Diwali, the Indian festival of light, is fast approaching this Thursday 19th October.
” One of the most popular festivals of Hinduism, it spiritually signifies the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, knowledge over ignorance, and hope over despair.” – Wikipedia.
With twinkling diyas (Indian clay lamps), an array of festive treats and clothing as colorful as Bollywood dance sequences, Diwali is a great time of year to let out the inner Desi in all of us.
Last weekend we were invited for a Diwali brunch at Bombay Bungalow (at JBR, Dubai). This was my very first visit here, and I was absolutely awestruck with the interiors. The turquoise walls, the intricate vintage-style Indian decor is so picturesque and Instagram-worthy!
The place was crowded with guests, and the Diwali brunch included quite a few fun activities for the little ones. My daughter got her hands decorated with white henna… and I followed suit soon after! She then went on to mingle with other tots, got entertained by the balloon twister, and danced to a few Bollywood tunes. As adults we tend to lose this ability to socialize so freely; she claimed to make over six new friends in one afternoon!
With all that entertainment keeping her busy, we got to have some quality time indulging in the overly generous brunch offerings.
First off, we were served a mixed platter of appetizers. My favorite of the lot were the decadently spiced Sheesh Kebabs. My husband claims their samosas are one of the best he’s ever had in Dubai (quite a compliment coming from an accomplished samosa muncher!), and the Malai Chicken Kebabs were mild and succulently juicy enough for my little one.
The main-course consisted of a number of interesting Indian amalgamations. The ever-popular Pani Puri is given a Mexican twist with the Guac Pani Puri. The ‘pani’ here has a slightly thicker consistency thanks to the avocado base, and has the characteristic hit of tangy-hot that I love.
Then there was the Corn Chaat, a healthful tossup of fresh corn kernels, bean sprouts and a ‘chatpatta’ base.
Another interesting remix was the Burrata Butter Chicken where a generous dollop of Italian burrata cheese is served semi-melted in this much-loved creamy sweet curry.
My daughter loved the Pav Bhaji Fondue. Bombay’s famous spicy tomato and potato mash gets transformed into a cheesy, gluttonous mess that needs to be dipped into with chunks of pav and roasted baby potatoes.
My favorite from the lot was Bombay Bungalow’s Cashew Crusted Kofta. These pyramid-like vegetarian dumplings are encrusted with a deep-fried golden cashew-based batter and sit on a puddle of thick, spiced gravy. These would go well with plain white rice as well as the flaky paratha that was served on the side, but I enjoyed these all by themselves, one greedy forkful after another.
Through it all, we sipped on some very exotic mocktails. My favorite was the one called ‘Underfire‘, a thick mango puree based drink enhanced with saffron and a few strands of saffron.
And fresh watermelon for @TheFarashaFiles 🙂
And then it was time for my favorite course… desserts ofcourse! Loved the simplistic yet classy presentation of this mixed platter. We indulged in a saffron-scented Gulab Jamun, Mango Kulfi, and my favorite… a beautifully delicate, flavorful Coconut Rasmalai.
Overall, we had a wonderful afternoon at Bombay Bungalow. The interiors are absolutely spectacular and remind me of an enchanted Indian palace. We felt so in sync in our Indian outfits! The food was spot on too, as was the service and I would definitely recommend booking a table here this Diwali… or any other day of the week when that craving for fine Indian cuisine hits bad.
An this place is so pretty… don’t forget to get click-happy while you’re at it! Bon apetit.
Bombay Bungalow is located in The Beach Mall, JBR Walk Dubai. Free parking available, just get your token validated! Call 800 692 8779 for bookings.
The Tezzy Files 