Bombay Brasserie – Elegant high tea with vegetarian options in Singapore

It’s not everyday that you get to see an Indian restaurant in the South Beach area of Singapore. Oozing Paris-style chic elegance right from the entrance, Bombay Brasserie is hard to miss if you are in this business enclave. Bombay Brasserie was founded in 1982 in London by the Indian Hotels Company (IHCL), a well-known hospitality brand, famed for its authentic and eclectic Indian cuisine.

The ambiance of the restaurant is aesthetically done, with vibrant hues and tropical touches, akin to a classic Parisian brasserie. The murals on the walls depict detailed scenes of Mumbai through the years and evoke instant nostalgia.

It is rare to find high tea options in Singapore with sufficient vegetarian options. Hence, in this visit to Bombay Brasserie, I have only focused on the high tea experience. They have a separate a-la-carte menu too if you are looking at lunch or dinner options. Their high tea menu is precise and limited as it has only been recently launched. The Brasserie High Tea offers a choice of 3 savories, 1 dessert and 1 hot beverage/ 1 beer. The high tea menu at Bombay Brasserie in Singapore is available from 3 PM to 6 PM daily.

We tried all the vegetarian items on this menu as part of two high tea sets. The overall presentation in terms of cutlery and plating was top-notch. The plate has an elevated stand at the bottom which gave it height and made it extremely convenient to eat from.

Aloo Papdi Chaat is a classic Indian street food item that has spicy and tangy flavours with a yogurt based sauce. The puris were extremely crisp and fresh, and the potatoes were well-coated with the spices. They also serve a coriander and mint chutney on the side which when added to this dish made it delicious.

The Bombay Masala Toastie is another Mumbai snack that is a personal favourite. The bread was toasted to perfection and the stuffing inside consisted of beetroot, potatoes, cucumbers and green chutney. The savory stuffing hit the right notes on the flavours. This is served with a tomato sauce.

Pani Poori is a Mumbai street food staple and adds to the chaat component in the high tea menu. The pooris were crisp and the pani (mint-infused liquid) with boondis was gently spicy to make it a flavoursome experience. I wished they had given more than three pooris in the high tea set as an overall balance to the quantity of the liquid.

The Onion Bhajjis were crispy, crunchy goodies in which finely sliced onion was coated with a spiced batter and fried till they are golden brown in colour. Dipped in the sauce on the side, it turned out to be a perfect high tea snack.

The Motichur Ladoo was a tasty delight and not overpowering in its sweetness and added a nice note to finish the meal on.

A high tea is incomplete without some Masala Chai at an Indian restaurant. The teapot serves around 2 cups and was useful in keeping the tea warm. It is served sugar-free, allowing you to sweeten it, as required.

The customer service was friendly and responsive to feedback. Bombay Brasserie is a fine dining restaurant if you opt for their a-la-carte menu and hence best suited for special occasions or business meals. Their high tea menu is more wallet-friendly and definitely suited for a quick catch-up with friends or business colleagues if you are craving for Indian street food snacks.