Lip smacking flavors from back home – Bombay Times

Located amidst all that hustle and bustle of Fahidi Street, in a tiny alley, is Bombay Times. But believe you me, it’s not so hard to find this hidden gem. In fact, the alley, that’s lined with popular names one too many, is frequented by such a herd of shoppers trying to get to the other side of the street, it might as well be called a road.

Serving up all those signature Bombay classics to your table, in a compact, yet catchy setting, this one definitely deserves a big thumbs up. If you stay close by, make sure you walk to the location, because parking in the area can get a little tricky. But even if you’re driving there, you can always park in the adjacent AED 10 / hour parking ground. And trust me it will all be worth it.

Vada Pav

This picture in one word? CRAVINGS!

I don’t know if I have expressed it very openly on my blog, but I love Vada Pav. That’s LOVE in all caps! Being from the city itself, the one thing I always look out for is that authentic Bombay taste. You know the spicy green chutney, green chillies the hot red garlic-chili powder, the fluffy bun, and of course, the perfect potato vada. I have gone around so many restaurants and street food cafes trying this item on their menu, but very few match up to may expectations.

But here’s the best part – Bombay Times has got it just right! Their hot and tempting vada pav is at the same level as those in Mumbai, albeit so much more hygienic. The potato mash inside the vada is done really well. Plus they’ve got all the chutney trimmings along with the fried green chilies that are my favorite. And all this for only AED 4! Now that’s definitely a steal, isn’t it?

The portion is good for an evening snack, although for me it can suffice for an entire meal. Pair it with some chai, and you will experience bliss right there! They don’t call it an Indian burger for nothing!

Chaat

After Vada Pav, it was time for yet another Bombay street food indulgence – Chaat!

Chaat & Bombay (or Mumbai as it is officially called), are like a match made in heaven. It’s almost like one cannot live without the other. And being so far from home does take its toll on you – it ups your chaat cravings 100x. But thanks to hidden gems like @bombaytimes_dubai, you get to experience the very flavors of Bombay right in your neighborhood!

On our visit to Bombay Times, we tried two of their chaat items. I know two is too less, but I’m definitely going back for more.

The first one was Dahi Aloo Tikki Chaat which came highly recommended by the owner of the joint. Very similar to Dahi Vada, this one had warm ragda pattice and potato tikkis as the base, covered in oodles of sweet yogurt, topped with a variety of spices and finally garnished with sour pomegranate seeds and crunchy moong dal. With so many flavors packed in one dish, it was like an all rounder for the taste buds.

The next one, and quite an obvious choice being the person I am, was Pani Puri. Now the thing with Pani Puri is very similar like that with Vada Pav. It’s all in the spicy green water, they say. And to be honest, it is. A little too spicy, or a little too bland can ruin your entire experience. Some places do it bad, others are passable, but very few get the formula right. I am glad Bombay Times is one of them.

I generally prefer the ragda stuffing, and if not, then maybe I’ll do with potatoes, but this time around we went with boondi chana. We were told the ‘Pani Puri guy’ knows his ingredients just too well, and muddles up the perfect combination of cold and spicy water that matches well with the boondi chana stuffing.

I usually like my pani puris without the sweet chutney – all out spicy! What about you? Tell me in the comments below👇🏻

Tawa Classic Pav Bhaji

When I said Bombay Times serves the most staple classics from Bombay, I really meant it. And since we are talking about staples, how could we possibly miss out on the Tawa Classic Pav Bhaji?!

Loaded with Amul butter, this one stayed true to the Mumbai style. Right from the level of spices and the combination of mashed veggies in the bhaji to the butter toasted soft bread pieces, this Pav Bhaji screamed MUMBAI in every bite.

While the Vada Pav was definitely my favorite from the restaurant, the Pav Bhaji finished at a close second. This is one of those very few dishes where I don’t care about the butter or the calories. In fact, I don’t even care to share. And neither should you. Priced at AED 15, it is worth every fil. But if you’re there to try out more than just Pav Bhaji, consider splitting it with a friend, or else you’ll find yourself too full for chaat.

Famous Bombay JINI Dosa

I know Dosas are more of a South Indian staple, but if youv’e been to Bombay, you would have seen Dosa carts lined up along the streets with locals and tourists devouring this delicacy like it’s the best thing they’ve ever had. And they are not too wrong. Mumbai has taken Dosas up a notch, and in fact created this whole new niche of Dosa culture with its creativity in dosa fillings, fusion flavors and so much more.

One such Dosa is The Famous Bombay JINI Dosa. So well known it is, that it’s got famous right in its name.

My first reaction on seeing this was “Hey, that looks like a Dosa Sushi!”

Stuffed with a spicy potato mash filling, this dosa is rolled up on the tawa and cut down into smaller rolls which are then topped with melted cheese to give it that crunchy-spicy-cheesy mix in every bite. Served hot, these little rolls take you on a spicy high with every piece. Tip: if it gets too hot to handle, dunk them in those chutneys on the side. Or dunk them in those chutneys anyway!

Hariyali Mirch Tawa Pulav

Despite feeling like stuffed turkeys on Christmas Eve, we went with the owner’s recommendation and tried their bestselling Hariyali Mirch Tawa Pulav. Now this one is definitely a full meal. It comes with a side of papad and raita accompaniments that perfect complement the rice. The rice itself is a mix up of multiple spices, capsicum, spinach and potatoes, and gives off a slightly toasted flavor, thanks to the tawa styled cooking.

I found this dish to be slightly less spicy than I would have liked it. The rice and veggies were well cooked, no doubt, but after all that street food goodness, this one sort of lacked that punch. I would suggest they turn up the heat on the Tawa Pulav, especially since the raita can come in handy to soothe your taste buds in case it gets too spicy.

Masala Chai

Who is craving a glass of masala chai right now? 🙋🏻‍♀️🙋🏻‍♀️☕️☕️

This refreshing one from Bombay Times was priced at just AED 2.

If you’re shopping in Fahidi street or Meena Bazar, don’t forget to stop by at this restaurant and try some of their classic Bombay dishes along with the chai.

The seating space at Bombay Times is quite limited. It can accommodate only a maximum of 10 people inside the restaurant at any given time. But they’ve got quite a few tall tables outside, that not only attract more diners, but also deliver the true experience of street food. And hey, doesn’t stand-up eating help you gain less calories, or lose them as you eat?!

All said and done, stand-up eating poses a few challenges, like convenience, which is why Bombay Times makes sure all their dinnerware is designed in such a way that it can hold multiple items on one plate, and is easy to eat from. This means the dosa or vada pav comes with chutneys added on to the same plate instead of separate bowls, and the pav bhaji or tawa pulav features compartmentalized plates to hold the bread, raita and other accompaniments.

Bombay Times

Location: Behind Emirates NBD, Al Fahidi Street, Meena Bazaar, Dubai
Contact: 04 5509248

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