Mumbai, Kagurazaka ムンバイ、神楽坂
Friday, April 1, 2011 at 7:21PM | Dave 
Finding a decent (non-Japanese) curry in Tokyo ceased to be a problem long ago. Restaurants offering curry of one persuasion or another abound. Nepali – or Indo-Nepali fusion – outlets seem to have sprung up on every street.
Among all that Kagurazaka has to offer, Mumbai is hardly exceptional. It is, nonetheless, a reasonable restaurant serving decent food at decent prices. Part of a chain, I recall my first encounter with a Mumbai was a visit to one somewhere near Marunouchi or Ginza. At the time, I grumbled about the small portions. But then, the memory of England’s Indian restaurants was still too fresh in my mind.
These days, the portions at Mumbai tend not to offend the eye, and the belly less. Besides, the ample naan (although neither as ample nor arousing as those at Jau Hai! or Manakamana, especially when it comes to the garlic variety) are usually more than enough to sate most appetites. The chapattis are somewhat disappointing. Too greasy; not dry and floury/dusty feeling as they ought to be.
The samosas are excellent. A more imaginative salad garnish – or none at all – would improve the presentation and experience though. The saag chicken, now my benchmark test for curry restaurants, is rich and thick in both flavour and texture. Not at all “pureed” feeling, as so many turn out to be.
Not quite as rich as a good madras, the Hyderabad chicken was delicious, too. Next time the Mumbai special seems in order. Many of my dining partners enjoy the butter chicken curry. Whether this is due to its being particularly good or just a cultural/ ladies’ taste buds related thing is a mystery to me though.
Both the mango and black sesame ice cream are tasty, with the sesame being the better of the two, if I had to choose. The kulfi isn’t bad either, but then I have only a limited experience of the stuff upon which to base my judgment.
The drink menu supplies all the usual suspects. One time – and sadly only one time – they were doing some crazy deal on glass wine. Anything from the wine list for ¥100 or something similar. Was a great night. Can’t remember much about the curry on that visit though…
Mumbai perhaps deserves a few points for not overdoing the ethnic decoration. It’s actually rather understated, yet funky, inside. Not spacious, but clean and nicely lit, with the various booths and partitions providing privacy. Service has ranged from exemplary to hostile. But then I tend bring that out in people…
Where’s it sit? Jau Hai! is still number one, overall, when they remember to serve the food while it’s hot, that is. Manakamana and Mumbai tie in second place, although I almost feel that Mumbai’s curries are “technically” better than those of the other two, but as noted above the naan leave something to be desired.
Sapana isn’t even in the same league.
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