DISHOOM!

Six years old, asleep in flannel pajamas, it was always the rapid successions of the sound “DISHOOM” which woke me up. I’d open my eyes to find my mom watching a Bollywood film. Dishoom is the sound of a punch making contact during a fight sequence in any Indian movie during from the 1980s. When Sara and I walked by the sign for DISHOOM in London, it immediately spoke to me in that primal part of my gut and brought a huge smile to my face. We decided we would have to go there for breakfast the next day.

The restaurant is the pinnacle of creative execution in both ambiance and food – with strong connectivity to the lost times of comfort food across Mumbai – Dishoom calls itself “A Bombay Café” in the same vain of that tradition. The menu is full of Bombay classics, with a beautiful modern touch. Case in point – our breakfast: Bacon Naan (oh yes, naan with m’f’n bacon in it, along with a light yogurt and cilantro), Bombay Omelette (a fluffy omelette with tomatoes, onions and masala), paired with masala chai and coffee in classic Indian café glasses. The food was perfectly prepared, the naan was very fresh, the bacon was crispy, the portions were reasonable as were the prices.

The décor is a whole other conversation. Pure class. Mahogany wooden trim panels, accented by large mirrors. Beautifully arranged collages of Indian families (mostly the owner's family), and vintage advertisements. A seamless, graphic print on the floor. Small touches, too: an old Indian apothecary cabinet in the bathroom stalls, a lower-level dining room which feels like a underground club in 50's Bombay.

The visit touched our hearts, and made our creativity soar. Our time there concluded when I spoke with the owner, Shamil, and spent a little time trying to convince him to open up Dishoom in New York. We’ll see what happens next….. but in the meantime, he asked us to visit his other location in London's Southbank…. (see below)