Spice and Everything Nice

Bombay Bread Bar

Written & Photographed by Alison Engstrom

Every once in a while, a new restaurant opens in New York that instantly intrigues us, and The Bombay Bread Bar is definitely one of those places. Situated on a prominent corner in SoHo, with a colorful two-toned blue exterior, it's the brainchild of renowned Indian chef Floyd Cardoz, who has created a menu inspired by authentic Indian street food like a variety of breads and chutneys, all served in an eclectic but thoughtfully designed space. We stepped inside to find out more.

The space was designed by Kris Moran, a member of Wes Anderson’s creative team, whose design resumé includes films like The Life Aquatic and The Darjeeling Limited, so it’s no surprise that she approached the decor of the dining room with a cinematic flare. Color is everywhere, with vibrant splashes of red, purple, blue and yellow. The main windows are adorned with paper curtains expertly folded to resemble marigolds. Near the rear of the restaurant, a floor-to-ceiling mural by pop artist Maria Qamar is painted directly on the bright red exposed brick, while custom lotus flower wallpaper serves as another artful focal point in the main dining room. The brightly patterned oilcloth table coverings are a homage to Chef Cardoz's childhood growing up in India.

The menu is built around Indian comfort food including different types of traditional breads for dipping, like whole wheat roti, naan (see recipe following) and paratha, a type of bread that is fried until golden and served with a selection of flavorful chutneys, like mint-cilantro, tomato kalonji and sweet mango. Main dishes include Striped Bass Coconut Curry (see recipe following) with a side of Tomato Rice and creamy Paneer with Golden Chanterelle Makhani. To round out your meal, order one of their inventive cocktails, like the Durga Complex, which comes garnished with edible flowers floating on an orange peel.

195 Spring Street, New York, NY thebombaybreadbar.com

Naan, the classic Indian bread, is easier to make than you might think. Chef Cardoz shares his recipe for this fluffy staple that you can make the next time you serve curry.

½ teaspoon dry active yeast

½ tablespoon sugar

4 tablespoons warm water

5 cups all-purpose flour

5 tablespoons canola oil, divided

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 ½ to 2 cups water*

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Pizza Stone

In a small bowl, mix yeast with sugar and 4 tablespoons of warm water; set aside and let stand for 10 minutes. Add remaining dry ingredients into the bowl of a mixer and mix for 2 minutes on low speed. Gradually add yeast mixture, water and 3 tablespoons canola oil. Slowly increase the speed; when the dough begins to form a cohesive ball, add 1 additional tablespoon of canola oil. Once the ball has fully formed (this should take about 5 minutes), stop the mixer. Using remaining tablespoon of oil, lightly oil a medium bowl. Place dough into bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Allow dough to rest for 1 hour in the refrigerator, then form into six balls and let rise at room temperature for 2 hours. Preheat oven to 500 degrees and place pizza stone into oven to heat up. Lightly flour a working surface and flatten each ball into 1/8 inch thick discs. Gently place on hot pizza stone and bake for 5 minutes until puffy. Let cool slightly before enjoying.

*The amount of water needed may vary depending on temperature and humidity.

This house favorite features a tender filet of striped bass cooked in a fragrant curry sauce.

1 medium white onion, peeled and sliced

3 medium garlic cloves, peeled

½ cup fresh coconut, finely grated

3 cups of water

1 ½ tablespoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 ½ teaspoons ground turmeric

1 fresh chili, split in half

4 cups cauliflower, cut into florets

4 five-ounce pieces striped bass (skin on)

1 can coconut milk, like Chaokoh Coconut Milk

1 teaspoon tamarind paste

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Season the striped bass with salt and refrigerate for 30 minutes; remove from the refrigerator 10 minutes before cooking. Place half the sliced onion, one cup of water, grated coconut and garlic in a blender to form a paste. Blend until smooth; add more water if necessary. Place a large stew pot over medium heat, then add the remaining onion, homemade paste, chili pepper, ground spices and the remaining water. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add the cauliflower and continue to cook until the cauliflower is halfway done. Add the seasoned striped bass, coconut milk, tamarind paste and vinegar. Continue to simmer, taking care that the mixture never boils, until the cauliflower and bass are done. The fish is done when it turns opaque and flakes when the thickest part is gently pierced with a fork, about 8 to 10 minutes. Serve with rice.

Serves 4