Dubai: They say a restaurant’s interiors are an insight into its food offerings and the first thing I noticed at Bombay Bungalow was a picture of Mona Lisa in a saree, with her head covered. I thought to myself, if that’s the mirror to my dinner tonight, it’s going to be exceptional.
While I was busy wondering what my palate would like to savour, Prashant Chipkar, the head chef, had decided it for me. Psychologists read minds, chef Pradeep reads palates. “I’m sure you’ll like the Guac Pani Poori for starters and Roti Roll Prawns,” he said. You can’t doubt a person who has previously cooked at Bangkok’s Gaggan, ranked seventh in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
Also, when you’re a person who can eat, sleep, repeat guacamole (avocado-based dip, or filling in this case), there is no reason to disagree. Even if you’re in the anti-avocado squad, like my companion, you must know, he ate more pooris than me. The Roti Roll prawn with the chilli tomato chutney was something right out of the comfort food collection.
We went in for the burrata butter chicken and a cashew crusted kofta for the main course. These were served with cheese naan and zaatar olive naan. What sets burrata butter chicken apart from the usual butter chicken is that this one uses cheese instead of butter.
“This is how happiness tastes,” exclaimed chef Pradeep. I hadn’t thought of the dish quite that way, but now that he mentioned it, I began to ‘digest’ what he meant. I couldn’t help but wonder the huge difference cheese could make to the traditional butter chicken preparation.
Next I was served coconut rasmalai and alphonso mango kulfi for dessert. The rasmalai was a mountain of goodness. There was a piece of cottage cheese at the bottom, layered with pistachio whipped cream followed by yet another piece of cottage cheese garnished with the same cream and caramel sauce. Every ingredient in the dish – which is customarily never paired – played its part amazingly.
Interestingly, or somehow mysteriously, that’s when Mona Lisa in the saree made sense to me.
Meal for two: Dh225
Where: Bahar 4 JBR, The Walk, Dubai
Timings: 11am-1am
Contact: 04-449 8595
Ratings
Ambience: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Overall: 4
We recommend: Burrata butter chicken, coconut rasmalai, Guac Pani Poori
