Fusion India: Essence of Bollywood and Mumbai Street

Fusion India : Essentially Bollywood in Bothel

        -Pradeep Gupta 

I remember fifteen year back it was little difficult to find authentic Indian flavors in Seattle, Washington State. You could have counted Restaurants serving indian foods on your finger tips. Things are changing very fast in the culinary scenario of Seattle city. You can now have plenty of Indian Food choices right from Hyderabadi Biryani, South Indian dishes , North Indian dishes to typical Mumbai Street Food. 

Latest addition is Fusion India . We visited  this restaurant yesterday located in Bothell, suburban area of Seattle located in the north creek area . 

The restaurant is serving famous Mumbai street food that is not their USP as  many other restaurants are also having few such items in their Menu Card . Fusion India has a unique proposition packaging the whole package in Hindi Filmi flavor. 

As you enter in the reception area, you are welcomed with posters of super duper hit films. The ambience of inside the restaurant is again a hint of Bollywood. By the way, owner of Fusion India, Nagpal couple is from the city of Mumbai. It has bundled  the very best of Mumbai in a small space of its restaurant. Presentation of dishes is somewhat unique and try to give authentic taste of Mumbai. 

We have tried their many signature vegetarian dishes but definitely the hit item is Vada Pav, Samosa and Cutting Chai. Vada Pav is street food equally adored by from Aam as well as Khaas Mumbaikar, Vada Pav is a deep dried potato patty covered in Besan sandwiched between a Pav, so many other cities tried to recreate Vada Pav but not succeeded . Honestly, Fusion India has imitated to large extent.

Probably role model that Fusion India adopted is somewhat closer to Dishum of London. But here they tried to take you on a culinary journey of Mumbai via Bollywood. Each dish is named after a Bollywood movie and comes with its own unique presentation. One example of that is The Burning Train. The appetizer is named after a 1980 super hit . The chicken drumsticks are delivered on model train and then set on fire!

Vada Pav is served in Insaf Ka Taraju, Samosa in a cart!

The drinks are very colorful and theatrical, the cocktails come in fun glassware and are finished with dry ice right in front of you. Name of drinks are also filmi - The Dirty Picture, Buddha Hoga Tera Bap, Gulabo, Paan Banaras Wala , KMKKM, Darde Disco, Desi Pavwa. 

Names of dishes also have Bollywood twist -Bambai se aya mera dost, Dharam Garam, Gabbar, Hawa Hawai, Samba 65, Basanti Manchurian. 

Many weekends convert restaurants into Bollywood hangars, full of live Bollywood music.

That is why I always say that despite people blame  for cultural devaluation but the fact remains that Indians living abroad identity themselves with Bollywood, this you can infer from mushrooming restaurants overseas heavily based on Bollywood these, Fusion India is one such example.