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THE world’s gone Bollywood bonkers and to ensure diners can enjoy a taste of India mixed with the ingredients of its magical movie land, one inspired restaurant has launched an alternative to the more traditional Friday Brunch scene on the island.
The Bollywood Brunch at Spices Indian Restaurant in Crowne Plaza Bahrain is sizzling with style and capturing the flavours of the country by allowing guests to indulge in a traditional ‘street food’ experience at its live chaat stations.
Behind the scenes conjuring up his magic spices is Specialty Master Chef Mohamed Arif and his team who prepare popular Indian delicacies such as Biryani, tikkas and kebabs, complimented with fresh Indian breads.
It was the fresh bread that got my 10-year-old son, Stan, excited, as he devoured a mighty specimen that looked like a balloon until he sunk his teeth into it, releasing the hot air and a wonderful aroma.
The place was buzzing with Bollywood banter with the DJ’s ‘desi’ music in the background and large screens showing stunning dance routines which diners could not help but mimic as they filled their plates.
Kathryn, the good lady wife, and I, started our meal with a very tasty and mild chicken broth to prepare ourselves for the spice to come.
We were not disappointed by the stuffed tangadi kebab, mutton sheesh kebah and pappadi chaat, cooled down by an impressive array of salads.
The best was yet to come in my opinion, with an inspired Kashmiri mutton roganjosh on steamed basmati rice. The Malabar fish was good too and my teenage daughter Immy was particularly taken by the Hyderabadi murg dum biryami.
According to Subash Sadasivan, the multi-outlets manager at Spices Indian Restaurant in Crowne Plaza Bahrain, the theme event has proved an instant hit. “In today’s world, the majority of Bahrain’s population has heard of Bollywood, regardless of where they come from. You can either love it or hate it … but you can’t ignore it!” he said.
“We are the first Indian restaurant to launch a Friday Bollywood Brunch in the kingdom to give the community a chance to indulge in a one-of-a-kind dining experience.”
Chef Arif appears to have created a sensation, as the venue was fully booked on the day we sampled its fabulous fare and hospitality.
He first stepped into the hospitality business in 1999, successfully studying Hospitality Management in PUSA Institute of Hotel Management in New Delhi. He started his career in the kitchen as a chef at a stand-alone restaurant in New Delhi where he developed his talent before moving to the Holiday Inn New Delhi en route to the Radisson Blu Hotel Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
As his reputation grew he was selected to be a part of the pre-opening team at the celebrated Four Seasons Hotel Mumbai. His first exposure to the Middle East was at the Four Seasons Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt and later moved on to the Fairmount pre-opening in Bab al Bahr Abu Dhabi where he worked and specialised in its Indian and Asian restaurants.
A year after the launch of Spices the chef brought his culinary expertise to the kingdom. Together with Executive Chef Saravanan Gurusamy, general manager Pascal Eggerstedt and in conjunction with the marketing team, the Bollywood Brunch concept was born, allowing him to showcase his love of food and art.
Apart from the interesting dining experience at the Bollywood Brunch, Chef Arif and his team have introduced new specials throughout the week. He will be introducing a Fusion Kitchen promotion at Spices where he will presenting a touch of Western and Asian cuisines into his mouth-watering Indian dishes throughout this month.
l The Bollywood Brunch costs BD12.950++, children aged six to 10 receive a 50 per cent discount and children below six, eat free. Available on the last Friday of each month from noon to 4pm. It is advised to book early by calling 17531122.
