PROFILE BY BEST RESTAURANTS
Originally starting out as a restaurant in Auburn, in more recent years Bundu Khan has found a spot, and a following, on the restaurant strip of Crows Nest's Pacific Highway. Distinguished from the many other restaurants that line this street by its glowing yellow sign and circular entrance, it also distinguishes itself with its individual brand of cooked-to-order Pakistani-meets-Indian cuisine. The menu covers a lot of territory, both in taste and geography, moving with ease from entrees to dishes prepared in the tandoor (such as chicken tikka) to chicken, lamb, beef, seafood, vegetarian and rice options. Indian favourites, such as butter chicken, find their place here but are joined by less-known, though equally delicious, dishes such as chilli chicken and aloo gobi (cauliflower cooked with potatoes in chef's special spices). This restaurant is not afraid to use spice, so if you're sensitive ask your waiter or waitress about it – most meals can be made milder (or with more fire) if you like. If you do opt for a hot meal, be sure to pair it with a cooling rose or mango lassi. If you'd like to pair your meal with something more alcoholic, you're going to have to go next door. To the bottle shop. Bundu Khan is BYO only.
In decor, the restaurant is pleasant. Its walls are made of a mix of raw, slated brick sections and mirrors. The floor is tiled and the tables modern. Lotus-like chandeliers cast light on your dining experience while a series of LCD screens runs a constant repertoire of Bollywood music adding to the ambience and topics of conversation. Bundu Khan also has a private dining area, separated from the main dining floor by five or six steps. The waitstaff are obliging and quick to assist with suggestions (or jugs of water).
Agnes Gajewska