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By Pragya Singh
Walking down the stairs to the basement that has recently been completely transformed by the team of Bundobust, I see the welcome board with comments from the best food magazines in the world. All the comments praise the amazing ambience and food of Manchester’s newest Indian street food restaurant and I instantly know this place is going to take the city by storm.
I am greeted by the smiles of the friendly staff wearing customised ‘Bundobust’ t-shirts, who hand me a coupon and help me choose the best place to sit, quickly explaining to me how the food and drinks are to be ordered at the bar. Scanning the room, I notice huge custom-made ‘Bundobust’ posters that add the ‘desiness’ to the ambience. Long, orange, cushioned benches and wooden tables with paper plates and plastic cutlery instantly make Bundobust stand out from the ‘usual’ restaurants.
Mayur Patel, owner of the award-winning Gujarati restaurant Prashad in Drighlington, and Marko Husak, the man behind the specialist Bradford bar Sparrow, came up with the idea to open their own restaurant back in 2011 when they saw the great response they got to their Indian food and beer gatherings. They finally went ahead and fulfilled their dream in 2014, opening their first Bundobust in Leeds, which is now ranked among the top restaurants in the city.
I meet Mayur who tells me how they had always wanted to open a place in Manchester and this was nothing short of a dream come true. On being asked why he feels Bundobust is going to stand out from its competitors he says that the food and flavour customers get here are so innovative that they wouldn’t find them in any other restaurant in the city. The dishes are vegetarian Indian dishes with a hint of Gujurati flavour, which comes from Mayur’s roots back in Gujurat.
Scanning the menu, I see a selection of North and South Indian dishes with real quirky names. There is also a great selection of wines, beers and cocktails for the guests to choose from. I decide to order a plate of Okra Fries and Biryani Bhaji Balls and, if there’s anything one should try here, its these two dishes. The okra fries, with their tangy flavour, and the bhaji balls, with their spicy touch, are a treat to the tastebuds.
For drinks I order Mango Lopez, a mocktail made with blend of mango, pineapple, coconut and lime, and Mango Lassi. The mocktail was really good, but the real star for me was the Lassi, with its colourful presentation and authentic Indian flavour. Being a Punjabi, I can be really fussy about my Lassi, but the Lassi at Bundobust was like a visit home.
Marco tells me how the restaurant has its own customised ‘Bundobust’ merchandise too. From notebooks to t-shirts, tea-towels, mugs and lots more. The merchandise, which is already a huge hit back in Leeds, will go on sale in the restaurant in Manchester from January next year. As if we need another reason to go back.
Bundobust restaurant is the next big thing in the Manchester world of food and a must visit for anyone up for a quirky bite.
Bundobust is set to open to the public on Wednesday, December 14 from 12pm. For more information visit bundobust.com
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1 Comment
Super article by an upcoming journalist. Keep up the good work