Fairfax Restaurant Guide

We knew we were in for a treat after a few minutes in Bombay Garden. A basket of warm, crispy lentil wafers, mildly spiced with garlic, arrived. They were accompanied by two sauces-a coriander and min, yogurt based one with a kick, and sweet, brown chutney of dates, tamarind and roasted cumin seeds. Our taste buds came alive. We nibbled as we perused the menu.

For an appetizer, we ordered vegetable samosa chat, two large dumplings stuffed with potatoes and mixture, served with chickpeas in a mint-and-tamarind sauce. They were baked, not fried, and flakey. We also tried seekh kebab, two shish kebabs of minced lamb spiced with coriander that arrived on a silver plate set over a brass warming pot. Clearly, the kitchen knew much about the importance of presentation.

Choosing an entrée was challenging. The 38-choices include tandoori specialties, baked in a clay oven; curries-spicy, sauce-based dishes; and vegetarian favorites such as narvattan korma, fresh vegetables and dried fruit cooked in a sauce.

Chicken tikka malai arrived as moist, slightly chewy boneless pieces that had been cooked, then char-broiled. Lamb kadai came in a brass bowl over a brass warming pot, bite-size tender chunks with tomatoes, onions, garlic, pepper, herbs, and spices.

A sampler platter, Bombay thali arrived on a silver serving tray that held five small bowls as well as basmati rice and lacha paratha, a whole wheat bread similar to pita.

All the entrees came with basmati rice with a pinch of saffron, plus salads of grated cabbage and sliced tomato.

Our host and owner, Raj Kapoor, 40, lives in Manassas. He worked for a long time at Carmello's and Little Portugal in Old Town Manassas and owned Viva Italiano in Springfield before selling it last year to open Bombay Garden, he said.