When: January 20, 2013
Where: The Bombay Palace, 15295 Southwest Freeway, Sugar Land, TX 77478

So Nicole and I decided to throw a wild card into the mix of our 52 Houston Dates when we decided to have dinner with a bunch of friends. New rule: if we have “special guests” at dinner, they choose a restaurant new to us and we co-author the post (Nicole in italics). My good buddy Trent organized a meeting on the southwest side of town (Sugar Land) which is full of Indian cuisine, something of which I am fairly ignorant. I had Indian food once before, over ten years ago. The flavors were new and scary and I didn’t have a good experience. However, I knew that Sugar Land was home to great Indian food and I was prepared to give it another shot. There were eight of us that dined at The Bombay Palace on Sunday night, with friend Brian Elliot acting as our guide.  While my buddies Trent and Matt both enjoy Indian food, Brian is well versed, needless to say, and the group relied on his expertise to navigate the intricate menu. It was all new to me and many of the menu descriptions seemed quite similar. It was clear that this was an Indian restaurant for those with experience. When I was introduced to Brian, it was explained to me he was an Indian food connoisseur. I took that as an invite to sit right next to him, explain everything to me on the menu and trust him to order with my inexperience and taste in mind.

The Bombay Palace is a nicely decorated place located in a typical beige Houston suburb shopping center; I think there was a Freebirds next door. The Bombay Palace had recently changed management, it was previously known as Mantra. Our meal started off with some pappadam, which is a sesame seed cracker that one dribbles some chutney on, kind of like the Indian version of chips and salsa. Served were a tamarind and a mint chutney, both were simple and approachable.  I probably could have eaten several baskets of the stuff, but the meal had to press on. Brian ordered up an appetizer that consisted of samosas which is a fried pastry filled with spiced potatoes  and aloo (peas), along with some chicken achari and a salad. The waiter suggested we order the chicken achari, promising Brian he would like it. Brian was unsure, but was very glad he took the waiter’s advice. I was blown away with the chicken achari as it was the most tender, most savory chicken that I have eaten in a long time. The blend of spices and seasoning in conjunction with the chicken being cooked perfectly made for a mouthful of awe…non nom nom. The samosas were also quite delicious and one could make a meal out of a handful of these. I found the chicken achari to have a freshness to it that was similar to a cilantro spice. Not my favorite, but I appreciated the flavor and it won favor with the table. I was impressed with the waiter suggesting such a well-liked dish. He knew his audience.

On to the main course; Brian ordered no less than six different dishes that we all shared family style. In no particular order we had:

• Chicken Madras- Spicy chicken with a hint of coconut and poppy seeds
• Saag Paneer – Fresh spinach cooked with lots of tomatoes and mild spice, finished with a touch of cream.
• Lamb Vindaloo – Lamb cooked with potatoes and hot marinated whole spices.
• Daal Makni – a mélange of five lentils garnished with butter and cumin
• Chicken Tikka Masala – Tandoori chicken cooked in a creamy tomato sauce.
• Navrattan Korma – A combination of vegetables and nuts cooked in a rich cashew nut sauce.

I proceeded to put a little of everything on my plate, which turned into a color pallet of Indian flavors. The dishes were served with three different types of naan bread, in regular, mint and garlic flavors, along with some jasmine rice to help soak up all the different tastes. At this point I was not totally sure what I was eating but it was all excellent. When it came to second helpings my focus turned to the chicken madras, lamb vindaloo and tikka masala. All I can say was the spicy and tang flavors of the lamb vindaloo were great, Matt mentioned that it was his favorites and I think I would second that opinion. My stomach filled up quickly and what seemed like an average sized meal became quite filling.  My final thoughts can only be summed up by: Nom, Nom, and Nom!!!!!

When Brian found out I was a cheesemonger, he immediately suggested the creamy saag paneer; and he was right in doing so, it was a favorite dish of mine. Sepi and I couldn’t get enough of it. I also fell for the tikka masala. The tomato sauce was not unlike my tomato soup made with cream. It was rich flavorful and NOT spicy. I adored it. Brian did warn me that the tikka masala sauce at The Bombay Palace was unique and that if I ordered tikka masala from another Indian restaurant, I would have different results. I was fond of the garlic naan also. I have to laugh that all the dishes I liked are on the kids menu. I guess I’m at the chicken fingers and french fries level with Indian food. Other takeaways: 

Matt Zimmer: “In the scheme of my Indian experiences it was fresh, clean and spiced just right… the pinnacle of Indian food in Houston so far.”
Trent Veazey:  “The lamb vindaloo was pretty good.”

The meal was surprisingly inexpensive for all that we consumed. Tip included, we got out under $25 each. A great night with friends, eating Indian food in Sugar Land.