Bongow Indian Cuisine is in Kelvedon Hatch in Brentwood, Essex. It claims to be the village’s first ever Indian restaurant. The area is best known for being home to a secret nuclear bunker. Built during the Cold War, this was designed to be an emergency regional government headquarters and now operates as a tourist attraction and museum.
Bongow’s menu offers everything you’d expect. Options for starters are vast. The classics are well represented by the likes of onion bhajis, meat or vegetable samosas and sheek kebab. More adventurous additions come via the form of duck tikka and prawn cocktail.
The signature dishes offer something to suit most tastes. Monkfish bhuna, goan fish curry and lamb shank are the three standouts. There's also golda chingri, a mildly spicy Bengali prawn curry. Karahis and baltis are two further types of curry on the menu, both available with either chicken, lamb, beef, prawn or king prawn. Completing the curry line up are the old favourites, including madras, vindaloo, jalfrezi, korma, tikka masala and rogan josh.
Those not after the traditional curry can opt for a biryani or something from the tandoori range. Biryanis can either be chicken, lamb, duck, prawn or king prawn, with a similar line up available if ordering a tandoori main. Breads take the form of either naan, roti, paratha or chapati.
The menu is also available for takeaway, both for delivery and collection. Ordering this way opens up a range of set menus. These range from £18.95 to £65.95 and cater for up to four people.