Features

Bombay Gaylord: fine Indian cuisine in Silver Spring

by Patricia B. Grossman
Photos by Julie Wiatt

When can you honestly say that everything on a particular restaurant menu is good? And consistently good at that? Bombay Gaylord is that kind of restaurant. From the appetizers to the salads, breads, and entrées–seafood, meat, and vegetarian–everything is delicious and healthy.

Not being a newcomer to this establishment, I know the menu well. But I experienced a first on my most recent visit: I had the lunch buffet. And yes, everything is tasty, fresh, and well presented. Every time a chafing dish ran low on food, a fresh dish replaced it immediately–nothing is left to get cold.

For those not accustomed to Indian food, in which the spices can be exotic and complex, Bombay Gaylord’s buffet can be a great introduction. Every dish is clearly labeled, which emphasizes the uniqueness and wide variety of offerings. Choices include a salad with lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers started the buffet with cucumber raita (a mild dressing of homemade yogurt, grated cucumber, and spices); mixed vegetable curry; chicken tikka masala; channa masala (chickpeas and potatoes in a special sauce); tandoori chicken; and dal tarka (yellow lentil simmered with tomatoes and ginger).

The tandoori chicken tastes like grilled chicken from the barbecue–moist and flavorful without the skin. I didn’t think I’d like the vegetable dishes as much as the tandoori chicken, but given the way this restaurant uses spices and special sauces, I couldn’t help but like the vegetables as well.

While the buffet is interesting and the food good, some of my favorite entrees weren’t offered on the day of my visit. I always order the chicken biryani when I’m really hungry. Large pieces of chicken are cooked with rice and a blend of spices which I cannot distinguish. But it’s so savory and tasty, I just relax and enjoy it, rather than trying to figure out how to make it.

As mentioned before, the vegetable dishes are delicious. I especially like the baingan bhartha (roasted eggplant cooked in spices, tomatoes and onions). The saag paneer (homemade cheese in cubes cooked with chopped spinach and spices) is also a favorite of mine.

Huge cooked shrimp in an exotic blend of spices with onions, tomatoes and green peppers make up the Bombay shrimp masala, the most expensive entrée on the menu (still reasonably priced at $10.95). One of my dining companions, who loves Indian food, couldn’t get over this dish.

Basmati rice is served alongside all of the dishes ordered. Basmati has less starch than the long-grain rice cultivated in the United States, but this does not equal dryness–it never takes away from the moistness of the sauces.

Appetizers are plentiful and, to enhance their flavors, are served with various chutneys (most commonly coriander or mango) which range from mildly sweet to very spicy. For $4.50, the appetizer platter is a meal in itself, but is also a great starter for two or four. Consisting of vegetable samosas (crispy pastry stuffed with potatoes), chicken pakoras (pieces of chicken breast in dipped in a chickpea batter and deep-fried), and onion bhajias (chopped onion dipped in chickpea flour and deep-fried), this platter certainly whets the appetite.

Remember, all of these dishes are served with rice, and bread if you desire. Bombay Gaylord has seven different varieties of bread to choose from. Most resemble thin pita bread but are hot, moist, and tender. Some of the breads are stuffed with savory spices and onions or potatoes. The generous entrée portions and the rice fill me up, but when I bring guests new to try Indian food, I always order one of the breads for variety. You can’t go wrong with any of them.

For a real treat, order a mango lassi–a refreshing mango yogurt drink, which tastes more like a tropical milkshake. Beer and wine are also served.

Whether you are a novice to Indian food or it’s a lifelong comfort food, Bombay Gaylord will delight you consistently.

Bombay Gaylord is located at 8401 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring. 301-565-2528. Hours: Monday through Friday 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. for lunch, and 5:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. for dinner; Saturday and Sunday 12:00 noon to 3:00 p.m. for lunch and 5:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. for dinner. The buffet is $6.95 on weekdays and $7.95 on Saturday and Sunday.