When the focus has recently been on businesses springing up in the center, we cannot forget the Elmwood area. Last night we went to Bombay Olive for the first time. We had a great time dining there. We were a anxious to see what the decor would look like in a former IHOP building — and once you get inside, it is so lovely! I loved the detail work — especially the pressed tin ceiling. The paintings of Everest or various Himalayan scenes are also lovely.
We began with samosa, which were light and fluffy — really good. After reading that they cook with olive oil (hence the name of the restaurant), I can see why they tasted a little different than I was used to. It was a nice change. Sujal and I had the black dahl and the paneer tawa masala with roti and paratha. It was all very good. The dahl was creamy and perfectly spiced. The paneer was a new dish for us. The veggies in the dish still had some crunch to them — perfectly cooked. After dinner, I ordered the masala tea. It was not quite like the masala tea (chai) I’ve had in the past. It did not contain cream, but it was still good, even though I am partial to an authentic masala chai.
The service was friendly, yet they seemed to be forgetful of our tea and dessert order (our friends had dessert). This was fine because we were with good company, but that could be an area for improvement. On the way out, I grabbed a bit of mukwas — it was an interesting mukwas. I can’t say I loved it — I’m partial to green mukwas — but it was decent.
Finally, I’d have one suggestion for the menu. Sujal and I recently ate at the great Indian restaurant in NYC (though they threw away our leftovers, a crime for which I shall never forgive them), and they had tandoori paneer tikka. It was so tandoorilicious!
I recommend Bombay Olive. They have a mix of indian, american (western), nepalese, and persian food. They even have breakfast — which I’d love to try someday.
The Connecticutian 