Tucked away at the recently launched new Rose Park hotel in Barsha is Bombay Urban Café which serves modern Indian fusion food with a fresh continental and Arabic twist from an expansive menu that includes a vast selection of renowned dishes from India, from breads and kebobs, to rice and sweet dishes.

A cozy and friendly ambiance, there are lots of mocktails and smoothies to choose from; we tried the Bombay Blast: pineapple, strawberry, coconut syrup; a mango milkshake, and then the pomegranate lemon and mint mocktail; a light and refreshing combination of tanginess.

We sampled the typical street food of Mumbai called Vada Pav, or a potato cutlet encased in a soft bun served with three types of chutneys: garlic, tamarind, and coriander. These were packed with flavor and the buns were soft and super fresh.

Next, we had chicken tikka nachos which were an Indian take on a typically Mexican dish, using chicken tikka in place of beef. This was served with salsa, guacamole, and cheese served on the side.

In between, we sampled their signature cold soup: ‘Solkadhi’ made of Garcinia Indica with appetite stimulating properties, coconut milk, and tempered with asafoetida, and cumin seeds.

Next, we enjoyed Malwani Prawns Caesar salad, with prawns marinated in spices and then deep fried with hints of coconut in a crispy coating.

Mains were as varied as the starters; we started with Laal Maas–mutton cooked in spicy red Rajasthani gravy, interestingly served with Arabic side dishes like hummus, tabbouleh, and cucumber with dill and yogurt salad.

The butter chicken was served with freshly baked garlic naan and flavored with subtle understated hints of cardamom powder, but was a light and healthy creamy version, unlike the ones I had tried before. This was a delicious version of India’s most revered dish.

Then the showstopper: Lucknowi biryani served with garlic raita; this spiced rice was layered with juicy chunks of marinated mutton with spiciness cooled down by the garlic raita.

Tawa Fried King Fish curry was Goan fish curry served with tempered curry leaves with a coconut base and the garlic and chili powder mixed and tempered over the Burani raita.

Another specialty of the chef was the Falafel kadhi made from yogurt and assorted spices and cooked and to which fried falafel dumplings were used in place of the usual fritters.

After such a filling meal, we still had to leave room for dessert.

We had a delicious saffron kulfi served in fresh orange peels, and Pantua, a Bengali sweet consisting of cottage cheese and flour balls deep fried and dunked in sugar syrup.

The Verdict: Amazing food coupled with extremely attentive service makes Bombay Urban café a must visit destination for a culinary journey into India’s vast repertoire of delicious food and spices.

Visit: Bombay Urban Cafe
Address: Rose Park Hotel, Barsha, Dubai
Phone: 04 220 0077