Last updated: October 10, 2024
My Bombay Bistro in Sunderland is now open on Tavistock Place in the city, occupying the former Chilli Mangoes site. Faz Ahmed has set up the new restaurant with his uncle Naz and he’s so excited to be living his dream having always wanted to own and run his own restaurant.
Having learned the trade from Naz and the family, and starting out as a youngster delivering the poppadoms and pickles, Faz seems to know what makes a successful restaurant, serving up the warmest hospitality along with delicious grub with many of the recipes having been passed down through the generations.
The restaurant interiors are beautifully designed – definitely appealing to the Instagrammer with the floral swing and back drop outside and the Tuk Tuk which greets you as you come in, yet it’s not overbearing while still retaining a chic sense of style.
At the helm in the kitchen is Syed Mashuk or Molik as he is known. Molik’s eyes twinkle as he talks passionately about the food on his menu and we willingly oblige when he suggests we try some of the signature dishes rather than the old classic korma or masala.
To start, we enjoyed Butter Garlic Chicken served with salad and decorated with pomegranates for added crunch. The Tandoori Salmon we ordered with it was absolutely divine and you could tell the salmon had been marinated for hours and hours to get that depth of flavour – such an amazing combination of Indian spices and tender juicy fish underneath.
Next we tried the Railway Lamb Jakta which is one of My Bombay Bistro’s signature dishes. Paying homage to India’s rich culinary heritage, tender lamb chops were cooked beautifully, a waft of tandoor smoke intermingled with the sweetness of caramelized onions and an earthiness courtesy of the spinach. Fresh herbs and masala spices bring out the heartiness of this warming curry and we hungrily scooped up the sauce with the fluffiest, most garlicky naan – incredible.
Molik’s other recommendation and also one of the signatures on the menu was the Chicken Staff Curry. Bold flavours, medium spice and taking its name from the curry literally made ‘for the staff’, there’s a creamy richness to the dish courtesy of the yoghurt, with a hint of tang and a unique blend of spices.
My Bombay Bistro offers an early evening menu priced at £16.95 running Sunday to Thursday 5.30pm to 8pm, while the restaurant is open seven days a weeks 5.30pm – 11pm. A brilliant addition to the Sunderland foodie scene and well worth a visit.
