Tadka Boom! - Indian Fusion Kitchen

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Tadka Boom!

Tadka Boom! is Melbourne’s first Indian Fusion Kitchen. Thanks to Lalitha and Ashwin Rajan's passion for high quality, healthy Indian food that is deliciously light, the dream for healthy Indian food is now a reality. Healthy. Light. Indian. Yes, these guys have cracked the code.

The ambience is modern and stylish, an extension of Tadka Boom!’s contemporary interpretation of Indian cuisine.

The menu is mouth-wateringly good and features all the flavours you know and love about Indian cuisine but without the unhealthy bits. Inspired by Mama Rajan’s home-style cooking, the food was healthy, light and fresh and features high quality ingredients to create subtle flavours.

Left: Masala Chips - Sweet potato chips coated in our Tadka salt

Right: Bombay Bites - Hand-rolled lentil & herb nuggets with coriander aioli

Brown basmati rice bowl with lentil dahl and Bombay bird (fiery six-spice chicken with mint coriander chutney)

The Bombay bird was sublime. The large nuggets of moist six-spice chicken were beautifully tender and contained the perfect amount of heat. The accompanying dahl was luxurious and full of flavour. Served on a fluffy bed of brown basmati rice, each spoonful was truly gratifying. We loved how light  the dish was compared to a regular curry.

11” Wholemeal roti wrap with Kid Kaboom! (15-hr slow-cooked lamb marinated in our special Kaboom! masala with raita yoghurt dressing) 

The Kid Kaboom! was absolutely moreish. The rich flavours were nicely mellowed out by the raita yoghurt dressing. Boasting a juicy tenderness and bountiful herbs, it was an absolute delight. The beautifully made wholemeal roti wrap was the perfect canvas for the Kaboom! masala which displayed the customary punchy flavours exhibited by Indian curries.  

Tandoori chicken salad

The tandoori chicken salad was yet another winner. The boneless pieces of chicken were tender, having been roasted to perfection. This was a rare, and welcomed, occasion where the salad contributed to the overall dish rather than just occupying space as a conventional side. In all, this dish was a beauty.  

Left: Nimbu Pani - Homemade lemon salted-sweet thirst quencher

Right: R.O.C. Tea - Raspberry, orange & cinnamon infused iced tea

We loved the house-made drinks - both recipes from Grandma Rajan. A salted-sweet lemon and mint water, and an infused fruit iced-tea, these drinks are commonly served to keep cool during the summer months in Madras.

Both the ice creams we sampled were delicious and beautifully made - rich, creamy, and amply sweet with a generous hit of spices (in the case of the Spice Cream) and pistachio and rosewater (in the case of the Pink Panther), they were the perfect spring indulgence.

Tadka Boom! delivers Indian cuisine like you have never tasted before by fusing the best of East and West. Healthy, fresh, light and full of the spices and flavours you know at an affordable price point, Tadka Boom! is a compelling proposition.

Location: 22 Goldsbrough Lane  Melbourne

Phone: 03 9600 1633

Link: http://www.tadkaboom.com.au/

Cuisine: Indian, Salad, Fast Food