Bombay Brasserie in Roswell

The meteoric rise of suburban dining has been facilitated enormously by “Bite Flight,” denoting touted ITP restauranteurs either moving to or launching an additional location in the affluent suburbs.

One of the most recent and extraordinary illustrations of the latter is Bombay Brasserie at 900 Mansell Road, near the Highway 9 intersection. When one of my most reliable intown foodie informants and Indian cuisine go-to guy “Moonie” expressed his adoration for their big sister Atlanta restaurant Cafe Bombay, my anticipation skyrocketed. The hype has been justified.

Bombay Brasserie has several elements that distinguish themselves in a competitive market. They have the poshest ambience of any Indian restaurant and are the unequivocal date night option for such cuisine. Also, they are situated several miles south of the area’s epicenter for Indian food, Winward Parkway. Hence in the hyperlocal sense, Cafe Bombay is peerless. Though an overwhelming majority of Indian restaurants present a lunch buffet, Bombay Brasserie is the only game in town as well as nearby communities offering top quality all-you-can-eat at dinner as well.

Most importantly, Bombay is every bit as good or better than any Indian restaurant in the metropolitan area. Vegetarian and non-vegetarian alternatives abound both on the buffet and certainly on the main menu. Admittedly, your corpulent correspondent views the set of choices with a carnivorous bias. Both the lunch and dinner buffet was replete with several chicken options on my visits, including the popular tikka masala and at least one goat selection. Vegetarians will have zero problem finding delight with copious alternatives.

If there is a clear-cut signature item, it is the garlic lamb chops from the bar tapas section of the menu. I’ve consumed countless lamb dishes from a multitude of cuisines, with zero as tender as these beauties. As my dining partner accurately opined, many Johnny-come-latelies trying lamb for the first time grumble of it tasting gamey and/or chewy. There is virtually no possibility of that issue arising here.

It’s the ideal gateway dish for lamb neophytes and a must-try for practiced veterans alike. Just get it. Chicken momo is assured to remind many of Chinese dumplings or pot stickers. Though significant Manchurian choices are on the menu, our informative and attractive (oops, was I allowed to notice?) waitress assured me the momo is definitely Indian, not Indo-Chinese. Regardless of its origin, I’m glad the final destination was my stomach.

The munificent menu includes highly intriguing items I hope to try in the near future such as Amritsari fish and chips. Though the battered fish dish has its origins in Punjab, perhaps the “and chips” is homage to London widely considered heaven on earth for Indian cuisine. They also present their own version of quesadillas and chicken wings, both on my bucket list.

The simple mango lassi was perfect chaser of a splendid meal. Ignore those who would write-off the somewhat hidden location as “jinxed.” The unit previously housed a litany of abject mediocrity. The last quality restaurant was a dozen years ago, La Brasa Grille, undone by a disjointed jack-of-all-trades theme. Bombay Brasserie is infinitely superior in food quality, service, and vision as to what they intend to be: a top-shelf, upscale, Indian restaurant. All signs point towards the demonstrated acumen of restaurateur owners Ricky Walia and Sunny Minhas successfully executing that plan.

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The author Joe Duffy often preaches about OTP restaurants on Twitter @calvulcan. If his wife does not increase his allowance soon, he can’t eat. Help the boy out by patronizing his bride’s online gift store.  

For more of Joe’s recommendations, read all about the best pizza, BBQ, and burgers OTP!