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April 28, 2008
Bombay is open!
From Gary: Sunday Barb and I had a sneak preview of the new Bombay restaurant in Petersburg. We really miss the Royal India which closed a couple of years ago and are delighted to see a new Indian dining opportunity here (in the same location btw). There were three of us and all agreed it was the best we’d ever had and we have sampled Indian cuisine in lots of places (S.F., N.Y., D.C., and London) to name a few.
The new operators are connected to the Bombay India on K Street in DC. We ordered three well known standbys to share with an appetizer plate and shared all. The main courses were Lamb Roganjosh, Banghan Barta and Saag Paneer. We ordered everything “spicy” which was “double ‘BAM’”. Garlic Naan and Padamum was served with the meal along with a complimentary glass of Mango Lassi. Every item was agreeably the best we have ever eaten, including the breads and appetizers.
Bombay intends to serve a buffet lunch during the week and menu service on weekends and evenings. Best of all, they will also cater and that service is up and running now. It will be interesting to see if they can match the quality on a buffet that they achieve from the menu.
We are definitely going back again (and again…. probably) to try some of the items that we are not familiar with. Their cooking style is Northern (Punjab) and the hospitality is five star. Barb and I will certainly try to keep them open all by ourselves but suggest you all give it a try. I’m ready to go back now!
I stopped by about two weeks ago, to see if they were open. They weren’t yet, but the proprietor offered to serve me a meal anyway! I declined, as I’d have felt bad for him to go to all the trouble, but I was blown away that he’d make the offer.
Fantastic!
I’ll round up my crew this week!
Oops — hold up — hey Gary, you said you had a sneak preview… are they actually open at this date, or just really really close (with the rest of us now salivating)?
I’m sorry, yes they are actually open and anxious to serve you even though they are as yet still without their sineage and some needed decor changes. So yes–go now and hurry before I eat everything! The captain’s name is Jimmi and his partner is Juliette.
Ex-cellent
Where exactly is it located? I’m a newbie here & just love Indian food. Thnx.
Until someone with better navigation skills responds… when you exit I-95 (S) onto Washington St. bearing west, it’s on your right side in very short order. Sort of a round building.
401 e washington…across from the Ramada
Hmmmmm I think I know what’s for dinner tonight.
I went by a couple of days ago and the doors were locked. I called the number on the banner out front and was informed that it would be a couple more weeks before they openned.
Hm. Their parking lot was packed last night when we drove by. Maybe they are offering lots of previews b/f their official ‘throw the doors slam open’?
Went back to Bombay today to check in on Jimmy’s progress and found that (good news) they have started making renovations in earnest) and (bad news) there will be no more sneak previews before grand opening. Not sur how long but it “won’t be too long” according to Jimmy!
Ate Mex today at Mi Rodeo. Also excellent.
Are they officially open now? On the way home yesterday noticed the curtains open, balloons, and the “Open” sign on…well…guess/hope that means YES!
I told Keith I want to try this and that little Greek place we say on (I think) High St. this weekend.
re Greek… are you thinking of Alexander’s? It’s on Bank St., near M&M ice cream.
Aye that might be it, small place (I think the exterior is painted white) we just noticed it when we were on that HPF tour of Old Towne - had NO idea there was a Greek restaurant in town.
Eh..we need to get out more!
Tis yummy. And take cash or your checkbook — last I stopped by there, they didn’t do debit.
I was there May 9th and used my debit card without a problem. Although I’ve been to several Indian restaurants, I’m no expert on Indian food. One of the dishes labeled “spicy” was not hot enough for me — even though I had told Jimmy that I wanted it extra hot. I did find the food quite good and will return.
Only one other table had guests, however. I hope the number of customers picks up soon!
oh, I was referring to Alexander’s in raising the cash/check recommendation. :-)
re: Bombay, they have ‘Grand Opening’ out front. Looks to be open, but we didn’t have a chance to stop by to confirm.
Sorry. Yep, Spiro doesn’t seem to like plastic.
Ok, I guess it’s safe to say I’ll stick to The Crazy Greek. When I saw the placard out front with ‘Fine Greek Italian American cuisine’ I was SURE I would like it.
