As the Easter bank holiday weekend approaches, our thoughts might turn to sprucing up the garden, wondering how not to eat our own bodyweight in chocolate eggs and who will be whipping up the roast dinner.
And because in our house those thoughts overwhelming involve meat and (very likely more than) two veg, we were delighted to unearth a twist on this great Sunday tradition at Bombay Bistro in Bruntsfield. Chef Mandeep Saini, who previously spent time in the kitchens at Gleneagles and also owns The Bombay Club in Auchterarder, launched this Indian-fusion restaurant on the site that previously housed Tom Kitchin’s Kora late last year.
Bombay Bistro’s Mandeep Saini
Delighted to be enjoying a lazy Sunday we are seated in a booth by the window. In the interests of experience we order one lamb roast and one chicken roast to share. Sipping on an ice cold Cobra I flick though the menu and find all the classics, alongside some Bombay Chinese dishes and lots more Scottish fusion food (think haggis tikka chaat and rava fry haddock & masala chips) that sound interesting enough to warrant a return visit.
Our roasts arrive and the aroma of the spices engulf our table. The slow roasted lamb shank is falling off the bone and comes with a rich, earthy sauce taking the place of a traditional gravy. There’s buttery cabbage, along with spiced peas and carrots and a gloriously creamy mash.
If, like me, your roast requires a Yorkshire pud in order to be complete then you are also likely to be enamoured with the deep-fried naan bread. Us Scots are renowned for our love of the deep fat fryer, but this really is a revelation. Halfway between bread and pastry it is flaky, delicious and perfect for scooping up sauce and wayward veggies.
The chicken comes with the same trimmings and is equally well cooked, perfectly crisp with a little charring on the outside, yet juicy and tender. The fruity, spiced sauce that came on the side was a real favourite and every last drop was scooped up before we admitted defeat.
If there’s one thing that could elevate Bombay Bistro’s Sunday roast to legendary status it would be some sort of roast potato. For me, it’s a non-negotiable part of a roast dinner and I’d love to see chef Saini’s take on this classic.
With not even a corner of space to contemplate dessert, we relax over a Bombay chai and an espresso. Giving us time to sing the praises of a Sunday when neither of us have sweated over the stove, and delight in discovering a new way to enjoy the comfort of a meal that has always been such an important part of family life.
Bombay Bistro, 14-17 Bruntsfield Place, Edinburgh EH10 4NH
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