Sumptuous street food, coconut-laden curries and homemade cocktails – Bombay2Goa has it all.
When husband and wife duo DD and Santosh Walke first came over to the UK, they quickly realised the Indian food in Leeds wasn’t the kind of food they wanted, and so they teamed up with their business partner and experienced hospitality expert Sandeep Manhas and set out to fix that. The result? Headingley’s newest Indian restaurant – the aptly named Bombay2Goa, which sets out to broaden people’s horizons when it comes to Indian cuisine. Here’s their fascinating story so far.
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DD and Santosh were both born and raised in Bombay, but they spent many summers in Goa, opening them up to two contrasting styles of Indian cuisine. The majority of Indian restaurants in Yorkshire serve North Indian dishes, rather than reflecting the flavours they were looking for from the South. With the expertise from their friend Sandeep, the couple took their shared passion for food and decided to open a restaurant, serving the food they loved at home.
While the restaurant allows the couple to flex their savvy knowledge of food, it also lets them showcase their day jobs – interior design. The pair own an interior design business together, and have decorated the venue, formerly the LS6 Cafe, themselves to reflect the gorgeous vibrancy of India. Expect soft lighting, bright colours and bold wall art, alongside a decorative cherry blossom tree in the bar area.
But it’s the food that’s the main attraction. An extensive menu takes you from the balmy shores of Goa to the bustling streets of Bombay, serving tasty coconut-based curries and delicious street food delicacies side-by-side. It’s a real collision of cultures and an absolute paradise for foodies. If you like your flavours big, bold and in your face, you’ll be in your element.
Each and every dish is carefully made from scratch using meticulous detail, from roasting their own seasonings to grinding their own coconut to form the base for their curries. “It’s not just a case of adding a load of powders together,” DD explained. “The spices are usually roasted, which makes their flavours come alive and really brings the authenticity of the district into the dish.”
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Let’s kick things off in Bombay. As a buzzing, multicultural city, its street food draws influence from many different places, and the results are delicious. Take the vada pav – a deep-fried potato fritter served in a soft pav roll and topped with tangy chutneys. It’s Bombay’s take on a burger, and it’s a huge hit with customers. Elsewhere, momos are tasty steamed dumplings, available in chicken and veg.
While Bombay’s all about street food, Goan cuisine centres around curries and seafood. The Goan fish curry is a great place to start – succulent fish cooked with fresh coconut and tamarind. Xacuti is a fantastic meaty alternative, serving up tender lamb cooked with poppy seeds, Kashmiri chillies, onions and toasted coconut. It’s rich, hearty and reflects the distinctive Portuguese influence on Goan cuisine.
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It doesn’t stop there – the desserts are just as authentic. You can indulge in sweet, comforting creme caramel, but our pick would be the wonderful gulab jamun. Balls of milk and semolina dough are deep-fried then soaked in a sugar syrup with cardamon, rose water, saffron and cloves. Served with or without ice cream, they’re an absolute delight – one that’s not to be missed.
A full drinks offering includes freshly-made cocktails, making Bombay2Goa a great choice whether you’re looking for a quick lunch or a delicious weekend treat. Whatever the occasion, if you want to discover more about traditional dishes from two of India’s most exciting regions, there’s only one place to go. With flavour, ambience and authenticity in abundance, you won’t be disappointed.
Bombay2Goa, 16 Headingley Lane, Headingley, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS6 2AS. It’s open from 4pm to 11:30pm Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, from 1pm to 11:30pm Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and closed on Tuesdays.
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