Dishoom is a tribute to the once popular Bombay cafes which were popular in the 1960s. These were places that welcomed all under the same roof - rich businessmen, taxi wallahs, couples, families, lawyers preparing their cases. They were informal, charming cafes that served unpretentious food at low prices.
The restaurant recreates the feel of a Bombay cafe very well from the fans on the ceiling, to the floor tiles as well as the round marble decked tables. The walls are also adorned with photos of famous Bollywood actors and the open plan kitchen adds to the informal and familiar feel of the restaurant.
The menu is also similarly unpretentions with old street snack favourites pau bhaji, kathi rolls as well as chilli cheese toast. However it also caters for larger appetites with curries, biriyanis and a selection of mixed grill dishes. When I went there I had the pau bhaji, biriyani, kathi rolls and mixed vegetables. Two of the dishes were prepared to near perfection - the biryani and the right balance of spices with no overpowering flavour of saffron or peppercorn, a common error in many biryani dishes. The pau bhaji was also fresh, balanced and very tasty. The mixed vegetable dish was exactly as described and prepared to a reasonable standard and the kathi rolls were tough and try and desperately crying out for a sauce of some kind.
In addition to this, as I sipped on my thums up cola, ate my gola and contemplated a chai I could have been in a suburb of Mumbai whiling away the evening hours rather than in London. The atmosphere was informal and the crowd inside the restaurant was diverse - Dishoom had succeeded in transporting me back to Mumbai and the overall dining experience was very pleasant.
The price was also very reasonable coming to approximately £15 per head including service and drinks. Overall I would recommend Dishoom to anyone looking for a quick bite or to those who want to try Indian food in a different atmosphere to most Indian restaurants. I would give Dishoom 3 out of 5.
http://www.dishoom.com
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