My wife, a/k/a The Timid
Traveler, enjoys Indian food but is very particular about where she orders it.
Cities including London, Toronto and Vancouver meet her criteria of being cities with a large enough Indian population that the chances of getting really good Indian food are fairly high. So it was with great delight that we spotted Salam
Bombay on the corner of Burrard and Alberni in downtown Vancouver.
Salam Bombay serves what they
term “contemporary Indian cuisine,” which we discovered when we popped in for
dinner one Saturday night in mid-February. Immediately, we noticed a fair
number of people who appeared to be of Indian heritage. I choose to take it as
a good sign when people of the restaurant’s ethnicity deign to dine there. It
seems to be a validation that the food is reasonably authentic.
Thus reassured, we sat down to enjoy a lovely, long meal.
Opting for the Chef’s Table brought us a very interesting selection of appetizers, main dishes, and even a dessert, which we would likely have never tried because we’re more savory than we are “sweets” people.
For our appetizer, we enjoyed
Prawn Pacora. Battered and deep-fried, it was served with a side of chick peas
and strips of what appeared to be deep-fried naan.
Our second course consisted of chunks of grilled lamb and chicken with mint sauce accompanied by julienne vegetables.
One of the advantages of opting for the Chef’s Table is that diners are able to sample four smaller-sized entrees rather than the two that would be served if a couple was choosing from the regular menu. For our selections, we enjoyed pacora with minted potatoes and deep-fried curry leaves; lamb tika and chicken tika, coconut curry halibut, rice, with a side of naan.
For dessert, a fried banana and
a scoop of rich vanilla ice cream provided all the sweet treat we needed.
A bottle of Sauvignon Blanc from one of B.C.’s many wineries proved a perfect complement. The fresh, slightly citrus notes balanced the rich, and sometimes spicy, flavors of the dishes quite well.
In addition, the service was
excellent. I was initially inclined to say it was in part because we put
ourselves in our server’s hands, but everyone took very good care of us. From
the hostess who seated us to the servers’ assistant who kept the water glasses
filled and the dirty dishes whisked away to our server who made
recommendations, then checked back often to make sure everything was to our
liking, everyone was as attentive and gracious as could be.
We both enjoyed Salam Bombay and are keen to return next time we’re in Vancouver.
Visit my main page at TheTravelPro.us for more news, reviews, and personal observations on the world of upmarket travel.
Follow @TheTravelProUS
Photos by Carl Dombek
Click on photos to view larger images
Prawn Pacora appetizer |
Thus reassured, we sat down to enjoy a lovely, long meal.
Opting for the Chef’s Table brought us a very interesting selection of appetizers, main dishes, and even a dessert, which we would likely have never tried because we’re more savory than we are “sweets” people.
Lamb and chicken with mint sauce |
Our second course consisted of chunks of grilled lamb and chicken with mint sauce accompanied by julienne vegetables.
One of the advantages of opting for the Chef’s Table is that diners are able to sample four smaller-sized entrees rather than the two that would be served if a couple was choosing from the regular menu. For our selections, we enjoyed pacora with minted potatoes and deep-fried curry leaves; lamb tika and chicken tika, coconut curry halibut, rice, with a side of naan.
Variety of main course selections |
A bottle of Sauvignon Blanc from one of B.C.’s many wineries proved a perfect complement. The fresh, slightly citrus notes balanced the rich, and sometimes spicy, flavors of the dishes quite well.
Fried banana and luscious vanilla ice cream |
We both enjoyed Salam Bombay and are keen to return next time we’re in Vancouver.
Visit my main page at TheTravelPro.us for more news, reviews, and personal observations on the world of upmarket travel.
Follow @TheTravelProUS
Photos by Carl Dombek
Click on photos to view larger images
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