At Lunch, And Later
Satisfyingly agreeable dishes for lunch, or perhaps part of a feast to share at supper-time.
Vada Pau
Much loved, humble and unifying Bombay street staple. Hot potato vada, crunchy titbits and chutneys, tucked inside a soft home-made bun. Sprinkle the red spicy masala to taste. (V) (S) 6.20
Bun Maska Chai
The Irani café classic. Soft bun with butter inside, to be dipped happily into the hot chai. (V) 4.90
Chilli Broccoli Salad
A bowl of toasted pistachios and shredded mint leaves with finest, greenest broccoli, fresh red chillies, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, dates, lime and honey. (V) (S) Full plate / Half plate: 12.50 / 6.90
Kala Chana Salad
Hearty black chickpeas, shredded kale, crunchy capsic*ms dressed up with lime and chilli. Toasted almonds scattered on top. (V) 11.70
Chole Puri
Chickpeas sing with high spice and surprise black tea, with puffed puris and sweet halwa alongside. Much drama but absolute harmony. (V) (S) 15.90
Roomali Rolls
Roomali Roti Rolls are made with delicate "handkerchief" bread, baked and filled to order from midday until late at night. Best eaten with the hands.
Paneer Roll
Grilled paneer tucked inside a crisped roll with onion, peppers and green leaves. Mint chutney on the side. (V) 10.50
Dishoom Chicken Tikka Roll
Spicy charred chicken, lavish salad and tomato-chilli jam. (S) 10.50
Small Plates
Khichia & Chundo
A fine, crispy snack, not unlike papad. Dip happily in the spiced chutney, made to an old family recipe with dependable apple, not fickle mango. (V) 3.90
Lamb Samosas
Gujarati filo (not Punjabi shortcrust) stuffed with minced lamb, onions and spices. 7.50
Vegetable Samosas
Crunchy Punjabi-style shortcrust pastry, pea and potato filling warmly spiced with cinnamon. Tamarind chutney for dipping. (V) 6.70
Okra Fries
Fine lady's fingers for the fingers. (V) 6.90
Pau Bhaji
A bowl of mashed vegetables with hot, buttered, home-made buns, Chowpatty style. No food is more Bombay. (V) (S) 7.20
Chilli Cheese Toast
A nostalgia for Bombayites. Green chillies, capsicum and garlic in cheddar melt on white sliced loaf. (V) (S) 6.50
Keema Pau
A classic of Irani cafés: spiced minced lamb and peas with toasted, buttered, home-made buns. (S) 8.90
Vada Pau
Much loved, humble and unifying Bombay street staple. Hot potato vada, crunchy titbits and chutneys, tucked inside a soft home-made bun. Sprinkle the red spicy masala to taste. (V) (S) 6.20
Dishoom House Chaat
Warm-cold, sweet-tangy, moreish. Golden-fried sweet potato covered with cool yoghurt, pomegranate, beetroot, radish and carrot. Tamarind drizzle and green chutney lift it nicely. (V) 8.90
Bhel
Cold and crunchy, light and lovely. Puffed rice, peanuts and Bombay Mix tossed with fresh pomegranate, tomato, onion, lime, tamarind, mint. (V) 6.90
Chilli Chicken
Some Irani cafés now aim to please with Indo-Chinese fare. A plate of crispy garlic-ginger-soy-chilli-chicken is a modern café staple. (S) 9.50
Prawn Koliwada
Bombay's Koli (fishermen) Wada (district) recipe: a bowl of delicate, crispy morsels – perfect for chutney-dipping. (S) 9.70
Grills
First comes the marinade, then the open-air grill. Picture Bademiya in Colaba, a Bombay institution since 1942. A balmy night, with newspapers laid out on old car bonnets. You eat. Savour. Spill.
