I've always been one to try out new places... and this one is no exception!! Its cosy ambience and good location (in Prinsep Place amongst all the funky eateries) is certainly a draw. I'm also a sucker for simple modern yet cosy decor and this place certainly fit the bill.
Some of the dishes I tried: Spinach and Wild Mushroom Salad $7.50 This one came as a surprise. I had the idea of a bowl of tossed salad with mushrooms mixed up inside but this one was served on a plate all the ingredients carefully separated from each other. The mushrooms were nicely buttered and being a mushroom-lover I'd loved this!
Seafood Sampler $18.00 This one was quite disappointing. There was Calamari, fish, fries and prawns. But the batter used was too thick and I didn't really fancy it after two pieces from the plate. But the serving was large and can easily be a starter for 4-5 people.
Oriental Cod Fish $24.00 I loved this one. The codfish was served with bacon but the tastes were quite separate. I liked the taste of the fish, which was light and just right. The texture could improve though but no real complaints about this dish.
Chicken Roulade $20.00 I liked the herb taste in the chicken meat itself. The chicken was wrapped around some spinach and bacon. But I enjoyed eating the chicken itself more than the entire combination.
The service provided was really good. Our glasses were never empty and they were polite and tried to accede to our requests. Also they were always available but not breathing down our necks, which I think makes it really comfortable to just chill there without having to feel like you're taking up a seat in the place.
Here's mine then... I guess I really should save on niceties...
Ambience The decor of the place was nice. It was quaint and certainly fit its surroundings in SAM. But the spotlights were unevenly placed and they were very bright at some areas and not so at others. The music that was filling the restaurant was also very inappropriate and at some point, made a couple of us nauseous.
Service They didn't serve iced water. So I ordered a drink... the lemon tea was Season's (which is already bad) and they brought the CAN to the table and poured it in front of me... It certainly felt like a coffeeshop. And when we placed our orders, we said that we were going to share our pizzas and appetizers, then they kept asking each and every one if we wanted a starter. "Are you sure you don't want a starter?" I actually found that disgusting behaviour. And when our pizzas came, they didn't take initiative to clear all the silly things on the table or try to make space somehow. The pizzas were practically uncut and I was so afraid of causing little spaceships across the restaurant. No help was offered when we kept commenting how uncut the pizzas were.
Food At first I thought that Italian pizzas were supposed to be like that... thin and topping-less. But it wasn't like that the next day when I had Italian pizza elsewhere... so Bleh for the pizzas. And the taste of the rest just wasn't good. The veal was really soft and for a moment I couldn't bear to swallow that little bit I'd put in my mouth. The presentation of the food was really odd and certainly not appetizing...
Cost Honestly... it wasn't expensive for Italian I guess. But where the food was of THIS standard, I found it overpriced.
Unless months later, someone writes a review that totally raves about this place... and swears that it is that good... I really don't think I will be back.
Prata? Everytime I head out for some Indian food people ask me if I had prata. The funny thing is that they don't serve prata at all here. Bombay Cafe is an vegetarian eatery along Tanjong Katong Road which you can't miss. And I mean it. It's black with Fuchsia pink colours. Who can miss that shocking pink?
That fateful New Year's Day, we stepped into this dimly lit restaurant and were surrounded by Bollywood posters and MTVs playing at every corner. Sychronised Indian dancing has never failed to mesmerise me. So I entertained myself with the MTVs whilst my companion studied the menu.
Food Ordered:
Adraki Gobhi ($8) Cauliflower cooked in spicy paste. The cauliflower is a little too mushy for my taste but I loved the paste. I also liked the way it went with the Naan. It was very flavourful. A great accompaniment but not to be eaten alone. Garlic Naan ($4) For those who don't know this is a bread, usually to go with masalas and curries. This one is quite thin and crisp, which is nice but I found it a tad too oily.
Kurkuri Mushroom ($12) It looked ugly. Really ugly. But you have to put the entire piece into your mouth to get the burst of freshness from the vegetables in it. This was undoubtedly, the best dish of the night. Masala Dosa ($6) This is the one that looks like a large pancake foldover. The sides are slightly sweet and breadlike and there are potato fillings in the centre which are savoury and a little tangy. I loved it. Ragda Patties ($7) This was the puzzling and disappointing dish of the night. I ordered it thinking it was potatoes. But when it came, it looked like a whole plate of peas! This was a little cold and we managed to find the mashed up potato cakes in the centre... buried under all the peas. A very odd dish which didn't really go down too well with us. Masala Tea ($2.50) A hot tea of spices. I didn't drink it but my friend really enjoyed it so I'd say it was money well spent.
All in all we spent $46.50 for the two of us. I think it was a pretty cheap New Year's Day dinner. We were very full when we were done.
