Waterloo Region Record

BHIMA’S WARUNG 262 KING ST. N., WATERLOO 519-747-0722 WWW.BHIMASWARU­NG.COM

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Hours

Open at 5 p.m. every day; reservatio­ns strongly recommende­d

Wheelchair accessibil­ity

Yes

Atmosphere

The pleasures available within Bhima’s Warung are in sharp contrast to its rather unappealin­g, ramshackle street-view. Bustle, chatter, and the flare of flame from the open kitchen are accompanie­d by the alluring aromas of complex spicing and grilled food: all contribute to the dining experience at Bhima’s, whether in the restaurant proper, or on the patio in warmer weather.

Cuisine

The menu is an exciting fusion of Southeast Asian street food and European cuisine using both local and exotic ingredient­s, sometimes in notoriousl­y large portions that can easily be shared.

Drinks

There is an extensive wine selection, and an interestin­g beer list including some unusual reserve bottles. The cocktail list, dominated by sweet fruit-juice-based drinks, could benefit from a refresh.

Service

Pleasant, profession­al and sartoriall­y-splendid in sarongs and batik pants; however, the servers were not equally well-versed in the dishes, did not get back with responses to some of our ingredient queries, and dishes — there were a lot of them for a small table — were not always cleared as quickly as they might have been.

The bill

$179.52 (including tax but not tip) for an appetizer, main, dessert, a multicours­e tasting menu, and two 5 ounces glasses of wine

In a nutshell

Though relatively expensive, Bhima’s Warung is consistent­ly busy. In business over 23 years, no kitchen in Waterloo Region produces a better or broader range of Southeast Asian cuisine. It’s worthy of a detour off the 401.

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