SO Dishoom are about to name their opening date for their Manchester branch – and the dish they have created for their debut. Work is well on track to convert a gorgeous space in Manchester Hall on Bridge Street for their upbeat homage to Mumbai’s endangered Irani cafes with an authentic all-day menu.
Once upon a day these cafes were an essential part of the fabric of what the Raj called Bombay. Opened early last century by Zoroastrian immigrants from Iran, there were almost four hundred of these cafés in the 1960s; they’ve now dwindled to about 30.
Their five venues in London and and an Edinburgh offshoot have been a huge success, Certainly for their bar skills and laidback quirkiness but the food is the key, not straining to be Stakhanovite authentic, not ‘street’ on a plate. A pretty straight down-the-middle curry on the menus is called a ‘Ruby Murray’ and substantial bacon and egg led breakfasts are much more important than back home.
ToM usually makes do with croissants and coffee, but ona trip down to Dishoom’s London empire we felt obliged to tuck into their signature bacon naan roll, which is the first of five dishes you just have to try when they open this winter…
Bacon Naan Roll
For £5.95 you get Ramsay of Carluke’s smoked streaky bacon dry-cured for five days with rock salt and Demerara sugar, cold-smoked over oak chips, then fried and served on the classic oven-baked Indian flatbread. Chilli jam, cream cheese and optional eggs can all make it into the final mix. The porkiness is supplied by the acclaimed Ginger Pig rare breed herds in North Yorkshire, an indication that Dishoom is no ordinary Indian (our own Bundobust are fans – as well as soon to be rivals). And who with that bacon naan could resist a breakfast punch, ‘The Dhoble’ named for the notorious party-pooping Assistant Commissioner of Police of Bombay? It’s a combo of fresh orange and lemon, jaggery sugar, Lukosowa vodka, maraschino liqueur and a squeeze of lemon, served over cubed ice (£7.50).
House Black Daal
The house Black Daal (£6.20), a kind of souped up Makhni Dal, is cooked slowly for 24 hours and feels velvety and earthy at the same time. Rich stuff; be sure to share and combine with gunpowder potatoes – a smoky hsh tossed with butter, crushed seeds and herbs.
Blackened lamb chops
Are these spicy cutlets 9312.90) the equal of our own Mughli Charcoal Pit’s down in Rusholme? At £12.90, I think they are better. They are similarly blackened by the grill, yet juicy inside but the depth of flavour transcends mere smokiness. Thanks to an overnight marinade of lime juice and jaggery, ginger, garlic and an orgy of spices.
Memsahib’s Mess
A twist on the Eton, with fresh cream, crushed meringue and strawberries given added exotic fragrance by rose syrup.
Turkey Raan
The Lamb Raan is a huge favourite. Lamb leg marinated in chilli, garlic and ginger, braised overnight with spices, then flame-grilled, sliced and dressed with fresh lime. At Yuletide, they do the same with a turkey leg. “It’s the best turkey you’ll ever have,” promises co-owner Kavi Kavi Thakrar (below). Fingers crossed exec chef Executive chef Naved Nasir will import it to Manchester as a Christmas present. He has already promised he will be creating a Manchester special dish for the launch.
Dishoom Manchester (due to open lat November/early December), Manchester House, 36 Bridge St, Manchester M3 3BT.