Chef Pradeep Khullar, Executive Chef at the Mint Leaf of London in Dubai told me a few days before my flight out, “If there is one restaurant you should go to when visiting Mumbai, it is The Bombay Canteen”. So, it didn’t matter if Google Maps had us going round and round this flyover till, on perhaps the third attempt, we finally found a way into S.B. Road and Process House. Thankfully the office had called ahead to inform the restaurant we would be a little late for our lunch reservation. There’s nothing in Dubai quite like The Bombay Canteen, the closest I suppose would be the recently opened Moombai & Co. at The H Dubai, a modern interpretation of the old Irani cafés of Mumbai. Yeah, I guess that’s a little what this trendy place looked like.
A light lunch was all we now had time for, yet upon being seated, I was presented with a menu so packed with stuff I had never tried before, it was nearly impossible to decide what to order. So, I left it to our friendly waiter. Of the few veg and non-veg items he brought us (my associate was a vegetarian) it was the Goan Pulled Pork Vindaloo Tacos which totally and completely blew me away.
I don’t think I have had anything similar in India, certainly nothing like it in Dubai or London, the two places I have lived my life. The rest of our order was good too mind you, particularly the beautifully spiced Chaas but the pulled pork was something else.
Service was exemplary; friendly, accommodating and (thankfully) fast. I have not done myself justice with what was no more than a culinary pitstop. I have made a point of coming back with time to spare so I can fully appreciate this lovely restaurant. For those of you visiting Mumbai, this is one for your bucket list. And for all you lucky Mumbaikars, The Bombay Canteen is well worth a detour.
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Xerxes physically visits each and every venue he reviews and pays full price for whatever he eats and drinks. Xerxes accepts no money, gifts or free meals in return for reviews. What you have read was not influenced in any way by the venue.
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