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Hot times on the High

Dishoom

Just over a week ago, though it seems much longer, Ilaria and I ate at Dishoom. Twice. Yep, we liked it so much the first time, we went back.

Dishoom is a small chain of modern Indian ‘Bombay Cafés’ in London. There are 4: Shoreditch; King’s Cross; Carnaby; and Covent Garden.

http://www.dishoom.com

There’s a lot to like about Dishoom, and though I can only vouch for Shoreditch, I have no reason to doubt that the same relaxed vibe, energetic and friendly staff, great food at reasonable prices and overall good experience also exists in the other Dishoom cafés.

Dishoom interior
Dishoom Shoreditch interior

I love the time they’ve taken to give you a sense of place. Here’s the way they describe the history of Bombay Cafés on the menu and website: “The original Bombay Cafés have almost disappeared. Opened early last century by Zoroastrian immigrants from Iran, their faded elegance welcomed all: rich businessmen, sweaty taxi-wallas and courting couples. Fans turned slowly. Bentwood chairs were reflected in stained mirrors, next to sepia family portraits. Students had breakfast. Families dined. Lawyers read briefs. Writers found their characters.”

Oh, that hooked me. I was right in there, back in the day. But Zoroastrian? To quote Google (hand on heart!), “Zoroastrianism is the ancient, pre-Islamic religion of Persia (modern-day Iran). It survives there in isolated areas but primarily exists in India, where the descendants of Zoroastrian Persian immigrants are known as Parsis, or Parsees.” I couldn’t have summed it up better myself, and my Oxford Dictionary explained more under ‘Parsee’: “An adherent of Zoroastrianism, especially a descendant of those Zoroastrians who fled to India from Muslim persecution in Persia during the 7th-8th centuries.”

Forget the quotes, whoever wrote the café blurb and their menus has a way with words.

Dishoom notice
Dishoom door welcome

Here’s a sample from the breakfast and lunch menus, which understandably, made choosing food no easy matter, oh, and start with a Bloody Mary if you will, ‘Made with the feisty Mary-mix of Dishoom’ or a Virgin Mary ‘Feisteness abounds, but there is no swearing.’

Bloody Mary
Bloody Mary

FAR FAR

A sort of carnival of snackery, halfway between crisp and cracker. Colourful, lemony, salty.

PAU BHAJI

A bowl of mashed vegetables with hot buttered pau bun, Chowpatty Beach style. No food is more Bombay.

Dishoom Chutneys
Dishoom Chutneys

BACON NAAN ROLL

The ‘Ginger Pig’ smoked streaky bacon is dry-cured for 5 days with rock salt and Demerara sugar then cold-smoked over oak chips. A Dishoom signature dish and deserving of all its accolades.

Bacon Naan Roll
Bacon Naan Roll
Masala beans
Masala beans

FIRE TOAST

Thick slices of bloomer bread are buttered and thrown onto the grill where they become char-striped. Served with homemade preserves: pineapple-pink-peppercorn jam, and tangy orange marmalade with star anise.

GUNPOWDER POTATOES

The seduction is in the tumble. Potatoes with brown skins, smoky-grilled, broken apart, tossed with butter, crushed aromatic seeds and green herb.

Scrambled eggs Dashoom
Akuri  “An Iranian café staple. Three eggs, spiced, scrambled and piled up richly alongside plump pau buns and served with grilled tomatoes.’

SPICY LAMB CHOPS

They lie overnight in a special marinade of lime juice and jiggery, warm dark spices, ginger and garlic.

KACHUMBER

The name refers to beating someone up nicely – a messy to-do of cucumber, onion and tomato. (see my Kachumber here)

Dishoom
Background: House Black Daal ‘A Dishoom signature dish – dark, rich, deeply flavoured. It is simmered over 24 hours for extra harmony.’  Foreground: Chicken Ruby ‘A good and proper curry redolent with spice and flavour. Tender chicken in a rich silky makhani sauce, best mopped up with a Roomali roti.’
Dishoom fish
Mahi Tikka ‘In Bombay, mahi can be any fish, but this is sustainable Asian bass fillet in a subtle yoghurt marinade.’
Lamb Kabab
Lamb Boti Kabab ‘Pieces of tender lamb marinated with red chilli, garlic and ginger. A top-notch Bademiya-style classic.’
Dishoom interior
Dishoom interior
Ilaria at Dishoom
Ilaria at Dishoom

I love it, just love it. The originality, the visual images, the way they have brought the heart of the original Bombay Cafés into the High street, accessible to all, but more than that, I loved it because it delivered a relaxed experience, punchy though, with attentive staff and smack-in-the-face flavours.

Dishoom basins
Dishoom basins – even the loos are worth visiting.

If a trip to London is not on the cards, have a flick through the Dishoom website and learn more about their culture, the music they’re into, the ‘design a plate’ initiative and the impressive charity work they carry out.

Dishoom http://www.dishoom.com

Shoreditch 7 Boundary Street  London E2 7JE  Tel: 020 7420 9324

King’s Cross 5 Stable Street  London N1C 4AB  Tel: 020 7420 9321

Carnaby 22 Kingly Street  London W1B 5QP  Tel: 0207 420 9322

Covent Garden  12 Upper St. Martin’s Lane  London WC2H 9FB  Tel: 020 7420 9320

You can read about how they support child hunger here:

http://www.dishoom.com/the-magic-of-breakfast/

“Every time you eat a meal with us, we feed a child in need. In return for your meal we pledge a meal to Magic Breakfast – a charity providing nourishing, free breakfasts to schools in London, so children who go hungry at home attend class with full bellies and enquiring minds.”

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