The recently launched Mrs Doubtfire Dining Experience at Colonel Saab, just a stone’s throw from the Shaftesbury Theatre, offers more than just a pre-theatre meal. This seemingly unlikely collab between the hit West End show and the award-winning Indian restaurant is nothing short of a multi-sensory spectacle. In true Colonel Saab fashion, this is an experience that doesn’t merely flirt with the dramatic but fully embraces it, transforming dining into an art form itself.
Stepping into Colonel Saab is like entering a time capsule of Indian opulence. The restaurant is like a living museum, filled with eclectic artefacts collected by owner Roop Partap Choudhary during his travels across the country. This setting, rich in history and culture, serves as the perfect backdrop for the Doubtfire-inspired menu, which is as playful and transformative as the beloved character herself.
The menu is a five-course journey through flavours and sensations, accompanied by cocktails that seemingly defy the laws of nature – we watch in awe as ours turns from blue to pink before our eyes. The Chachi 420 gin cocktail, a nod to the Bollywood remake of Mrs Doubtfire, surprises with its ability to shift colours, setting the tone for an evening where nothing is quite as it seems.
The starters follow suit with whimsical dishes like “My First Day as a Woman” Anglo Indian Chicken Chop. This dish, much like Daniel’s first chaotic day as Euphegenia Doubtfire, is a delicious blend of the familiar and the unexpected. The subtlety of Indian spices is interwoven with Anglo flavours, creating a dish that’s both comforting and adventurous.
But the pièce de résistance is undoubtedly the Butter Chicken, inspired by the spatchcock Chicken scene from the film. (It certainly helps to be a fan – if you know, you know). Served with a theatrical flair, it arrives under a cloud of liquid nitrogen, a cheeky reference to that iconic kitchen fire scene. The dish itself is rich and indulgent, with tender chicken bathed in a creamy, tomato-based sauce that is the epitome of comfort food. Yet, in true Colonel Saab fashion, it’s elevated with a twist, and a burst of unexpected flavours, much like Mrs Doubtfire’s mischievous antics, you could say.
Designed to mirror the themes of transformation and surprise that are central to Mrs Doubtfire, every dish is a play on the idea of disguise. Yet beneath the playful exterior lies a depth of flavour and a respect for culinary tradition that is the hallmark of Colonel Saab. Ultimately, this is a celebration of culture, food, and theatre, seamlessly blending the three into an unforgettable evening.
With bellies full and spirits raised, we head over to the Shaftesbury to enjoy the musical itself, just in time for curtain up.
