Restaurant Review: Bombay, Lee MA

Bombay
435 Laurel St
Lee, MA 01238
http://www.fineindiandining.com/bombaylee.htm

Let me be frank from the beginning: don't go to Bombay. Got that? If you have no other options, go to the McDonald's on route 20 by the Mass Pike. Seriously. Don't go.

When I first bought the house in Lee in the spring of 2008, I spent a dinner with my new neighbors discussing dining options in the area. They were big fans of Bombay although they pointed out it was pricey. I tried it a few times, and while it did add up quickly once an appetizer or nan is on the order along with entrees, it rated "pretty good" Indian. There are a few top-notch Indian restaurants in my hometown of Waltham, MA, so I tend to assume all Indian food will at least be in the pretty good category, if not even excellent. There is one Indian place in Natick, MA where I had my first truly bad Indian meal, so I know it existed. But Bombay was good enough that I took my family there in the summer of 2008.

That was a weird visit, and I see I did not write it up at the time. It was before a Tanglewood concert, so the place was pretty full. It's not the best atmosphere because although it has a beautiful view of Laurel Lake, it's also in a Quality Inn. So off the rather small dining room, which has that lingering scent of Indian spices (and in an "open a window and clean this place" kind of way, not a "this smells delicious" kind of way), is a breakfast room with containers of cereal. I cannot imagine eating breakfast in a stuffy Indian restaurant. The service was pretty terrible. The waitstaff did not seem at all interested in the customers and it left a bad taste in all of our mouths. I don't really remember the food.

Anyway, speaking of bad tastes, tonight I was driving up the mass pike trying to decide what to get for dinner. I had just been looking at Indian recipes to use in the slow cooker I got for Christmas, so I thought I would splurge on Bombay and then have plenty of leftovers for lunches for the next few days - an indulgence tonight and then utilitarian the next few days - excellent.

So I picked up the order and spooned out chicken saag, lamb rogan josh, a vegetable samosa, and added some raita on the side. I also ordered a plain naan, which was a garlic naan. I like garlic as flavoring, not as the main event, and especially not as big hunks sitting on top of an oily nan. Ick. Where do I begin with the rest of the awfulness? The fact the entrees were incredibly oily? The flavorlessness of the saag? The big piece of gristle I bit into from the rogan josh? The chopped raw onion in the raita (at least that's what it tasted like)? The tough, tough, elderly crust of the samosa?

I spent too much money and now I wish I could go back in time and not eat any of it. I also have a whole pile of Indian food garbage on my hands.

I am drinking a beer now, trying to forget.

Don't go to Bombay. Seriously.

Berkshire Mountain Bakery Honored by Bon Appetit!

One of ten best bakeries in the country - so the exceptional deliciousness wasn't just in my imagination....

http://www.bonappetit.com/magazine/2011/01/top_10_bread_bakeries_in_america