They provided great service, pretty good food and a nice ambience. The two things that made me take one star off was that there's little parking space around and that they didn't have a washroom. That's a big minus as they are not located in a shopping centre where there are public toilets nearby.
I found the fillings of the Paus rather normal, but the Da Bao didn't have ginger inside, which I personally prefer because I simply dislike ginger. The Pau skin was soft and not too thick, with lots of bite. Its really a cut above the rest. Little wonder about the long queues. Try it!
Jeslyn Teesaid: Hmm~~ Sounds nice! I'm hungry! 05 Jan 2008 at 9:31 pm
genesissaid: Paus always make me hungry. 05 Jan 2008 at 10:37 pm
claudsaid: Orrr! U used FZ's photo ah? :P I used to love eating big paus... but now... I only can take chicken mini paus... which isn't very nice. 05 Jan 2008 at 11:53 pm
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Vansh is an Indian Restaurant that combines the traditional Indian food with modern dining concepts. With a neon-green open kitchen in the centre that has glass surrounding it, there are even bar seats where you can watch your food being prepared up close. If you're worried about getting "smoked" or smelling like you've just stepped out of a BBQ party, don't worry as the real cooking is done in the regular kitchen nearby. If bar seats are not your fancy, you can choose to have the indoor couches or the al fresco seats. Dimly lit, it's a great place to chill, but not quite for photo-taking. (as you can see from my pictures)
We dropped in without a reservation on Christmas Eve. Luckily we were pretty early and the place was quite empty when we got there. The wierd thing was that it got filled with family-types close to 9pm.
The staff were mostly native Indian and were very polite. I liked the ambience very much. It was cosy and still had an Indian flavour to it.
There was quite a selection of food and we took some time to decide. We were also given complimentary rolls (I don't know what they are called) and a variety of dips as starters. We certainly enjoyed trying all the dips.
Food Ordered:
Honey Kulzza $9 This was a a pizza like bread covered with honey, tomatoes, coriander and onion seeds. I liked it very much. It wasn't overly sweet. This alone could be a meal for a small-eater as it was enough for the two of us to share.
Tandoori Mushroom $13 These are fresh button mushrooms covered in herbed cheese marinade. Honestly? They did look quite ugly on the plate. But once they are in your mouth, it's very nice. Despite looking very dry, the button mushroom is still juicy and chewy, which gives it a different texture from its outer covering.
Chicken Tikka Masala $18 Recommended by the staff, this consists of tandoori marinated chicken cooked with capsicum in a flavourful tomato masala. MMmM I'm still thinking of this one... it was spicy but not the kind to make your hair stand. The chicken was still tender. The masala was perfect for us to dip our naans in.
Plain (X1) and Butter naans (X1) $4 each The naans were thick and fluffy, served nicely in a basket. Actually the plain one was enough for the two of us. But we had so much masala left we ordered the garlic one too! The Butter one was more oily than the plain one (obviously) and I think I would have rather stuck to the plain one.
Virgin Colada $9 My companion had no complaints about this drink. It was just a little overly sourish but there was a strong coconut flavour which appealed.
Tulsi Sherbet $9 A mix of basil, lemon, ginger and spices all blended to give a delightfully sourish drink. I'd say this drink was a good accompaniment to the food. I wouldn't order this if I weren't eating though.
Good service throughout our time there. When I dropped the naan on my lap the staff was alert enough to hurry over quickly and offer me another napkin. We were also given little party sets since it was Christmas Eve.
So good service, good food and good ambience. All for $78, inclusive of service charge and GST. I wouldn't say it was expensive, but it is above average. I would have given it 5-stars if it were more convenient. But the waterfront location made it quite romantic to have a leisurely walk after dinner. Worth a try definitely.
claudsaid: I love this place!! Had spent 2 of my anniversary there. Haven't been back for almost 2 yrs liao. Miss the tandoori and papadam! 01 Jan 2008 at 8:15 pm
Christysaid: indian food! been quite some time since I last tried indian food - will give it a try! =) 01 Jan 2008 at 10:22 pm
Bobosaid: WAH I had another Indian Meal at BOmbay Cafe yesterday. Will review it soon.. we can ALL go together next time! haha 01 Jan 2008 at 11:10 pm
subbie87said: Looked rather empty when I passed by last week. I guess I should pop by again sometime soon! 04 Jan 2008 at 1:57 pm
Bobosaid: It usually is... thanks to its location. :) Do try it out! 04 Jan 2008 at 4:07 pm
ladyironchefsaid: ahh.. i saw this indian-yet-western-like restaurant when i went to jumbo last time. good ar? 78 for how many ppl? 18 Jan 2008 at 4:56 pm
Bobosaid: $78 only two greedy pigs. :) enough for 3 people :) 18 Jan 2008 at 8:41 pm
Some of the dishes I tried:
Spinach and Wild Mushroom Salad $7.50
This one came as a surprise. I had the idea of a bowl of tossed salad with mushrooms mixed up inside but this one was served on a plate all the ingredients carefully separated from each other. The mushrooms were nicely buttered and being a mushroom-lover I'd loved this!
