Kormas and chicken tikka have a rightful place in Indian cuisine - and in many of our hearts - but so do chargrilled stuffed eggplants and roadside open naan wraps. That’s what Brunswick’s Bhang is all about: regional Indian food beyond what you'd find at your local North Indian take-away joint.
‘Bhang’ may be the name of an edible form of cannabis used in foods and drinks during Hindi festivals (bhang lassi is commonly drunk during Holi) but as their states, there's none for sale here. Punters will have to settle for a flavour hit instead.
The latest restaurant from the team behind nearby restaurant Tom Phat was inspired by owners Sway Quach and Dougal Colam’s travels throughout India.
“Bhang's mission is to celebrate Indian food and open the dining experience a little more to the diversity of India's regional food,” Quach tells SBS.
The converted warehouse space features distressed brick walls, soaring six-metre ceilings and a feature wall made from vintage Bollywood wallpaper, playing to the restaurant’s contemporary spin on things.
The menu backpacks from Goa to Kerala and Mangalore via punchy, untapped flavour bombs like the Bharwan Vanghi: chargrilled stuffed eggplants with peanuts, coconut and coriander; Goan spiced duck; and Pista Badam Murg - a chicken, almond and pistachio curry from Hyderabad in the country’ south.
Then there’s the Kolhapuri Tambda Rassa, a rich red lamb neck curry from Maharashtra, Quach explains. “It’s a unique Rassa dish not commonly found in many Indian restaurants in Melbourne.”
Alongside the more traditional tandoor oven, the kitchen also makes use of a special Josper oven to recreate smoky charcoal street flavours. Take the ‘little Frankies’, for example; India’s answer to the Doner kebab is a roadside open naan wrap – popular on the streets of Bombay – filled with charry meats, chickpea and smoked eggplant or green chutney paneer (Indian cheese).
Vintage Bollywood wallpaper plays on Bhang's fun, contemporary approach to Indian food. (Linsey Rendell) Source: Linsey Rendell
Eggplants arrived charred and stuffed with coconut (Brodie Chan) Source: Linsey Rendell
A rich red lamb neck curry from Maharashtra (Brodie Chan) Source: Brodie Chan
It’s one of a few snacks that can be enjoyed at the bar with a glass of small-batch wine, Indian-inspired cocktail or a craft beer in the other hand.
Open Tue-Sun, 5pm-late. Shop 1, 2a Mitchell Street, Brunswick
