Bombay Kitchen still packs flavorful punch

There are not a ton of options when it comes to Indian food in the city of Toledo, but for my money Bombay Kitchen is one of the best options you can find.

Located near the Franklin Park Mall in West Toledo, the restaurant offers a variety of options and corners of the menu that provided much to enjoy over a series of visits.

On our first visit, my two dining companions and I focused on the traditional Indian food offerings, the richly sauced and meaty rice dishes that the subcontinent is known for.

I had the Chicken 65 ($14.29 for a medium). I found this to be different from the butter chicken I had ordered in the past and thoroughly enjoyed, with maybe a little bit thinner sauce, but I still was a fan of the deeply roasted flavor that came from the pepper infused base, which was the perfect level of hot based on what I ordered.

★★★★ stars

Address : 5228 Monroe St., Toledo

Phone : (419) 214-1790

Category : Indian

Menu : Chicken, lamb, curries, rice dishes

Hours : Sunday-Saturday, 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Average Price : $$

Credit Cards : Most credit cards

Website : bombaykitchen419.com

I decided to make this a combo, which, though it added $5.99, I thought was a good deal.

This covers a drink, garlic naan, and a dessert. The garlic naan was one of the highlights of the meal. Nicely toasted and crunchy on the outside with a soft inside and a little tinge of butter, it was great for soaking up the last remnants of the saucy main course.

The dessert was what is called gulab jamun, something I had never had before. They are donut-like fried balls of dough that are soaked in a kind of syrup. I found them to be pretty good and as they were bite sized, I thought they were a nice sweet but not overly heavy or filling nightcap.

Another highlight was the lamb curry that my dining companion ordered.

He described the dish as deep, authentic, and multilayered, with a lingering spicy taste that permeated the mouth in a positive way.

We also tried the chicken biryani ($16.99) which is a bit different from the other dishes in that it does not include the rich sauce of the 65 or the curry. Though it does come with a side of a spiced yogurt of sorts.

My dining companion who ordered this was not the biggest fan of the yogurt (out of personal preference), but the dish itself was very good, he said, with rich flavors springing from the garlic and the garam masala that peppered the chicken.

Paired with the fluffy rice, it makes for a singular experience each time he has it, he said, and that is part of why he considers Bombay Kitchen a personal favorite in the area.

My second visit held some of the biggest surprises. I ventured over to the street food side of the menu, which goes past what we would traditional think of as Indian fare.

I ordered the vada pav ($9.99) with a side of the masala cheese fries ($12.99). Both were revelatory.

The fries were a huge portion that came crispy and already spiced with a spicy, buttery, cheesy concoction on the side for pouring over when ready.

The flavor melding was absolutely insane, a collision course and ultimate explosion of two unlike cuisines, Indian and American, that met at the intersection of depth and complexity.

The vada pav, slightly more rooted on the subcontinent, specifically to the streets of Mumbai, was equally delicious. It’s an interesting dish that consists of a deep fried potato and spice dumpling on a bun, topped with onion, tomato, and pepper, and served with two chutneys — an herb based green one and a tomato based red one.

I was honestly surprised by how well this worked. It was a tasty, zippy sandwich that I could imagine getting from a stand on a crowded roadside.

It was crispy, spicy, and flavorful in equal measures and the admittedly odd idea of a potato sandwich seemed better and better with each bite.

Overall, my companions and I had almost all positive things to say about our two visits and Bombay Kitchen is a place I would definitely return to again.