Seafood Sampler $18.00
This one was quite disappointing. There was Calamari, fish, fries and prawns. But the batter used was too thick and I didn't really fancy it after two pieces from the plate. But the serving was large and can easily be a starter for 4-5 people.
Oriental Cod Fish $24.00
I loved this one. The codfish was served with bacon but the tastes were quite separate. I liked the taste of the fish, which was light and just right. The texture could improve though but no real complaints about this dish.
Chicken Roulade $20.00
I liked the herb taste in the chicken meat itself. The chicken was wrapped around some spinach and bacon. But I enjoyed eating the chicken itself more than the entire combination.
The service provided was really good. Our glasses were never empty and they were polite and tried to accede to our requests. Also they were always available but not breathing down our necks, which I think makes it really comfortable to just chill there without having to feel like you're taking up a seat in the place.
I'll definitely be back to try other things!
feizhu said: Bobo said: ladyironchef said: - 2 more comments »
Login to add your comment. Or, Register for an account now. It's free!The pic of the cod is nice!
10 Jan 2008 at 12:01 am
heh heh thank you. I prefer the picture of the steak le :P
10 Jan 2008 at 5:55 am
All pictures are nicely taken : )
10 Jan 2008 at 8:43 pm
Ambience
The decor of the place was nice. It was quaint and certainly fit its surroundings in SAM. But the spotlights were unevenly placed and they were very bright at some areas and not so at others. The music that was filling the restaurant was also very inappropriate and at some point, made a couple of us nauseous.
Service
They didn't serve iced water. So I ordered a drink... the lemon tea was Season's (which is already bad) and they brought the CAN to the table and poured it in front of me... It certainly felt like a coffeeshop. And when we placed our orders, we said that we were going to share our pizzas and appetizers, then they kept asking each and every one if we wanted a starter. "Are you sure you don't want a starter?" I actually found that disgusting behaviour. And when our pizzas came, they didn't take initiative to clear all the silly things on the table or try to make space somehow. The pizzas were practically uncut and I was so afraid of causing little spaceships across the restaurant. No help was offered when we kept commenting how uncut the pizzas were.
Food
At first I thought that Italian pizzas were supposed to be like that... thin and topping-less. But it wasn't like that the next day when I had Italian pizza elsewhere... so Bleh for the pizzas.
And the taste of the rest just wasn't good.
The veal was really soft and for a moment I couldn't bear to swallow that little bit I'd put in my mouth.
The presentation of the food was really odd and certainly not appetizing...
Cost
Honestly... it wasn't expensive for Italian I guess. But where the food was of THIS standard, I found it overpriced.
Unless months later, someone writes a review that totally raves about this place... and swears that it is that good... I really don't think I will be back.
feizhu said: claud said: Bobo said: - 1 more comment »
Login to add your comment. Or, Register for an account now. It's free!who might that someone be? lol
08 Jan 2008 at 5:53 pm
flying spaceships! hahaha! hmm... I wonder who's that someone too! haha
08 Jan 2008 at 5:59 pm
only someone I really trust and willing to stake his/her reputation on it. HAHA
08 Jan 2008 at 6:03 pm
Bombay Cafe is an vegetarian eatery along Tanjong Katong Road which you can't miss. And I mean it. It's black with Fuchsia pink colours. Who can miss that shocking pink?
That fateful New Year's Day, we stepped into this dimly lit restaurant and were surrounded by Bollywood posters and MTVs playing at every corner. Sychronised Indian dancing has never failed to mesmerise me. So I entertained myself with the MTVs whilst my companion studied the menu.
Food Ordered:
Adraki Gobhi ($8)
Cauliflower cooked in spicy paste. The cauliflower is a little too mushy for my taste but I loved the paste. I also liked the way it went with the Naan. It was very flavourful. A great accompaniment but not to be eaten alone.
Garlic Naan ($4)
For those who don't know this is a bread, usually to go with masalas and curries. This one is quite thin and crisp, which is nice but I found it a tad too oily.
Kurkuri Mushroom ($12)
It looked ugly. Really ugly. But you have to put the entire piece into your mouth to get the burst of freshness from the vegetables in it. This was undoubtedly, the best dish of the night.
