Indian cuisine is probably not on many tourists’ Must Try List in Hong Kong. With so many mouth watering options for great dim sum, wanton noodles, roasted meat joints and desserts, I would not have visited Bombay Dreams if not for Shinichi strong recommendation. Having spent a significant period of time in India, he claims that Bombay Dreams serves one of the best Indian lunch buffets in Hong Kong. Plus, this is his farewell treat before I head back to Singapore in the evening. How can I say no to that!
Unlike traditional Indian restaurant, Bombay Dreams has a contemporary interior décor with hints of Indian influence. To create an authentic dining experience, chefs and service staffs were all Indians. It feels as though we were having our buffet lunch at one of the high end hotels in India!
We opted for a seat near the windows where we can get a glimpse of the neighbourhood on a lazy Sunday morning.
The buffet brunch set cost HK$178 (S$29) per person and you have the option to get to add on HK$108 (S$18) for freeflow of exotic cocktails such as Strawberry Bellini, Raspberry Mojhito and Mango Avocado Margaritas etc.
I gave the cocktails a miss and went for my usual Strawberry Lassi – a sweet, frothy blend of strawberry yogurt and milk. It tasted exactly the same as the ones I had in India! Score points already!
We were there early hence the restaurant staffs were still busy with the final touch ups before opening up the buffet line.
To ease the waiting, the attentive service staffs served freshly made Naan to our table. Warm and crispy on the outside, it tasted marvellous on its own without additional sauces.
We attacked the buffet line the moment it was ready!
This is the reason why I simply adore buffets. Variety, variety, variety! Stacked up on Kabuli Pulao (Rice), Kovalam Fish Curry, Medhu Vada (Donut), Saag Gosht, Chatpati Bhindi Pyazi, Shahi Tukda, & Paneer Tamatar Ka Quth over a few rounds of helping.
Other than dishes from the main buffet line, exquisite dishes were constantly presented to our table. I am not exactly sure of the name for this dish but it looked and tasted really similar to our familiar pizza.
Pani Puri is one dish which I find particularly interesting. Served with a cold soup piece, you are supposed to pour the soup base into these cute small crusty bites before popping it into your mouth. It’s highly entertaining!
A closer look into the fried balls revealed the many ingredients that were carefully mixed together before being placed into the puri for the overall taste. The combination of crunchy puri, spicy potatoes and chilled masala pani makes it an extremely addictive snack.
Bhel Puri Chat is a traditional Indian street food that’s made with puffed rice and vegetables. It has an attractive appearance, extremely crunchy but relatively tasteless.
Murgh Tikka Methi Malai – one of my favourite chicken dish. Crispy on the outside while succulent and tender on the inside, they are an absolute delight to bite into.
Being a dessert person, I always make room for sweet endings. Seeviyan Kheer aka Vermicelli Pudding which consist of vermicelli soaked in white sugary syrup was surprisingly good.
Moong Dal Halwa – the sweet mashed up on the left hand corner is made from yellow lentils and milk. This dessert is said to be especially made during celebrations and auspicious festivals. Gulab Jamun is a popular cheese based dessert made from milk solids. These milks solids are then kneaded into dough, shaped into small balls and deep fried before being soaked in light sugar syrup flavoured with green cardamom and rosewater, kewra or saffron. These milk balls were soggy and the intense sweetness was a little overwhelming even for me!
As with all Indian restaurants, spices were available after meals for diners to freshen their breath and aid digestion. A word of caution, some of these spices may be a little overpowering so use sparingly.
To whip up authentic Indian delicacies and have them served by true blue Indians, these Indian chefs and service staff have chosen to uprooted themselves from their hometown and work in Hong Kong.
Unless you are some high flying executive, the life of an individual employed in foreign land is not easy, particularly in Hong Kong where the pace of life is fast and the ability to understand and converse in native Cantonese is key. These Indian talents have braved uncertainties and unfamiliar cultures to seek opportunities for a better life which they may not be able to have in their homeland.
Reflecting back on Singapore, the influx of foreigners has upped the competition in Singapore for schools, jobs and resources, upsetting many locals who simply want to stay put in their comfort zone. But when our environment gets tougher with rapid globalization and external competition, let us not resort simply to lamenting. We should instead get a better understanding of our circumstances and open our eyes to explore potential opportunities that might be made available.
I am particularly disturbed by fellow Singaporeans who whine superficially about latest policies, developments and environmental changes but only to fall back on clearing the next level of ‘Angry Bird’ when they are free, instead of looking for solutions to their problems.
If you are that afraid of being replaced and made redundant by foreigners, arm yourself with new skills and knowledge to enhance your personal competitiveness in the job market. The more business savvy can also think of ideas on how to tap on this growing population and become an entrepreneur.
But to be fair, foreigners in Singapore should also work hard towards integrating themselves into our culture and be mindful not to cause disharmony.
It is amazing how a simple lunch at Bombay Dreams can generate so much afterthoughts. I will strongly recommend Bombay Dreams, it is indisputably one of the best Indian restaurants in Hong Kong and I love their lunch buffets! Here are the full details of the restaurant:
Bombay Dreams
Address: 4/F, Carfield Building, 77 Wyndham Street, Central, Hong Kong (Nearest station: Central)
Operating Hours: 12 pm – 3 pm & 6 pm – 11 pm daily
Tel: +852 2971 0001
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.diningconcepts.com.hk/BombayDreams
Facebook: Bombay Dreams Fan Page
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