Navigating Sydney traffic can be an adventure in itself, and my recent dash across the city was no exception. What was meant to be a swift 15-minute drive morphed into a 30-minute lane-changing marathon, leaving me slightly breathless as I finally arrived at Bombay Street Kitchen in Glebe. My friends Celia, Pete, and Mr NQN were already seated, and I was greeted with Celia’s almost apologetic expression as she gestured to the plate of pappadums and mango chutney already gracing the table. Her worried look quickly dissolved into laughter as she realized my lateness wasn’t a major crisis. It did make me briefly ponder if my punctuality expectations inadvertently turn me into a mild dinner-time dictator!
Pappadums and Mango Chutney at Bombay Street Kitchen Glebe, a tasty start to the Indian street food experience
Bombay Street Kitchen, nestled on the corner of Broadway and Glebe Point Road, is a vibrant and unpretentious Indian eatery that specializes in bringing the bustling flavors of Bombay’s street food scene to Sydney. The atmosphere is casual and welcoming, perfect for a relaxed dinner with friends. Glancing at the menu, Celia was immediately enthusiastic, wanting to sample nearly everything. A quick calculation revealed that even ordering a generous ten dishes between the four of us would still be incredibly affordable – a definite plus! We kicked things off with cocktails: a Masala Mary for me, their spicy Indian take on a Bloody Mary, and a Rose and Cardamom Martini for Mr NQN, a fragrant and floral concoction of vodka, rose, and cardamom.
Masala Mary and Rose Cardamom Martini cocktails at Bombay Street Kitchen Glebe, Sydney
To start our culinary journey, we opted for the Dahi Poori. Bombay Street Kitchen offers two types of poori, those delightful crispy hollow spheres designed for flavorful fillings. While Pani Poori, filled with potato and tangy spiced tamarind water, is a common sight, we decided to try the Dahi Poori. This version proved to be a milder and creamier delight, packed with potatoes, sprouts, puffed rice, and tamarind chutney, topped with a refreshing mint chutney and yogurt. The result was a symphony of textures and tastes – crispy, creamy, and far less messy than its pani poori cousin thanks to the thicker yogurt.
Dahi Poori at Bombay Street Kitchen Glebe, a creamy and crispy Indian street food delight
Continuing our exploration of the less familiar dishes, we chose the Ragda Pattice. This dish featured two golden-brown, crispy potato patties submerged in a flavorful dried white pea (ragda) curry. Despite none of us having tried Ragda Pattice before, it was an instant hit. The spicy and savory curry was beautifully balanced by a sweet date and tamarind chutney and a scattering of pomegranate seeds, adding a burst of freshness and sweetness. And, perhaps it’s just me, but the arrangement of the patties and curry did have a certain Mickey Mouse-esque charm!
Ragda Pattice dish at Bombay Street Kitchen Glebe, crispy potato patties in a flavorful pea curry
Next up was the Masala Fish Fry. Despite the menu indicating a 15-minute preparation time, it arrived surprisingly quickly. Based on the name “fish fry,” I had envisioned something different, perhaps battered and deep-fried. Instead, we were presented with two delicate fillets of mackerel, marinated in lime juice, coriander, and fresh coconut, pan-fried to perfection, and served with a cooling mint sauce. These fillets were intensely flavorful and leaning towards the salty side, yet utterly addictive and moreish.
Masala Fish Fry at Bombay Street Kitchen Glebe, pan-fried mackerel fillets with Indian spices
Frankies, another staple of Bombay street food, were our next adventure. These are essentially toasted wraps, and Bombay Street Kitchen uses a wholemeal paratha for theirs. With a choice of vegetarian, chicken, or lamb fillings, we opted for the classic chicken Frankie. The wrap was generously filled with coriander, mint chutney, onions, and succulent chicken, and came accompanied by a vibrant tomato chili sauce. The Frankie was warm and satisfyingly crispy, although I personally felt it could benefit from a different dipping sauce to complement the flavors within.
