Dadar, a new Indian restaurant in Altrincham, is redefining expectations by serving authentic Mumbai street food instead of British-style curries. Co-owner Roshan, who has over a decade of front-of-house experience at Dishoom and Indian Tiffin Room, opened the restaurant with his business partner in 2025 to share the vibrant flavours of Mumbai's street-food scene.
A Tribute to Mumbai's Culinary Heritage
Roshan recalls childhood trips to Mumbai to visit his uncle, where he would explore Girgaon Chowpatty beach and Dadar Street. "My uncle used to live in Mumbai, and I remember going in the holidays to visit. There were a lot of us and my uncle would be working so he would give us some money and tell us to go enjoy the beach and get some food," he said. These experiences inspired Dadar's menu, which features dishes from across India, including samosas, idli, and Punjabi specialties.
The restaurant's decor pays homage to Mumbai with ornaments like a sacred cow statue and incense holders, creating an immersive atmosphere. "Dadar in Mumbai is a place where people mostly come for the shopping, a place where you can buy anything, but then there's also lots of street food vendors," Roshan explained.
No Korma or Vindaloo: A Different Approach
Dadar's menu avoids British curry house staples like korma, vindaloo, and madras. Instead, it focuses on traditional Indian cooking with unique spice blends for each dish. "It's not their fault but people come to a restaurant and are confused that there's no korma or chicken tikka, not jalfrezi. A customer asked us 'are you even in an Indian restaurant?'" Roshan said. "But it's an authentic taste, what makes us different is we're not using the same base for every dish, so not onion or tomato as a starting point but our own set of spices, which means they all have a different taste."
Standout dishes include the Dadar Special Lamb Curry, made with charred onions and coconut, with spices sourced directly from his business partner's mother in India. Other highlights are tender jackfruit bites in Indo-Chinese chilli sauce, bite-sized bhajis with sweet and spicy mint yoghurt, and the Ashok Vada Pau – a spicy potato dumpling in a soft bun with fiery Maharashtrian spice blend.
Authenticity Over Adaptation
Roshan emphasises that the restaurant does not adjust its dishes to suit British palates. "We're not adjusting the menu, people have to taste the curry as it is. If they want a dish made extra spicy we will recommend a different dish and the same goes for mild dishes too," he said. The menu is designed for sharing, with large and small plates served tapas-style. "We are not a curry house, we are doing something different here. We're doing almost tapas style so large and small plates so people can share. Food comes as it's ready rather than starters and mains."
Since opening, Dadar has attracted both Asian customers who recognise the authentic flavours and locals willing to try something new. "People who come here love the food, and say it's the best. As I'm Asian and I have worked in lots of restaurants I know pleasing some taste buds can be difficult but luckily people who are Asian and coming here are loving our food – this is what they eat every day so they will give good feedback," Roshan said.
Challenges and Motivation
Running their own business was a challenge for Roshan and his partner, but their confidence in the menu kept them motivated. "We had some fear running a restaurant, running your own business is very different to working in a restaurant, but we knew that we had worked hard on the menu and that as soon as people came and experienced it that they would like it. We are doing something a bit different here and challenging, but once people try it, they get it and say it's amazing – that's what has kept us motivated."
Dadar is located at 21 The Downs, Altrincham WA14 2QD.