Wrong. I guess maybe they play to the Petersburg clientele more and tone it down a bit but, there was no Tiropitakia, Spanakopita, Dolmades, Kalamari…no Gyros, no shish kabobs, OR mousakka. Come on..Italian yes, Greek…not so much. The waitress did tell us that sometimes the nightly special might include Moussaka..and the fish, when they have it is either Tuna or Salmon….where would a Greek get a Salmon?
We were there for lunch but asked to see the dinner menu hoping some of these offerings would be listed but…nope. I did see they had one type of Souvlaki and Baklava. I don’t think I even saw Ouzo.
I think we’ll try Bombay tomorrow!
Maybe the menu didn’t jive with what you had expected, but how about the quality of what you did try? We’ve been pleased with the food and the menu. Fresh and yummy. And the staff attentive and friendly.
To put it differently: having lived in Mexico and been exposed to some insanely tasty Mexican culinary masterpieces, the typical fajitas/enchiladas menu leaves me sad. Yet that doesn’t make the fajitas inferior. Just means I’ll have to go to DC or cross the border or something to get my huitalacoche on.
Ouzo. Yuck.
Yeah, I was disappointed when I first went there too, because my petersburg hosts had built it up so…
But I have come to apprieciate it for what it is: good american-style food with a greek twist, with some of the best service in petersburg.
Add to that (#21): chiles en nogada, pollo pibil, pozole verde, huaraches (lordy, I’m going to have to book a flight…) — But I digress. If Bombay is open tomorrow, we may see you there. :-)
We went to Bombay last night. Everything Gary said in the post that kicked this thread off, seriously.
Oh, and they are open 7 days, 7 nights!!!!
the food is pretty good
WoW - Soooo full! My eyes were def. bigger than my stomach. Really good food. We started with the Vegetable sampler platter for an appetizer with Corriander and Tamarind chutney - YUM!
Keith had Chicken Vindaloo with rice and paneer kulcha and I had the chef’s recommendation vegetarian platter that had saag paneer, bengan bhurta, chana masala, daal makani, rice, raita, roti, and dessert of the day which I told Jimmy I had absolutely no room for….eh half of that I brought home (YAY for leftovers for lunch!!)
The mango lassi’s were good but a bit light on the yogurt but, they were still tasty.
I think I want to get him a Lakshmi or Ganesha figure for good luck/prosperity!
And don’t forget… they DO CATTER
Okay, Okay so I’m not the only one that giggles at that! =)
Somebody should tell them. My wife calls it the “randsom note” sign.
“All your catters r belong to us”
Hm, for all we know, maybe step 1 was to get the place open, and step 2 will be to take care of things like improved signage. Don’t know. I do know, however, that it’s the food that will determine if I return to the restaurant. I will, and I will encourage others to do so if they like Indian cuisine.
Besides, we all know how easy it can be to make a typo for all to see, right…? (Yeah yeah, you don’t have an edit button…)
:-)
Hm part 2 — I guess in view of #30, we’re not talking about a simple oopsie of a typo, are we. Yeah, a friendly suggestion might be helpful.
You are right. As bruno says, a drive-by posting can make it look like I’m just negative about the place.
Nothing is further from the truth. I am very glad they are here.
That’s why I said “someone should tell them.”
“reprove a wise man, and he will thank thee.”
No Fair Brenda, No Fair!!!
re: typo =P
Eh I’m actually enjoying my Chana Masala and Daal leftovers with Naan bread as we speak….well…uhhh type.
I seriously hope he does well the food is the shiznit!
Well it’s not as bad a misspelling as it could be…. if you look closely you can see he shadow of adhesive where there used to be some additional letter there.
But it is funny.
And yes the food is good.
Anyone know if/where the Bombay restaurant has moved? We noted that the lights were off Saturday, 8pm - sad belly - but hear they might have moved? - potentially happy belly.
I’d like to know, too. Is it still open?
What is it about that location that just seems cursed for restaurants? You’d think that, right on the edge of downtown, visible from the freeway, surrounded by hotels, that it would be a restaurateur’s dream.
Yet they open and close in that same round building, year after year.
I heard they were moving next door into the Le Venue space? Can anyone confirm?