‘Dishoom’ – Bombay-style cafe, not a Bollywood fight scene
By Umar Loane
Dishoom is styled after those old Irani cafes of Bombay, but located in and around London, making them quite a unique experience to visit.
Although fewer than thirty remain since they reached their peak with almost 400 in the 1960s, London now has four in Shoreditch, King’s Cross, Carnaby, and Covent Garden.
Not only has this place been listed in 2014’s Michelin Guide, but also been voted the Capital’s Best Breakfast for three years running (2012-14) by Time Out magazine.
Not bad for a cafe seemingly named after a Bollywood fight scene!
Okra Fries – Fine lady’s fingers for the fingers, £4.20
Something I would never consider eating on its own, but these lady fingers were something different.
Crispy and a great addition to the main course. I considered it more of a salad than a starter though.
And a dipping sauce would certainly have elevated this to another level.
Bhel – Cold and crunchy, light and lovely. Puffed rice, Bombay Mix and nylon sev tossed with fresh pomegranate, tomato, onion, lime, tamarind, mint. £4.50
Typical Indian street food – though full of flavour, this was dumbed down for the western palate (could do with some improvement).
Mum’s favourite though; great with a cuppa!
Spicy lamb Chops – They lie overnight in a special marinade of lime juice and jaggery, warm dark spices, ginger and garlic. £11.90
So much taste. I love my Asian food.
Single portion contains three chops, which took me less than a minute to devour!
Murgh Malai – Chicken thigh meat is steeped overnight in garlic, ginger, coriander stems and a little cream. Still slightly pink when fully cooked. £7.90
Tasty, soft and juicy, you ain’t had chicken like this before, let me assure you. Shame about the small portions.
In the end, this place delivers authentic Indian food in every way possible. The flavours and blended spices bring back memories of my childhood.
Best thing about this place, however, is the service. The manager saw that I personally didn’t enjoy the Bhel, and was gracious enough to take it off the bill.
If you haven’t been here before, then make it your mission to do so – it’s an experience and half!
Dishoom Carnaby
22 Kingly Street,
London W1B 5QP
