Crown Street’s cool and colourful Indian diner, Masala Theory, has scored a second location in Australia’s most famous beachside locale. It joins the party alongside neighbours Lulu, Taqiza, Da Orazio, China Diner and Bills, in Bondi’s already buzzing Hall Street Hub.
Like its spicy sister in Surry Hills, the new venue is built for fun with eye-popping wall art, funky decor and the very same bicycle with pink neon lights mounted on the wall. Rouge velvet booths, plush black chairs and a gold-embellished bar give the restaurant an extra touch of glamour.
If the decor didn’t give it away, the food here is bright, bold and bursting with flavour. Owner Yashpal Erda has evolved the menu since opening Masala Theory back in 2017, but many of their signature dishes have stood the test of time – most importantly, their highly addictive curry bombs. These crunchy domes encase a spicy chicken or potato filling and will easily disappear in one bite with a generous spoonful of buttery curry sauce.
The mains are fiercely Indian and celebrate the many regions of the vast South Asian country, along with a few comforting family recipes. Street food snacks get a twist including butter chicken buns, a tandoori naan-pizza, and Bombay fish and chips. Curries are easily categorised into meat and seafood or vegetarian and vegan. Whatever route you take, except a mouthful of untraditional flavours, such as a South Indian-inspired roasted coconut barramundi curry; chicken bunny chow served in a hollowed-out bread loaf; and meatless meatball curry with golden mashed potato.
The fun is in the details so fill your table with small pots of spiced mango chutney, pickle dip, fennel raita and a bowl of yogurt, just in case you need to cool the palate down. A basket of buttery naan (there’s plain, garlic, cheese, mushroom, peshwari or vegan) and a delicately spiced serving of rice will round it out.
Masala Theory’s cocktails are anything but classic. There’s the signature Mumbai Margarita with silver tequila, Cointreau, coconut sap and lime; a Gulab Martini with vodka, rose and lychee liquor, and apple nectar; and a booze-free Bondi Fizz with watermelon juice, lime and chilli soda, and rose potion.
Top tip: Let the spice sorcerers do the hard work and simply order Masala Theory’s three-course set menu.
