Reddy and his partners have invested in a new fit-out for the well-known Bungendore building. Photo: Tenele Conway.
The Easter long weekend saw the opening of Bungendore’s first Indian restaurant, Bombay Pavilion, and it comes with some serious hospitality chops in the form of three owners who own nearly a dozen restaurants between them.
Owners Reddy Manne, Jangnoordeep Singh Gill and Simranjeet Singh are best known for their respective venues Blu Ginger in Civic, the Royal Turban in Queanbeyan and Bamiyaan in Braddon, but their empire extends to across Canberra and up to Sydney with a range of Indian and Afghan restaurants and takeaways.
Based on the turnout for their new Bungendore venue in the opening weeks, the town couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome Bombay Pavilion’s experienced restaurateurs, some residents sharing that they’d been waiting since the mid-80s for Bungendore to have its own Indian restaurant.
My wait was a little over a decade and I’m not ashamed to admit that I went three times in the opening week alone, and with each visit, my reasonably high expectations were exceeded.
The success of the new restaurant is not only due to the large and expertly executed menu that spans food from the tandoor, curries, beloved Indian dishes and lesser-known dishes from across the sub-continent but could also be attributed to the location in a landmark restaurant formerly run as Le Tres Bon, an institution French restaurant owned by Christophe and Josephine Gregoire that closed its doors in late 2023.
The former Le Tres Bon location in Bungendore in now Bombay Pavilion. Photo: Tenele Conway.
The building, which is still owned by Josephine and Christophe, sits in a prominent position on the King’s Highway, even more prominent now, given its colourful makeover in yellows and blues.
While some inhabitants of Bungendore expressed scepticism about the bold colour choices for the heritage facade, it’s undeniable that Reddy and his partners have invested a lot in the building, and when you walk through the doors, you are embraced by the thoughtful, warm and vibrant design touches like the peacock mural that graces one of the walls and the gold pressed tin bar, booth seats and ginkgo motif embossed chairs.
Reddy shared that he was taken aback at the initial response in the opening week, going through large amounts of meat and produce and having to place additional orders to fulfil the needs of a hungry town.
The menu at first seems excessively large, but when you live in a town with limited restaurants, you tend to visit the same places much more regularly than if you live in a city. That’s where this menu will shine, allowing regular diners like me the luxury of choice.
The new kitchen at Bombay Pavilion has a tandoor. Photo: Martin Conway.
Reddy is also keen to see what Bungendore enjoys from the menu and refine it based on feedback.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed with what to order, you can’t go past the chargrill menu, which features a range of skewers that are cooked in the intense heat of the tandoor that they’ve installed in the newly fitted kitchen. The lamb mince skewers are so tender and juicy and packed full of spice. The prawn skewers are large and perfectly cooked and served with a mint sauce, and the malai chicken is aromatic and juicy.
The curry menu is extensive and includes classics like chicken tikka masala, butter chicken and vindaloo with a choice of meats, but my recommendation would be for the lesser known curries like the jhangiri lamb with its tender meat in a rich and creamy spiced gravy or the ghost raara which features diced lamb and lamb mince cooked with fresh tomatoes, garam masala, coriander and a brown onion and tomato gravy.
Bombay Pavilion has an extensive curry menu from across India. Photo: Tenele Conway.
An Indian meal wouldn’t be complete without paired sides for mopping up gravies and adding pops of fresh flavour to your curries, and all the classics can be found here with a procession of naans, rotis, parathas, a variety of rices including a delectable saffron basmati, plus chutneys, pappadums and raita.
Vegetarians are well catered for with a separate vegetarian curry menu with 17 options. My pick is the baigan bhartha for which Reddy said they cook down the eggplants in the oven and then smoke the flesh before mixing with pickled onions, tomatoes and blended spices. It’s impossibly smoky and moreish and goes well with some naan from the tandoor.
The menu is far more than curries, with momos and meats from the tandoor also featuring in the extensive menu. Photo: Martin Conway.
Reddy also has beers on tap, which is a nice touch; a frothy Kingfisher is perfect to wash down Indian food. They have a range of wines, both local and imported, and a spirits and cocktail menu. To top it all off, they make a mean mango lassi.
Bombay Pavilion is located at 40 Malbon Street and is open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner. Stay up to date with them via their website, Facebook page and Instagram.