Murgh Malai
Chicken thigh meat is steeped overnight in garlic, ginger, coriander stems and a little cream. Slightly pink when fully cooked. 12.90
Dishoom Chicken Tikka
A family recipe, using a marinade of sweet vinegar, not yoghurt. Laced with ginger, turmeric, garlic and green chilli. (S) 12.90
Paneer Tikka
A cheese with a soft and forgiving nature that picks up flavours wonderfully. Marinated with pickling spices and yoghurt then gently charred with peppers. (V) 12.20
Grilled Malai Mushrooms
King Oyster and Chestnut mushrooms with malai marination, char-grilled for bite and finished with butter, lime and masala. (V) 9.90
Gunpowder Potatoes
The seduction is in the tumble. New potatoes are smoky-grilled, broken apart, tossed with butter, crushed aromatic seeds and green herbs. (V) 9.50
Sheekh Kabab
Minced lamb is marinated with green chilli, coriander and cumin, then grilled. (S) 12.70
Spicy Lamb Chops
Two chops of generous proportions. They lie overnight in a special marinade of lime juice, warm dark spices, ginger and garlic. Served pink, for juiciness, and blackened by the grill. (S) 17.90
Masala Prawns
Each one charred slightly at the edges, succulent and simple, nothing to bamboozle. 16.50
Ruby Murray
House Black Daal
A Dishoom signature dish – dark, rich, deeply flavoured. It is cooked over 24 hours for extra harmony. (V) 9.50
Mattar Paneer
A steadfast, humble and delicious vegetarian curry, beloved of Bombay families. (V) 15.50
Chicken Ruby
Tender chicken in a rich, silky makhani sauce. A good and proper curry redolent with spice and flavour. 15.90
Mutton Pepper Fry
Finest mutton marinated in red chilli, ginger and garlic, then cooked with black peppercorns and whole spices. Robust, spicy and tender. (S) 17.90
Biryani
Slow-cooked, layered and aromatic, the Biryani traces its origins to Iran – as does the old Bombay Café. A pot is to be shared, or kept as spicy contentment all for oneself.
Chicken Berry Britannia
Tempting and flavourful pot of chicken, ginger, garlic, mint, coriander and rice cooked together in the Kacchi style. An homage to Britannia’s Chicken Berry Pulao, with cranberries. 16.50
Awadhi Jackfruit Biryani
Sturdy, savoury jackfruit and delicately flavoured rice, potted, sealed and cooked the traditional way. Adorned with barberries and sultanas. (V) 16.50
Veg. Side Dishes
First-class greens and other delectables.
A Bowl of Greens
Grilled tenderstem broccoli and snow peas tumbled with chilli and lime. (V) 6.20
Chilli Butter-Bhutta
Corn-on-the-cob, brushed with butter and grilled over charcoal fire. Finished with chilli, salt and lime, Chowpatty style. (V) 5.50
Kachumber
A messy to-do of cucumber, onion and tomato. A little lime lifts the whole affair. (V) 5.50
Raita
Delicate minty yoghurt, cool as a cucumber. (V) 4.50
Chilli Broccoli Salad
A bowl of toasted pistachios and shredded mint leaves with finest, greenest broccoli, fresh red chillies, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, dates, lime and honey. (V) (S) Full plate / Half plate: 12.50 / 6.90
Bread & Rice
All breads are made by hand and baked to order.
Plain Naan
Freshly baked in the tandoor. (V) 4.20
Garlic Naan
With minced garlic and coriander sprinkle. (V) 4.50
Cheese Naan
Cheddar is melted inside. (V) 5.50
Roomali Roti
Soft handkerchief-thin bread, thrown, stretched and griddled to order on an upturned tawa. (V) 4.50
Tandoori Roti
Wholewheat bread, delicately charred from the tandoor. (V) 4.50
Steamed Basmati Rice
It means “the fragrant one”. (V) 4.50
Puddings
Mawa cake with Yuzu Ice cream
Within a spongy-rich mawa cake lies black poppy seeds. Alongside it, zesty Yuzu ice cream and warm-sweet jaggery syrup. Flavour and texture come together in harmony. (V) 8.20
Basmati Kheer
Silky caramelised basmati rice pudding cooked nicely with vanilla-infused coconut milk, cardamom and cashews. Cooled and layered with blueberry compôte. (V) 8.50
Dishoom Chocolate Pudding
Melting-in-the-middle chocolate pudding served with a scoop of Kashmiri chilli ice cream. You will not want to share. (V) 9.20
Kala Khatta Gola Ice
Fluffy ice flakes steeped in kokum fruit syrup, blueberries, chilli, lime and black salt. To the uninitiated, the first spoonful may surprise. The second is captivating. (V) 4.50
A Bowl of Ice Cream
Cinnamon or Kashmiri chilli. (V) 6.20
Kulfi
Sweet creamy treat with memories of golden Chowpatty sunsets. To say “kulfi jam gai” is to say “I’m feeling very cold!”
Mango Kulfi
Satin-smooth, sweet real mango. (V) 5.90
Pistachio Kulfi
Creamy, proper pistachio. (V) 5.90
Malai Kulfi
The original with a hint of caramel. (V) 5.90
