Bombay Indian Cuisine

Where do I start with my praise of my favourite Indian restaurant? I should say from the outset that I am a local and a regular so there is no doubt that I get a particularly warm welcome, however if they hadn't been so welcoming the first time I went in I may never have gone back so there you go. I have travelled across India, curry is my favourite food both to eat and to cook, and I have eaten curries in every major city in the country, I know my curry! Bombay is my favourite. There are no pretensions of gourmet extravagance here, but that is one of the reasons I love it. I'm not a "curried oxtail" or "tandoori quail" man really. Although I will occasionally go to a "Chilli Pickle" or "Cinnamon Lounge" type of restaurant in general I like my curry's reliable and dependable, fresh and filling. Bombay does exactly what it sets out to do exceptionally well.

The usual suspects on the menu (Vindaloo, Dopiaza, Korma etc) are all of a high standard, but the specials are fantastic! I am a massive fan of the fiery Chicken Jubilee and Lal Maans (a whole shank of lamb in a hot tomato sauce). The staff will however prepare you whatever you wish. If you can't find what you want on their extensive menu just explain what you like or fancy and it will be prepared. I think the secret of Bombay's success for me is the multitude of small things done just right - the popadom chutneys/onion etc are delicious and the popadoms are always fresh (this is so often not the case in other restaurants), the food isn't artificially coloured, or over-oily. The naan breads aren't overly buttery or overly dry but just right. You can have your meat as tikka or regularly prepared for any of the dishes. It is the only curry house I remember eating at with "onion and garlic rice" on the menu, and it's bloody lovely! The portion sizes are generous without being gratuitously massive which is testimony to the quality of the ingredients.

When we first went to the restaurant we were initially slightly concerned by it being an Indian AND Thai as my experience has been that restaurants with multiple cuisines often fail to do any one really well. Bombay has both Thai and Indian chefs however and although I personally always go for the Indian, my girlfriend and friends will often have Thai, and say it's fantastic. Bombay also offer regular discounts where if you collect your food for a takeaway you can get one dish free, or if you have one of their cards you can get 20% off a sit-down meal, making it great value for money. But finally the main reason I go back at least once a week is the unfailingly warm welcome by all the cracking chaps that work there. Should I ever leave Brighton, Bombay will be one of the things I miss the most. And no, honestly, I wasn't paid or even asked to write this review.
Comment on this reader review

Rob
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Thursday, August 04, 2011