Relatively new head chef, Sanjay Kaul has redesigned the menu with a collection of recipes from all over India. He is certainly doing a good job in the kitchen as the food we tasted was excellent. Inside, the restaurant looks like a bizarre (as the name suggests), and all the furniture has been imported from India. Make sure to take care when settling in that no one takes the chair from under your, as everything in the restaurant, i mean everything can be purchased – for the right price of course. We took a seat, glass of wine in hand ready to enjoy the food.
Downstairs, Chor Bizarre have given the basement room a makeover, celebrating 100 years of Bollywood. A bold statement room adorned with photos of famous Bollywood faces. To go with the shiny makeover is a new Old Bombay street food festival menu. The menu, running between November through to December 10th includes dishes that just can’t be ignored. The best way to get a feel of Chor Bizarre’s cooking was certainly going to be through these dishes. We started the meal with a Bombay bhel, a blend of puffed rice with red onions, shaved raw mango and chutneys. A simple, but very effective way to get the taste buds tingling.
Sev batata purl is a dish most famous for being eaten along the roadsides of Mumbai. Circular, crunchy wheat discs are topped with fluffy potato, yogurt, a selection of chutneys and then finished off with sev (essentially bits of crunchy noodles). Its a great dish that adds to their huge variety of chaats. One bite was so incredibly delicious, yet light and delicate at the same time.
India has their own take on the humble burger, nothing like our British/American variants. Its vegetarian for a start. One bite into Chor Bizarre’s creation and we couldn’t help to wonder when London is going to have its Indian burger craze. The dish named batata wada pao, consists of pav (a white bun, similar to that of a Warburtons, but sweeter), filled with a turmeric potato and chickpea cake dumpling. Squashing the dumpling down till it squeezes out of the sides is essential. A generous helping of special garlic sauce and peanut chutney make for an extremely delicious dish that i wish was on the streets of London right now. Traditionally the burger is served alongside a fried whole chili – not for those with a low heat tolerance.
Moving away from the selection of chaats, an unusual paneer bread pakora arrived looking like a deep fried sandwich. A traditional dish usually eaten as a snack, or for packed lunches (so i am told). Finely crumbled paneer is taken to new heights. A layer of bread sandwiched together, mixed with spices and the paneer mixture, lots of coriander, and then deep fried. Delicious doesn’t even cut it.
An Anda paratha roll has to be just about the best thing ever invented. Another dish which could leave the London Indian street food scene begging for more, and something i hope takes off. A soft paratha wrap, only made to feel even lighter with a layer of airy white egg covering its insides. Diced chicken and a selection of delicate made this dish a delight to eat.
Chor Bizarre’s keema ghotala was a showcase and intensity of flavours, harmonised together so beautifully they produced a mouthwatering dish. The minced meat was soft and finely chopped carrying a lingering heat which warmed the mouth, but didn’t require gallons of water to cool you down. The flavour of the spices were incredible and i’d even go as far as saying it was the best keema based dish i have ever had. It looked effortless and uninspiring on the plate, but a mouthful and you’re whisked away to heaven.
The best dish, and star of the evening was tawar bater tak a tak. A delicious and moist quail breast cooked in a rich and fragrant masala curry and finished off with a generous helping of fresh coriander. The quail was offering out so much succulency i was literally drooling on to the plate. All the spices were perfect blended together and gave the palate a flavour sensation. Some fresh onions, slice of lemon and a perfectly formed naan bread were on the side to mop of that tasty quail.
To finish off our fantastic street food evening a refreshing and indulgent royal falooda (half dessert, half drink) was served. A mixture of pistachio kulfi, nuts, rose syrup, vermicelli and basil seeds – i think i may have even detected a bit of saffron in there as well. Falooda is a dish eaten all over India, but one which the British never seem to really take to – It’s not a particularly appealing looking dish either. We licked our bowls clean and left, very full. I can’t wait to come back to Chor Bizarre, the food was fantastic and i really felt that both, thought, love and tradition went in to the cooking here – and it’s for that reason i will be back, and you should book your table before this outstanding street food menu disappears.
8/10
