Namaste Bombay

By LEIGH VICKERY
Food Editor

Two new Indian restaurants have opened their doors in the past year, hoping to capitalize on Tyler's growing population and desire for more ethnic eating choices. Namaste Bombay and Veranda are two of Tyler's most unique restaurants, and both offer a large variety of Indian dishes for the beginner as well as the die-hard Indian food lover.

I don't have much experience with Indian cuisine, and I'll be the first to tell you that trying a new restaurant where you can't pronounce most things on the menu can be intimidating.

 

To help me navigate the menu and the lunch buffet, I recruited two of my co-workers who are regular customers at Namaste Bombay.

The first thing I realized about Indian food is that when deconstructed to its basic ingredients, the cuisine really isn't that different from flavors I already love.

For example, I wasn't sure what Kadhai Chicken was, but I knew I liked it. When I asked owner Patel to tell me what all was in Kadhai Chicken, I found out it was chicken sauteed with onions, tomatoes and chiles in a thick sauce prepared with Indian spices.

Chicken Biryani is another name for delicious saffron basmati rice with spiced chicken and nuts. I hesitate to call it India's "fried rice" or "jambalaya" at the risk of insulting the entire country, but I also want you to understand that just because you may not be familiar with India's dishes, you are most likely going to appreciate the similarities and imagination the country shares with our own familiar tastes.

Patel and his two chefs, Johnpeter Leonraj and Kundan Naik, graciously brought me a wonderful drink to try, called a "Lassi." I'm willing to try most anything, so I drank a sip and realized that a Lassi is India's take on our smoothie drink.

The yogurt-based Lassi comes in many different fruit flavors, including mango and strawberry. Many people enjoy a Lassi as a cooling beverage with some of India's spicier dishes, although I prefer it on its own as a snack.

Dal Tadka turned out to be one of the most delicious soups I have ever had: a simple lentil soup with just the right amount of spices.

My favorite dish on the lunch buffet was Goat Rogan Josh, a simmering stew of goat meat with yogurt, tomato sauce and more of India's magical spices. Paired with Naan, India's authentic, addictive flatbread, and aromatic basmati rice, I enjoyed Goat Rogan Josh and would definitely order it again.

For those of you unfamiliar with Naan, it's India's answer to our flour tortilla, but I think Naan wins the contest. Similar to pita bread, Namaste Bombay offers several kinds of Naan, including one covered with green and red jalapenos.

Indian food is one of the country's biggest food trends, and it's exciting to see Tyler has two locally owned Indian restaurants. Both offer lunch buffets, varied menus and owners who are kind and helpful when asked countless questions about Indian cuisine. At Namaste, Patel gladly answered many customers' curious questions as they made menu choices.

Veranda also has an afternoon happy hour, and Namaste Bombay will soon have its license for cocktails, wine and beer.