Walk into Bombay Cafe's ludicrously pink digs and you may be inclined to not take it seriously, but we're glad we stuck it out despite the fact that the masala chai we came for was not available that day. With catchy Bollywood music videos on loop in the background, we tucked into one of the tastier renditions of Pav Bhaji ($8) we've had in a while. The classic Mumbai street snack sees toasted buttered buns served with a curried vegetable stew. It is challenging to prepare a truly outstanding version simply because the dish is so simple, but Bombay Cafe's version is punchy with flavour, and exceptionally good with a generous squeeze of lime over every bite. They also do a yummy Papdi Chaat ($8) — fried flour crispies topped with chickpeas, potato cubes and sev (an Indian crispy noodle snack) drenched in yoghurt and laced through with tamarind. The mains are tasty but nothing to write home about, and on the pricier side too, but children may enjoy the moist and chocolaty Sizzling Brownie ($10), which makes a show of being served on a hotplate. Save this spot for a Mumbai-inspired tea-time outing, and let us know how's the masala chai. Pro tip: Skip the coffee.
Avg Price: $15 per person
Photo by Burppler Leigh Khoo
This ludicrously pink restaurant, coupled with cheesy Bollywood show tunes on loop, doesn't make much of a first impression. I was thus so surprised by how tasty their pav bhaji ($8), a popular snack of buttered toast and curried vegetable stew, is! Where many joints I've tried less me more than a little unsatisfied, these guys have got the punchy flavours right. Worth a visit if you're in the Katong area, or a pav bhaji fanatic like me.
