Dhamaka
A little gem in Essex Market.
We finally made it to Dhamaka! It has been on our list for a while and I’m so glad that I can now vouch for the deliciousness of the “unapologetically Indian” spot located in Essex Market.
The restaurant is located in a corner of Essex Market that is playfully decorated and has a bar! Even though we did not partake in the cocktails or beers they have on their menu, they looked very fun and creative, so maybe next time.
We asked our waitress for some recommendations and she was very helpful—they had a very friendly staff! So, we went with some of her suggestions, and with that, let us get into the food.
Appetizers: We started with the Paneer Tikka and Butter Pepper Garlic Crab along with the Chapati. We were expecting the paneer to have a bit more flavor to it as it tasted kind of like unseasoned tofu. The Butter Pepper Garlic Crab was amazing, however. It was super buttery (as it should be), the crab pieces were plentiful and well-cooked, and the garlic was a nice touch, served on top of basmati rice. They served the crab in an actual crab shell which they dumped over the rice at the table. They gave us a mint chutney (we think) and fresh red onions which we were adding to practically every dish we were served.
The chapati was delicious, soft, warm, and the perfect vehicle to have the crab. Super fresh and tortilla-esque.
Entrées: We were questioning whether we wanted to order the highly-recommended Nalli Biryani because of the $75 price tag, but ended up ordering it and we were so glad we did. I am normally a Chicken Tikka Masala girl, but definitely wanted to branch out coming here and try something new! It did not disappoint and I actually did feel like it was worth the price. The serving was enormous and delicious that we both were able to take home leftovers. They served it with a yogurt sauce with what looked and tasted like celery which was the perfect accompaniment to the spicy biryani. Amazing!!! The presentation was also so fun! See below.
To accompany our entrée, we ordered the Paratha as our second bread option of the night which was also delicious and fresh! It was nice and flaky, warm, and another perfect vehicle for the biryani.
Fun side note: when they wrapped up our biryani to take home, they packaged up the bone too! How adorable.
Overall, Dhamaka was amazing! Except for the Paneer Tikka, everything was super flavorful and delicious. I could’ve had more of each item we ordered and I will definitely be back. The Nalli Biryani, though, is a must order.