Passion and provenance abound at this Indian jewel.
Mumbai Mansion is the finest Indian cuisine I’ve ever had. I’m not the biggest fan of “stack-em-high†nan breads, mounds of boiled rice and deep fried pakora. In fact, I generally avoid Indian food, whether take-away or at a restaurant.
All that changed with a visit to the Mumbai Mansion. How many Indian restaurants do you know serve lobster, guinea fowl and deserts made from scratch?
The Mumbai Mansion re-launched in the summer, promising “modern Indian food in a welcoming and relaxed atmosphereâ€. And tick, all that has been achieved.
As Haymarket pulls itself up by the bootstraps, this is a welcome addition to Morrison Street, which is seeing unparalleled development. In fact, the open space opposite the restaurant is to be home to a new development which will include a hotel and shops, somewhat robbing the Mumbai Mansion of its open aspect.
Not that that will detract hugely from the decorous interior, complete with chandelier. With capacity for over 80 covers, there is plenty of room for large parties, however there were two lone diners on the Wednesday night we visited.
We chose from the a la carte menu, although swithered over that and the tasting menu which is a fancy way of describing a set menu. Both looked equally full of promise, but my partner’s lack of appetite steered us towards the a la carte menu in the end.
Mumbai Mansion is all about provenance, buying and sourcing locally where possible. And this shines through at every stage of what was a sumptuous meal. My partner’s guinea fowl starter smoked in the traditional Dumghar method and marinated in yoghurt and clove, was “amazingâ€.
My Tandoori mushrooms were delectable, the honey and ginger marinade comforting and perfectly balanced.
My partner chose a vegetarian main, Dal Tarka – a spiced yellow lentil curry with onions, tomato, garlic and fresh coriander. Beautifully cooked with just the right amount of each ingredient, this dish was bursting with flavour.
My Prawn Malabar main course was creamy, and I was delighted to see decent sized prawns.
At the risk of extra word count on this review, I feel the need to eulogise about the deserts. Having your own pastry chef is a big selling point – the desserts from Dev Singh Rowat (pictured) were stunning. My Mango Tasting gave me a mango shot, mango sorbet and panna cotta. My partner’s Sticky Toffee Pudding was equally mouth-watering.
What I loved about Mumbai Mansion most of all is the passion for good food. That passion shines through from the service, the welcome, table setting, and every dish, served with a swirl of sauce, or sprinkle of spice.
Nothing at the Mumbai Mansion is deep fried or pre-heated, I’m happy to report.
This is one classy restaurant.
Prices: our food came to £50, excluding drinks.
The Mumbai Mansion, 250 Morrison Street, Edinburgh, EH3 8DT. Tel. 0131 229 7173.
*The Mumbai Mansion is offering contemporary cookery classes, starting in the New Year. Vouchers cost £99 and include an 8 course meal, personalised chef’s coat and recipes.