Undecided as to whether to have an Indian or Chinese for tea? Well, luckily Bundobust is helping to make that decision a bit easier with the return of their Indo-Chinese specials this month, meaning you can get the best of both countries.
The Indian street food and craft beer restaurant and brewery has created specials inspired by the fiery fusion of Indian and Chinese flavours that began in Kolkata and swept across the globe, as well as offering a modern Bundobust take. The six tasty dishes, which are available from March 4 until April 14 across Bundobust Brewery, Manchester Piccadilly, Liverpool, and Leeds restaurants, celebrate the historic culinary craze of crossing Chinese cooking styles with classic Indian spices and vegetables.
To rapturous effect, chefs at Bundobust have given their much-loved Okra Fries a Northern inspired Indo-Chinese makeover with their limited-edition Salt and Pepper Okra Fries. The great Chinese Chippy concept meets Bundobust’s top street food dish – both of the North to create something exclusively for the North.
Alongside the upgraded fries, Bundobust has managed to pay homage to a UK Chinese favourite, Prawn Toast, with classic Gujarati ingredients for an ‘all crunch, no crustacean’ veggie treat. Bundobust’s Gobi Toast sees deep-fried garlic and ginger minced cauliflower sesame soldiers served with a new Szechuan mayo dipping sauce.
The brand new Corn Ribs are a standout hit on the menu. Corn ribs are deep-fried until crunchy, before being tossed in a gochujang, miso, tamarind, and five-spice dressing. Extra napkins required! Plus, another new dish on the menu is Chow Chow, a half-rice-half-noodle stir fry is cooked hard and fast with seasonal veg and soy dressing, before being topped with caramelised garlic and Desi chilli crisp.
Indo Chinese classic Chilli Paneer makes its first appearance on the Bundo menu and is a must-try for fans of Bundobust’s Paneer Tikka dish. Paneer is cooked till crispy in a light batter before being tossed with peppers and onions in a spicy and sweet chilli honey dressing.
Last but not least, another staple of Indo Chinese menus and finally being served with a Bundo twist is Gobi Manchurian – this dish was so popular when it first appeared as a special it was promoted to a permanent position on the Bundo menu. Think cauliflower and mushroom pakoras tossed in an umami- hot sauce and beloved by Bundo regulars.
Bundobust Brewery have taken inspiration from the ingredients found in Indo Chinese dishes to design a rice lager for the celebration. Clocking in at a sessionable 4.2% Chokha is a supremely dry and crisp lager brewed with extra light malts and rice, alongside fruity and floral hops and it’s a must try with the Salt & Pepper Okra Fries!
Bundobust are also debuting two new cocktails this March, designed to pair with the Indo Chinese dishes. Jasmine Eastside sees Gin, jasmine green tea, ginger, cucumber and lemon served long over ice. Sesame & Ginger Old Fashioned is stirred with house made sesame infused Buffalo Trace bourbon, rice syrup and ginger.
All six specials can be ordered as a combo designed for two people to share, as well as alongside existing Bundobust staples and are best enjoyed with Bundobust’s very own beers – served exclusively in their restaurants via Bundobust Brewery on Oxford Street, Manchester. The Indo-Chinese specials at Bundobust are available from March 4 to April 14.