Review: Bombay Palace – DC
This evening I dined at Bombay Palace, an Indian restaurant located at 2020 K Street NW in Washington, DC. It’s right next to Legal Sea Foods, where I ate lunch, interestingly enough.
The interior of Bombay Palace is very upscale looking. Everything is in excellent condition, clean, and in good repair. The atmosphere is quiet except for the air pumps driving the huge aquarium at the back of the restaurant, a sound which fades into the background after a time.
I ordered Mulligatawny Soup as my first course. It was, without question, the best Mulligatawny Soup I’ve ever had. The flavor, spice level, texture, etc., were all excellent. If I lived in the DC area I would come back here often just to have this soup.
My main course was Chicken Vindaloo with Keema Nan. The vindaloo was good, but not the best I’ve ever had. The keema nan was different from some I’ve had, better than some, and worse than others. On balance I’d have to say it was above average.
One thing I found very odd about Bombay Palace was the fact that they charge extra for rice. Every other Indian restaurant I’ve ever visited has provided the rice for free. Bombay Palace charges $3.95 for it… and no, there’s nothing special about it. It’s the same rice you’d get anywhere else.
On the whole, though, this was one of the better Indian meals I’ve ever had. I can certainly understand how it got in Zagat’s guide, and why its cooking inspired a professionally published cookbook of its recipes.
On a 1-20 scale, I’d rate it a solid 8.