Bombay Chowk

Bombay Chowk Brings Regional Indian Fare Uptown | Eater NY

"Opened in 2018 by Assis Goes, who was born in the northern Punjab (now Pakistan) and spent part of his childhood in the southern Philippines, this brightly decorated restaurant features a giant mural of Arjun’s chariot, pillars wrapped in plastic autumn leaves, Hindu statuary, and handsome lathe-turned chairs with red brocade cushions, while the meats served are halal. The vibe is eclectic and lively: lunch is relaxing with sidewalk tables ideal for people-watching, but the dining room fills up by 8 p.m. and it’s not a place for quiet, private conversation; the owner circulates through the room advising customers (we went at 6:30 p.m. with a party of six). The menu is wide-ranging — seek out the recently added Goan section, where chicken xacuti (made with white poppy seeds, grated coconut, anise, and dried red chiles) delivers a mellow heat, and egg chop (boiled eggs embedded in mashed potatoes and deep-fried) has no heat. Northern-style biryanis are particularly good, especially the shrimp biryani ($23) molded into a ring and served with pomegranate-dotted yogurt, and the railway canteen goat ($20) — ragged chunks of meat in a tomato-laced curry — is a unique find; also don’t miss the Mangalore scallops. Beer (especially Indian lagers like Kingfisher, Taj Mahal, Old Monk, and the Indian American 1947) or seltzer pair best with the eclectic dishes; rhubarb falooda flavored with rose water is a milkshake-like dessert (and may be a tad sweet for drinking during a meal, as is mango lassi). I would skip the vegetarian southern Indian dishes such as dosas, which are pallid here, and the butter chicken, which is too light and sweet for my taste." - Robert Sietsema