettes are also available.
reviewed
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Bamboo 2 Bar
This is the kind of comfortable hole-in-the-wall joint where the walls are covered in customers’ drunken scribbles. There’s a busy pool table in the back and a Western food menu.
reviewed
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Shiva Valley
Shiva Valley is a very popular place for an evening drink, an alternative crowd and the odd impromptu party.
reviewed
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Golden Screen Cinemas
Book a seat in Gold Class (RM40) for La-Z-boy–style reclining chairs and drinks service.
reviewed
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Paseo
Not so much a nightclub as a night precinct, Paseo is a vast semi-outdoor space fronted by a market area and bordered by 20 independently owned bars all competing for attention. See how far you can crawl your way around in a single night, but don’t forget to write the name of your hotel on the back of your hand. On Friday nights the party heats up at 10pm; on Saturdays it kicks off as early as 8pm. Get there earlier for cheap eats – most of the bars have short-order kitchens. A taxi from uptown will cost about P60 and take 15 minutes.
reviewed
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Jibes
Unofficial HQ of the kitesurfing brigade, this beachside cafe-bar is a relaxing place for a drink, but it quietens down by night when the party crowd is elsewhere. It also offers surf lessons and rents out state-of-the-art gear like windsurfers (one hour/half-day/full-day US$12/30/45), surfboards (one hour/half-day/full-day US$7.50/15/25), kitesurfers (one hour/half-day/full-day US$50/100/140) and kayaks (one hour/half-day/full-day US$5/13/25). Insurance is extra.
reviewed
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Hanoi Opera House
This magnificent 900-seat venue, dating back to 1911 and built in wonderfully elaborate French-colonial style, has been restored to its former glory. On 16 August 1945 the Viet Minh–run Citizens’ Committee announced that it had taken over the city from a balcony on this building. Performances of classical music and opera are periodically held here in the evenings – a wonderful experience. The theatre’s Vietnamese name appropriately translates to ‘House Sing Big’.
reviewed
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Watermark
Although it’s located at the Phuket Boat Lagoon marina on the east coast, Watermark is one of the best spots on the island for a sundowner cocktail. The espresso martini and passionfruit margarita are the house specials, although the tome-sized wine list is also very tempting. This chic venue is the island’s preferred address for jet-setters and, for the last six years it has been featured in the Thailand Tatler as one of the country’s best restaurants.
reviewed
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Royal Academy of Performing Arts
The home of the Royal Dance Troupe is the Royal Academy of Performing Arts. It provides formal training for masked dancers and also works to preserve Bhutan’s folk-dancing heritage. Unless there’s a practice session on, there’s little to see here. The professional dancers from this school perform several of the dances at the Thimphu tsechu. With advance notice they will provide a one-hour performance for visitors.
reviewed
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National Centre for the Performing Arts
Spanning 800 sq metres, this cultural centre is the hub of Mumbai’s music, theatre and dance scene. In any given week, it might host Marathi theatre, poetry readings and art exhibitions, Bihari dance troupes, ensembles from Europe or Indian classical music. The Experimental Theatre occasionally has English-language plays. Many performances are free. The box office ( [tel] 22824567; open 9am to 7pm) is at the end of NCPA Marg.
reviewed
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M
Cheeky Quarter
Quirky, sociable little bar owned by a Vietnamese–English couple, that comes complete with patterned wallpaper and intriguing framed portraits (that look vaguely like they’re depicting some eccentric titled family). Table footy (foosball) is taken very seriously here and the tunes are contemporary: drum ’n’ bass or house music. It’s at the top end of the Ta Hien strip.
reviewed
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Studio
Quite possibly the most beautiful space in Hanoi, this sleek and sexy new lounge bar-cum-restaurant has a Le Corbusier–influenced modernist design with subtle lighting and soaring white walls that form a blank canvas for the statement art. The cocktails are wonderful, the music is chilled and contemporary, there’s a fine food menu and prices are relatively moderate.
reviewed
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Cafe Giang
With bland chains taking over Hanoi's café scene, ancient holes such as this one have become revered treasures. To be sure, Cafe Giang's timeworn patina is almost a bleak exaggeration of communist-era non-chic. The front is wide open to frenetic Hang Gai, but within, amid chatty intellectuals congregating over strong drip coffees, it feels a half century away.
reviewed
