Tags: Asian | authentic | Indian

Prague gets tasty!

I originally ate at Cafe Bombay way back when they first opened, but never got around to writing the review for one simple reason; my language skills would be a piss poor substitution to describe the wondrous delights they prepare in their kitchen.

The owners have to be the only Indian restaurateurs in Prague who strive to tempt your palate with real mouth watering Indian dishes prepared to perfection, so you'll come back again and again.

The stylish downstairs, filled with semi-classical north Indian music, is perfect for your budding romance, or get a cocktail from the cafe/bar on the street level, with the doors open to the world.The bar is, perhaps, the best part of the restaurant, it sets the tone of the place. If your dining companion fails to be entertaining, the talented barmen toss the bottles like old pros.

And it's not just the food that makes Bombay a local favourite, it's that the prices are right and the food so good. One dish I heartily recommend is the Chicken Masala (310Kc), roasted in a tomato and light cream sauce with fine herbs. No need for corn flour or onions here.

Too dry to be eaten with rice, try it with naan (a wheat bread cooked in Tandoor). But if you're looking for hot Northern style curry dishes, make sure to let them know in advance, because the dishes are tempered for the Czech tongue, which dislikes anything hotter than black pepper.

Of course they have prawns, which we ate like popcorn back in California, here they provide their own version, done right in a Tandoori sauce and seasoned with mild spices (but unlike popcorn, these will set you back 440Kc, but it's worth every bite).

For you vegetarians, try the Aloo Dahiwala (175Kc), potatoes made with a tasteful mix of yougurt and spices, which I would suggest should be on your plate every afternoon. Also the Chef's Special, Aloo Gobi, which has potatoes and cauliflower in a tomato sauce with just a hint of mango (160Kc) is another hearty staple.

But who wants to miss the buffet?

A buffet you say? Now we're talking... and soon you can afford to eat here everyday, and sample a variety of the chef's creative delights at a price much cheaper than a plane ticket to Bombay.

Reason to go: because it's a long way to Dehli