Cheap Eats - This is the Bomb
Cafe Bombay’s Indian fare will put you in a spicy swoon
I’ve just devoured a lamb naan, practically biting my husband’s fingers as he reaches for the last wedge. You’d think I hadn’t eaten in weeks. Few things are as intense or as satisfyingly fulfilled as an Indian food craving, and at Cafe Bombay, each spoonful of richly spiced curry and every crusty-chewy bite of paratha sets me a-twitter.
Bliss is in the details: Located in a shopping center that is also home to a sari shop and the Ethiopian restaurant Queen of Sheba, Cafe Bombay’s interior may look strip-mall bland during lunch when the buffet’s steam tables dominate the large dining room. Come evening, however, dimmed lighting and soft Indian music create a dreamy, intimate atmosphere.
Ghee, that smells terrific: Cauliflower pakora ($3.50) are simply gorgeous. The gram-flour fritters are light and greaseless with a crisp outer shell that melts away as your teeth sink into sweet, custardy cauliflower florets. I’m not much of a lamb fan, but in my dream world, I could ring a bell at any minute and be instantly served a fluffy stack of Café Bombay’s lamb naan ($3.50). A light brushing of ghee (clarified butter) adds an extra touch of decadence to the toasty, chewy flatbread. Bits of roast lamb, garlic, a hint of cloves, turmeric and sweet onions stud the naan.
Sweet ‘n’ creamy: Chicken afghani ($9.95) is a sweet, coconut milk-based curry laced with red peppers. Tomatoes add a zesty touch, and the chunks of chicken are nothing less than utterly succulent. It’s actually a touch too sweet for my taste, but I still wipe up every last bit of the sauce with tufts of the lacha paratha ($2.50), a nutty whole-wheat flatbread that boasts flaky layers made for plate-wiping.
Veg orgy: Vegetarians are offered a raft of choices. I know that palak paneer ($8.95) is just about as exotic as chicken divan, but it’s nonetheless impossible to resist the creamy, cumin and chili-spiced spinach and chunks of fried paneer, or fresh cheese. I am constantly amazed by how little I miss meat when enjoying Indian cuisine, especially with dishes like baigan masala ($8.95), the smoky, tangy-sweet dish of eggplant fried to an unctuous, spoon-tender consistency. Portions at Cafe Bombay are generous and service is exceedingly polite. Show some restraint and your meal will ring in right around $20. But over-ordering for a few dollars more is the way to go. Eat until you can’t breathe at dinner, take everything home and awake the next day to the pleasure of stuffing yourself all over again.