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MELBOURNE | Bhoj is a family-run restaurant specialising in authentic Indian cuisine, accompanied by breathtaking views of the harbour in Docklands. The venue looks and feels quite traditional with statues and religious decorations, but maintains a touch of western culture with some of the furnishings and interior design.
Perusing the menu, it is quite extensive with a range of street food-style starters, tandoori options, curries, rice and bread. What distinguishes Bhoj from many other Indian restaurants in Melbourne is that they add their own twist on certain dishes. The “Gunpowder Chicken” is a new item on their recently updated Summer menu, with a generous serving of meaty chicken winglets rubbed in a fiery South Indian five-spice “gunpowder” batter, then deep-fried. The spices dominate other flavours in this dish, but they can’t hide the tender and juicy texture of the meat inside.
Another creative twist unique to Bhoj’s menu is the “Murg Dolchi Golmirch”, which is invented by the owner, who is also the head chef and patriarch of the family. Boneless chicken is cooked with onions and green peppercorn in a cashew nut, coconut and tamarind based sauce. The addition of the cashew nuts is a clever idea as it creates a nutty, crunchy texture that isn’t in traditional Indian curries.
Other notable dishes include the “Hoshiarpuri Champaan” (barbecued, juicy lamb cutlets marinated in malt vinegar, cumin powder and medium spices), “Kadai Baingan” (eggplant cooked in a tomato-based sauce with pepper, coriander seeds and herbs) and their fluffy nan breads. The “Southern Fish Curry” is highly recommended, and is cooked well but in our opinion the spices have been ramped down a little to satisfy notions of “Western” tastes.
Based on the dishes we tasted and from chatting with the staff, Bhoj incorporates a mixture of North Indian and South Indian cuisine, with more of a focus on South Indian’s spicy, coconut-based flavours. The creation of new flavours and dishes is not uncommon in India, as different regions in India are known for unique dishes. With produce sourced locally where possible, including the extensive wine and drinks list, Bhoj is an exciting cultural escape in the heart of Melbourne’s Docklands. Just make sure your palate is fairly spice-tolerant.
Bhoj
54 New Quay Promenade
Docklands
Victoria 3008
Australia
Telephone: (03) 9600 0884
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://bhoj.com.au/
Open
Mon – Tue: 5:30pm to 11:00pm
Wed – Sun: 12:00pm to 3:00pm; 5:30pm to 11:00pm