Mr Foodie Dishoom’s biggest menu change in 14 years
Since originally opening in Covent Garden in 2014, Dishoom has stuck to a very successful menu with no major changes over the years. Now they are a nationwide chain with plans, we hear, to open in Glasgow – and they have just made their most substantial changes to the menu since they began. We were kindly invited to the Edinburgh restaurant to try some of the new dishes ourselves.
This was actually our fist visit to Dishoom for dinner, as our two previous visits were for breakfast, though we did once try getting a table without a reservation but were unsuccessful, so our advice is: book a table!
The new dishes are clearly marked on the menu. There are 8 brand new dishes…Chota papad with mango churney, fish amritsari, goan monkfish curry, tandoori chaat, Dishoom fancy house salad, chicken & mango salad, chicken kathi roll, warm aubergine chutney and masala paratha.
…and 7 items that have been re-worked.
Dishoom have an extensive drinks list, and even has a cocktail bar at basement level, The Permit Room, but we decided to go alcohol-free so had a CBD Bhang lassi (£8.90) described as a traditional Holi drink, it was a refreshing mix of ginger, mint, and botanical bitters, and a salted lassi (£5.90). This one was a bit of an acquired taste – it’s probably ideal during a heat wave, but maybe not so much in winter in Scotland, but if you’re looking for something non-alcoholic and unsweeted then this salted yogurt drink, which is also lightly spiced by cumin, is a healthier alternative to alcohol-free beer.
Here’s what we had to eat
Fish armritsari (£9.50)
Tasty fish morsels in a crisp golden batter, like fish pakora or maybe spiced fish goujons is a better comparison as it’s a light batter, served with a spicy coriander chutney.
New keema pau (£9.50)
Dill and lindi pepper, mince and peas, toasted buttered pau. Like our grannies would have made, almost – but has a ‘creamy’ taste if that makes sense but also with a surprising spicy kick. The toasted bread was thick and buttery.
Cheese naan (£4.70)
On the left below. Neither a new nor updated menu item but we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to have a cheesy naan. It was more like a paratha in that it was thiner and smaller than a typical Indian restaurant naan, but it was of course filled with gooey melted cheddar!
Masala paratha (£4.90)
On the right below. A tandoor-cooked flatbread with chaat masala and dried mint.
Blackened butterfly prawns (£17.70)
Massive chargrilled prawns that have been cooked in their shells and butterflied for maximum malliard charring. These were plump and delicious.
Goan monkfish curry £17.90)
Made using tomato, coconut cream, tamarind, and kokum. Kokum is used to provide sourness and used as an alternative to tamarind so this was quite tangy, creamy and thick, with what seemed to us like a bell pepper taste.
Grilled greens (£6.70)
A fairly simple dish of grilled tenderstem broccoli and mangetout with a zingy mustard dip.
After all that, we had no room for pudding – the cheese naan pushed us over the edge! But there are also new desserts on the menu and these include:
coconutty fruity crumble, orange caramel custard, and the kala khatta has been updated and now comes with ice cream.
Overall verdict
We visited Dishoom purposely to try items on their revised menu but as it was our first visit for dinner, everything was new to us, and we enjoyed everything we ate. We always love curried fish so our favourite dishes were the fish amritsari and the Goan monkfish curry. We also really enjoyed the new keema pau. Scottish mince and tatties is something nostalgic for both of us, and this is a spicier, creamier, version, which we highly recommend.
Spice levels were moderate. Toilets were clean and well-maintained but note that they are in the cocktail bar, two floors below – there is a lift but it’s a bit slow. There’s also chutney, tea, incense and other items for sale at the entrance, should you want to bring some of the Dishoom experience to your home. We would happily return to Dishoom for dinner to try some of the other dishes, and The Permit Room, for cocktails.
Location
Dishoom Edinburgh, 3a St Andrew Square, Edinburgh, EH2 2BD
Contact
Telephone: 0131 202 6406
Website: www.dishoom.com
Opening hours
Monday to Wednesday: 8 am to 11 pm
Thursday to Saturday: 8 am to midnight
Sunday: 8 am to 11 pm
Bank holidays: Open as usual (except Christmas and Boxing Day).
We received a complimentary meal.