Masala Dosa ($6)
This is the one that looks like a large pancake foldover. The sides are slightly sweet and breadlike and there are potato fillings in the centre which are savoury and a little tangy. I loved it.
Ragda Patties ($7)
This was the puzzling and disappointing dish of the night. I ordered it thinking it was potatoes. But when it came, it looked like a whole plate of peas! This was a little cold and we managed to find the mashed up potato cakes in the centre... buried under all the peas. A very odd dish which didn't really go down too well with us.
Masala Tea ($2.50)
A hot tea of spices. I didn't drink it but my friend really enjoyed it so I'd say it was money well spent.
All in all we spent $46.50 for the two of us. I think it was a pretty cheap New Year's Day dinner. We were very full when we were done.
They provided great service, pretty good food and a nice ambience. The two things that made me take one star off was that there's little parking space around and that they didn't have a washroom. That's a big minus as they are not located in a shopping centre where there are public toilets nearby.
Definitely worth a try!
Christy said: Bobo said: ladyironchef said: - 2 more comments »
Login to add your comment. Or, Register for an account now. It's free!Oooh. Indian food again! Nice. And I love the colour coordination of the restaurant. Haha.
07 Jan 2008 at 11:58 pm
haha yes! You should try it's in the East le!
08 Jan 2008 at 5:58 am
you really like your indian food do you? hahaha
10 Jan 2008 at 8:43 pm
Jeslyn Tee said: genesis said: claud said:
Login to add your comment. Or, Register for an account now. It's free!Hmm~~ Sounds nice! I'm hungry!
05 Jan 2008 at 9:31 pm
Paus always make me hungry.
05 Jan 2008 at 10:37 pm
Orrr! U used FZ's photo ah? :P I used to love eating big paus... but now... I only can take chicken mini paus... which isn't very nice.
05 Jan 2008 at 11:53 pm
We dropped in without a reservation on Christmas Eve. Luckily we were pretty early and the place was quite empty when we got there. The wierd thing was that it got filled with family-types close to 9pm.
The staff were mostly native Indian and were very polite. I liked the ambience very much. It was cosy and still had an Indian flavour to it.
There was quite a selection of food and we took some time to decide. We were also given complimentary rolls (I don't know what they are called) and a variety of dips as starters. We certainly enjoyed trying all the dips.
Food Ordered:
Honey Kulzza $9
This was a a pizza like bread covered with honey, tomatoes, coriander and onion seeds. I liked it very much. It wasn't overly sweet. This alone could be a meal for a small-eater as it was enough for the two of us to share.
Tandoori Mushroom $13
These are fresh button mushrooms covered in herbed cheese marinade. Honestly? They did look quite ugly on the plate. But once they are in your mouth, it's very nice. Despite looking very dry, the button mushroom is still juicy and chewy, which gives it a different texture from its outer covering.
Chicken Tikka Masala $18
Recommended by the staff, this consists of tandoori marinated chicken cooked with capsicum in a flavourful tomato masala. MMmM I'm still thinking of this one... it was spicy but not the kind to make your hair stand. The chicken was still tender. The masala was perfect for us to dip our naans in.
Plain (X1) and Butter naans (X1) $4 each
The naans were thick and fluffy, served nicely in a basket. Actually the plain one was enough for the two of us. But we had so much masala left we ordered the garlic one too! The Butter one was more oily than the plain one (obviously) and I think I would have rather stuck to the plain one.
Virgin Colada $9
My companion had no complaints about this drink. It was just a little overly sourish but there was a strong coconut flavour which appealed.
Tulsi Sherbet $9
A mix of basil, lemon, ginger and spices all blended to give a delightfully sourish drink. I'd say this drink was a good accompaniment to the food. I wouldn't order this if I weren't eating though.
Good service throughout our time there. When I dropped the naan on my lap the staff was alert enough to hurry over quickly and offer me another napkin. We were also given little party sets since it was Christmas Eve.
So good service, good food and good ambience. All for $78, inclusive of service charge and GST. I wouldn't say it was expensive, but it is above average. I would have given it 5-stars if it were more convenient. But the waterfront location made it quite romantic to have a leisurely walk after dinner. Worth a try definitely.
claud said: Christy said: Bobo said: - 4 more comments »
Login to add your comment. Or, Register for an account now. It's free!I love this place!! Had spent 2 of my anniversary there. Haven't been back for almost 2 yrs liao. Miss the tandoori and papadam!
01 Jan 2008 at 8:15 pm
indian food! been quite some time since I last tried indian food - will give it a try! =)
01 Jan 2008 at 10:22 pm
WAH I had another Indian Meal at BOmbay Cafe yesterday. Will review it soon.. we can ALL go together next time! haha
01 Jan 2008 at 11:10 pm