There's a hot bowl of Kadhi Samosa in front of us. And we have been transported to the tiny lanes of the old cities in Rajasthan, where it is savoured as a famous chaat. We're at a tasting of Bombay Brasserie in Colaba's revamped menu.
Cutting through the bustling traffic of a busy evening we reach Dhanraj Mahal in Colaba where Bombay Brasserie welcomes us to the avant-garde space. Boasting a potpourri of Indian art, culture, and culinary nuances in new essence with a charming art-deco vibe, the restaurant is set on the ground level of the 1935 architectural marvel.
We quickly took a tour of the sprawling two-level space including a mezzanine encompassing beautiful handmade vibrant kite lighting features suspended from the double-height ceiling painting a buoyant picture of India's multi-cultural harvest season. On the right is the textile wall showcasing the craft of diverse handwoven Indian fabrics. Paying a tribute to the lifeline of Mumbai — the Bombay Dabbawalas is a charming corner on the left boasting a collection of ancient tin tiffin boxes.
Manoej Paateel
Manoej Paateel
The next level of the restaurant encompasses the Incredible India wall adorned with a series of picture frames representing India's rich history through paintings and maps. There's also a space for India's heritage of handicrafts which is represented through colourful wooden dolls, and jharokhas. Reflecting the similar celebration of India's rich culture and heritage in the food as well is the specially curated menu that showcases recipes from across different cultures.
We started sampling the Samosas placed on our table. We expected the dish to be a little spicy since it is part of the chaat in Rajasthan. However, those who like less spicy food will not be disappointed. We also tried their Kashmiri Naan Kebab. The mutton was tender and had flavours of local masalas from the valley. When rolled in saffron-brushed naan and dipped in creamy yoghurt dip, the dish melted in our mouths deliciously. We loved the yoghurt dip which had small walnut pieces. It was the highlight of our meal.
We paired our meal with Aam Panna, which was too sweet for us, as we expected it to be more nutty or sour in taste. We also tried a cocktail fused with whiskey, which was strong, giving an instant kick.
While we were busy sampling the dishes, we lost count of the time courtesy of the calm ambience that lets you forget the outside chores and be in the moment. Towards the end, we ordered Matar Kulcha and Aloo Rassa, which were nothing less than eating Aloo chat at the ghats of Varanasi and feeling delighted.
The Kulchas were soft and the potato and green peas filling tempered with achari spices and chillies were perfect to end our meal along with Mutton Boti Biryani cooked on dum with potli masala. We loved the serving which came in a small mud pot covered with naan for dum to give that perfect Mughlai flavour to the dish.
Our meal at Bombay Brasserie took us on a tasteful journey to rediscover India through an explosion of flavours and regional ingredients from across the country.
Price for two: Rs 2,500 + for two