Chicken Frankie Bombay Roll at Bombay Street Kitchen Glebe, a flavorful Indian street food wrap
Moving onto the curries, we sampled the Chicken Chennai, also known as Madras chicken. This was a mildly spicy tomato-based curry. While perfectly acceptable, Celia found it less captivating compared to the other dishes, deeming it “fine” but not as impressive as the highly anticipated goat curry.
Chicken Chennai curry at Bombay Street Kitchen Glebe, a mild tomato-based Indian chicken curry
The Railway Goat Curry, however, lived up to its menu claim of being “Good enough to miss your train for!”. Apparently, this dish has humble origins, served at railway stations, but has evolved into something truly special. It quickly became my favorite main course of the evening. Tender, bone-in pieces of goat were immersed in a rich and deeply spiced gravy. Legend has it that this dish was first created by chefs of the Indian Railways to cater to the British palate during the British Raj era. While traditionally made with goat, mutton is sometimes used as a substitute.
Railway Goat Curry at Bombay Street Kitchen Glebe, a rich and flavorful must-try dish
The Vangi Masala, or eggplant curry, presented a slight contrast in value compared to the other dishes. While the flavor profile was undeniably good, with generous amounts of tomato, a pronounced fennel seed flavor, and appealingly sticky eggplant, the portion size seemed smaller than the other mains, especially considering it was priced the same as the larger goat curry. The menu did describe it as a “large” dish, which felt a little misleading in comparison.
Vangi Masala eggplant curry at Bombay Street Kitchen Glebe, flavorful but smaller portion
The Dal Tadka, a dish I usually find consistently satisfying at most Indian restaurants, was the only one that didn’t quite excite me taste-wise at Bombay Street Kitchen. Compared to the explosion of flavors in the other dishes, I found it a bit bland. However, it’s worth noting that everyone else at the table seemed to enjoy it, so perhaps it was just my palate that evening.
Dal Tadka lentil dish at Bombay Street Kitchen Glebe, a generally liked but milder dish
Celia’s special request was the Biryani, and it proved to be an excellent choice. Fragrant spiced rice concealed pieces of flavorful, bone-in chicken and whole boiled eggs. The serving was incredibly generous, and despite our best efforts, we couldn’t manage to finish it – perfect for sharing!
Biryani dish at Bombay Street Kitchen Glebe, a generous and flavorful rice dish with chicken and eggs
To accompany our mains, we ordered two types of naan. I have a penchant for ordering both a sweet and savory naan whenever possible. The sweet option was a Peshwari naan, filled with a delightful mixture of sweet coconut and sultanas. The savory choice was a spinach and cheese naan, which sounded equally tempting. Both naans were superb, boasting a wonderfully puffy texture and served warm straight from the tandoor.
Naan bread selection at Bombay Street Kitchen Glebe, Peshwari and Spinach & Cheese Naan
Despite being quite full, we managed to squeeze in one dessert to share: the Gulkand Halwa. This unique dessert was a millet, beetroot, and rose petal jam cake served in a pool of thick coconut cream. While Indian desserts are often intensely sweet, the Gulkand Halwa was a delightful exception. Mr NQN, with his pronounced sweet tooth, found it not sweet enough, but for me, it was perfectly balanced. As a final touch, Celia happily nibbled on the complimentary fennel seeds that arrived with the bill – a traditional Indian post-meal digestif!
Gulkand Halwa dessert at Bombay Street Kitchen Glebe, a unique millet and beetroot cake
Bombay Street Kitchen in Glebe offers a fantastic and affordable introduction to the vibrant world of Indian street food. From flavorful starters to hearty curries and delicious breads, there’s something to please every palate. If you’re looking for a casual and tasty Indian dining experience in Sydney, Bombay Street Kitchen Glebe is definitely worth a visit.
Bombay Street Kitchen
Corner of Glebe Point Road & Parramatta Rd, Sydney NSW 2037
Opening Hours: Monday to Saturday 5:30–10pm
Website: bombaystreetkitchen.com.au
Phone: (02) 9660 3726
