Review: Bombay Station 734, Santa Barbara, CA
It was a cloudy morning in Santa Barbara and my husband and I were wandering on State Street. It had been several years since I was in Santa Barbara. Naturally, I was checking out the shops while my husband was intensely photographing flowers, and the bark of a tree. I walked by a new restaurant called Bombay Station 734 and spotted Manager Jamie Thompson. She was adjusting table settings on the patio, when I asked her for directions and then struck up a conversation. Next thing I knew I was dragging my husband in to do a review of the restaurant’s breakfast.
Jamie explained that they recently had a soft opening. She was wonderfully warm and charming. I usually only use last names in my writing, however it doesn’t feel right with Jamie. She immediately felt like a friend. She told me about the old train stations in Bombay from the 30s-40s. This was before the name was changed to Mumbai.
The restaurant was beautiful and set up like an old Bombay Train Station. It offers Southern Indian street food and was founded by Ninder Singh of Apna Indian Restaurant. He just happened to be there and explained more about the restaurant, and its cuisine. I could see the pride in his face for the new restaurant.
To be honest, I never really thought about eating breakfast at an Indian restaurant. However, this experience completely changed my view. Jamie suggested some chai and a Masala Dosa. My husband requested a latte and said it was the best latte he had ever had. The chai was delicious and smooth with earthy overtones and intricate spices.
I am not that familiar with Southern Indian and I was taken aback when the super large dosa arrived at the table. It was warm and crispy on the edges. Inside the delicate rice and lentil pancake we found spiced potatoes and onion cooked with turmeric and masala. I just fell in love with it – my taste buds were quite happy.
The dish included three chutneys – coconut, peanut and tomato. All were a delicious, but my favorite was the coconut. A bowl of Sambar also accompanied the dosa. This traditional Southern Indian Stew was so tasty as well. These add-on sauces helped to make the already scrumptious dosa even better.
Next we enjoyed a Mixed Blend Paratha. This too was wonderful served with a large dollop of butter. It was filled with paneer (a non aged cheese), potatoes & onions. This dish was served with pachranga a spicy condiment. It had such an unusual profile. It contained pickled mango with lotus stems and olives. The piquant flavor was so unique, with an intense jolt of heat.
Jamie also brought us a sample of the Mango Lassi, which was creamy and sweet. The lush taste of mango was a heavenly companion to the zesty Indian spices. This was a fabulous meal, the cuisine was exquisite.
Breakfast at Bombay Station 734 is the bomb. If you find yourself in Santa Barbara, stop by for some extraordinary authentic Southern Indian Food. Hours: 8am-3pm; Bombay Station 734, 734 State Street, Santa Barbara, https://www.bombay734.com
