Last updated: September 22, 2024
Just off London’s Regent Street in the centre of the city, is restaurateur Samyukta Nair’s Bombay Bustle. Named after the old name for India’s bustling and successful metropolis Mumbai (known today as the home of Bollywood and many international firms), Bombay Bustle brings old world charm to Mayfair’s contemporary Maddox Street with its interiors styled like an elegant train carriage reminiscent of the Orient Express.
We had the good fortune to be seated in The Carriage area which has comfortable booth seating and is adorned by traditional Indian artwork with a view down towards the impressive wine cabinets, which have every wine you can think of on display. After being seated we tried the Brunch Bustlers cocktail menu which is always the ideal way to start a weekend brunch, the ‘Pearl of Bombay’ cocktail with Passion Fruit Chutney delightfully sweet and being a spice fan the Fire & Snow a muddling of Jalapeño, Chilli and tequila was also very enjoyable.
With the ‘Brunch Bundle Menu’ crafted by talented culinary director Surendar Mohan, I would certainly say it is more of a feast than a bundle. A selection of small plates are chosen to begin with, and all come out at the same time; each dish has its own unique qualities, and we felt the standouts were the Akuri Truffle Naan with Indian Spiced Scramble Eggs and the Prawn Rava Fry. Firstly, we had never had a naan with scrambled eggs and it was a winning combination of flavour and texture, with the spiciness of the eggs being offset by the warm and fluffy bread. The prawn rava fry was also an adventure for the tastebuds with large juicy prawns well complimented by the Kashmiri Chilli & Vinegar and a light sprinkle of cumin.
We were also lucky to try some of the new a la carte menu dishes, which are separate from the Brunch Bundle, including Coin Uttapam, fluffy Masala Rice Pancakes with Coriander Coconut Chutney, and the Mayfair favourite KFC.
The mains – a choice of vegetarian Dum Tarkari Biriyani and Dum Lamb Biryani, were both delicious and spicy dishes, and the slow-cooked lamb was especially tender and melted off our forks. The biryani rice was fluffy basmati with saffron and complimented the mix of spices in the dishes.
After a feast of flavours we just about had space for the tiramisi which we shared and it was a light and refreshing dish with a secret Pedro Ximenez White Spanish wine base – the perfect way to round off a magnificent brunch.
Reasonably priced at £48 per person (for min two people) in Mayfair, it’s excellent value for a journey through the flavours of Mumbai. It is also the ideal brunch location with its close proximity to Regent Street and the West End for a pre-theatre matinee dining experience. Book your table at Bombay Bustle here.
