Acclaimed Indian-born Canadian chef Vikram Vij has partnered up with Eat Up Canada to bring Bombay Frankies, a restaurant concept built solely around the eponymous frankie roll, to the Ontario region.
The frankie, one of India's premier street foods, was essentially built to assuage the hunger pangs of the busy commuter in a bustling city like Bombay (now Mumbai). Its style of being served in the form of a roll was designed to provide tasty experiences on the go for the working class who did not have much time to stop and eat.
Structurally, a frankie is a handheld burrito-like roll with the tortilla giving way to a paratha — or other Indian flatbreads, if one is feeling particularly creative. The insides are filled with meat and/or vegetables, a mouthwatering array of spices and sauces that'll make you want many more frankies than just one.
Bombay Frankies is set to change that fast-paced environment around the frankie and create a space to sit down and enjoy one of the tastiest bounties of West India. The 1,500-square-foot, 30-seat space will also serve frankie bowls, salads, side dishes and drinks.
Vij, the mind behind restaurants like Vij's Restaurant, Rangoli Restaurant and My Shanti, oversaw the development and testing of the Bombay Frankie menu himself, putting his spin on some of the classic frankie flavour combinations.
"Whenever I enjoy a frankie roll, my mind is transported back to my childhood in Bombay, India," he said. "To those who know and love the frankie roll, Bombay Frankies promises those familiar, 'back home' flavours. For those new to the frankie roll, I am certain they'll fall immediately in love with it."
For a lot of TasteToronto readers, Newmarket might seem like a long trek to make for a frankie, but fret not! Since announcing the opening of the first location, Eat Up Canada has received numerous inquiries regarding franchising opportunities and plans are underway for four to six new locations in the GTA in 2023.
For more information regarding hours of operation and the full menu, visit Bombay Frankies' website.
Bombay Frankies' first Canadian location is situated in East Gwillimbury/Newmarket at 200 Green Ln E. Building.
