Bombay Bloomers has been a part of the Randwick community since 1987. In 2022, Varinder Singh, the former head chef of cult Sydney sambo spot South Dowling Sandwiches, took over the reins of the Eastern Suburbs favourite. And now they’ve opened their second venue across the harbour – Bombay Bloomers Neutral Bay.
“Neutral Bay felt like the natural next step for Bombay Bloomers,” Singh says. “It has such a vibrant dining scene, and we wanted to bring our style of Indian food here, dishes that are full of flavour, never overpowering and always cooked with care.”
The food here is aromatic, deeply flavoured – with a good kick of heat. Snack highlights include potato cakes with spiced lentils covered in three sauces, including a bubble-gum pink beetroot sauce, tamarind and mint yoghurt. Chicken marinated in yoghurt and spices and cooked in the tandoor is also a solid place to start.
As for mains, there’s a nut-free butter chicken with a creamy tomato sauce; Kashmiri-style slow-cooked lamb rogan josh; chicken tikka masala with tomato, onion and spices; a South Indian-inspired fish curry with coconut milk, mustard seeds and curry leaves; and more. Go hard on the condiments, including a punchy sour eggplant pickle, cucumber raita, and sticky-sweet mango chutney, plus garlic naan and perfectly fluffy basmati rice, and you’re in for a treat.
The house-made ginger beer is a refreshingly balanced, booze-free option, and if you’re after a sweet cocktail, The Spot Special, with coconut-infused tequila, curry leaves, green chilli and verjuice, should hit the spot.
There are a bunch of great-value lunch specials if you’re in the area, too. Choose from the Bombay Bloomers thali featuring two curries (one meat, one veg), rice, raita, garlic naan and a papadum for $24. Or two curries (from butter chicken, lamb rogan josh, dal or chickpea masala) with rice for $18. There's a chicken or lamb biryani on offer for $25. Or there’s a great-value chicken tikka wrap with house-made mint sauce for $15.
“My grandmother taught me to cook with patience and balance, to let ingredients shine and never hide behind too much spice,” Singh adds. “That lesson is still at the heart of Bombay Bloomers today.”