A Taste of India in Melbourne

Indian cuisine in Melbourne has become a city staple, with a selection of restaurants offering authentic cuisine as well as fusion cooking and innovative twists. Melbourne has a diverse population, and that is reflective of the multicultural food scene the city has created in the last several decades. If there's a cuisine you want to try, you can– there's a restaurant prepared to satisfy your every whim.

A Culinary Journey Through Indian Cuisine

India is home to almost 1.5 billion people, and every region has its own culinary delights to boast about. 

Indian street food, in particular, is famous around the world– notable for dishes like samosa, chaat, and pani puri. While every region has its own unique offerings and specialities, many of these items are popular all over the country, with food stalls conveniently located for workers and tourists. It's cheap, fast, and downright delicious.  

Look out for fine dining Indian restaurants with vast wine lists and expert pairing recommendations to elevate your experience. Fine dining isn't just about the food, it's also about the atmosphere. Any cuisine can be enhanced by carefully curating the perfect ambience, and with a renowned chef combined with high-quality local ingredients, the only outcome is an evening of quality gastronomy. 

North Indian

North India has a diverse set of flavours and is typically known for aromatic sauces and sweet desserts. It is known for kheer, aloo gobi, and tandoori chicken.  

South Indian

Where the north uses spice, the south tends to embrace creamy, sweet flavours like coconut and tamarind. It's known for dosa, biryani, and sambar.

East Indian

East India embraces fish and rice in most dishes, combining Muslim and European traditions, and is known for black rice, momo, and bhaji. This confluence of flavours and traditions typifies Bengali cuisine, though it doesn't get the spotlight it deserves.  

When you think of Melbourne's Indian food scene, your mind will likely take you to North and South India, and the popular dishes that emerged from those regions. However, the East has a rich history of flavour and tradition that you may be missing out on.  

What is Bengali Food? A Taste of the East

East Indian cuisine is the least known of all Indian cuisines, but what exactly is Bengali food?  

Bengali food has always been a standout. In the precolonial times, it was more common to operate with a set course structure, serving each dish individually rather than everything at one time. This, of course, evolved in the same way many other flavours did.  

Bengali food history is fascinating, with Mughal presence in the mid-13th century, several European trading companies operating out of the area, and a solid relationship with Muslim traders and many Chinese immigrants, Bengal became a diverse region in East India. The food started to reflect that diversity with each region of Bengal having its own specialties. While rice and fish are considered staples, you will also notice a love of sweetness, tang, spice, and mustard flavours present in these dishes. 

Looking for Bengali cuisine near you? Go no further than Crown Melbourne's Kolkata Cricket Club. 

Kolkata Cricket Club: A Slice of Bengal in Melbourne

If you consider yourself a connoisseur of Indian food, don't sleep on Kolkata Cricket Club. This Crown restaurant gem combines the street food of Kolkata with the homestyle cooking of Bengal right to your plate, using authentic Bengali spices and ingredients to bring Bengal to life. The dishes in Kolkata Cricket Club could easily be found right at home in a traditional Bengali kitchen.  

Headed up by former pop-up restaurant chef, Mischa Tropp, who was once known for his take on southern Indian cooking, he took the venue in a different direction, choosing to embrace the authenticity of Bengal with his dishes. The kosha mangsho and butter chicken are must-try dishes, and the wine list is curated to showcase Indian winemakers that deliver a balance of flavours to pair with even the boldest of flavours. 

There's so much to love about Indian cuisine, with layers upon layers of flavour depths being explored across the regions. It's time for East India to get the attention the rest of the country's cuisine has enjoyed for so many years, and Kolkata is producing the best there is out there. Don't forget to take a look at the Kolkata Cricket Club Menu and book your table to avoid disappointment.