I HAD heard so many people raving about the food at Bombey Lodge.
And although I have driven past many many times since it opened, nothing prepared me for the experience of a fabulous home dining experience. Nestled in the midst of mangrove land, the combination of great food, ambience and atmosphere is not something one can easily forget.
Two weeks later and I still find myself yearning for food prepared by Negi the chef — the aroma and taste enduring — as if it were just the last meal I have had.
Eatery owner, Cardo Slatter explained he decided to broaden his horizons after establishing what many describe as the best steak house on Denarau.
Bombey Lodge was born barely two months ago, in response to customer queries and requests from international guests.
Cardo said the decision to venture from steak and seafood to curries and naan was quite a natural transition.
“Everybody eats Indian. I decided to offer it in a home-style setting with high quality food.
“And our focus on providing quality starts from the ground up, with all the vegetables and herbs sourced from our very own gardens situated behind the restaurant,” he said.
Cardo says his al fresco steakhouse on Port Denarau has consistently won rave reviews on tourist monitor Trip Advisor.
He hopes to do the same at the Bombay Lodge.
“We could easily entertain 400 guests here and I want to bring the outdoor dining experience from the steakhouse here.”
After more than two decades in the food business, Cardo also knows too well how good music enhances the dining experience.
And he has plans to bring all this to his Indian food haven.
“Next month, we’re going to have Bollywood themed nights with a buffet dinner and entertainment from Indian dance groups.”
Apart from the ambience and outdoor garden feel of the restaurant which is meticulously being landscaped into shape, Cardo has enticed the services of one of the best Indian chefs in the South Pacific.
“If there’s one thing I’ve learnt after all these years in the food business it is this. You cannot compromise on quality and Negi is the epitome of quality Indian food.”
Nathi Singh Negi, head chef and restaurant manager, says the Bombey Lodge has a number of things that makes it special.
“We grow our own vegetables and herbs and this means that guests are always eating fresh from the garden produce all of the time,” he said.
Negi personally hand-picks spices and grinds them in the home-style kitchen. While kitchen hands are on-hand to aid preparations, Negi personally prepares every meal.
“I am training some of our kitchen hands and assistant chefs but until they meet my very high standards, I prepare every meal.”
Every dish has a unique taste, texture, colour and aroma. From simple yet unique starters such as aloo ki tikki and the Punjabi samosa right through to the tandoori chicken — the spices did not overpower the main ingredient in the dish.
If there’s one item on the menu that this reader would recommend then it would have to be the mud crab masala. Negi has managed the impossible by taking a seafood dish that has all the local attributes and somehow combined this with the spicy tomato-based style from India.
The creamy butter chicken and traditional favourite, lamb rogan josh, is also to die for.
Negi even makes the desserts himself. His baked cheese cake is vastly different from the expected. The same can be said for the gulab jamun in syrup with ice-cream.
For travellers to Denarau and Nadi and for those who enjoy eating out, if you have had the pleasure of dining at Cardo’s steakhouse then be prepared to be wowed at his curry house. Definitely worth a visit.
