Article by Kelli Epps | Additional Reporting by John Parks | Photography by Ariana Kim | Owl Staff
I have always been adventurous when it comes to experiencing new things, especially food. I’m crazy about spicy food, so I thought my first experience of Indian cuisine would have me seeing fireworks, but that was not the case. After speaking with a friend, I found out that food from Sizzling Bombay is very different from another Indian restaurant I have tried, as it’s from the northern region of the country. I decided to give Indian cooking another whirl at Sizzling Bombay—and what a treat it was!
Sizzling Bombay is located behind Burger King off of Rt. 924 in Bel Air. When I walked in the front door, I noticed that the atmosphere was soft and warm with a dimly lit ambience, tangerine walls, Indian tapestries and sculptures, and festive chandeliers hanging from the ceilings. Located in the back of the restaurant was a decent-sized and comfortable-looking bar known as the Flame Lounge.
For an appetizer, I was given complementary crispy seasoned flatbread served with three different kinds of chutney: a red onion-like spread, a green mint spread, and a sweet light brown spread. The appetizer was different from what I expected; it was like a rainbow of different tastes, but all very delicious.
After a short wait, my entree was brought to my table. I ordered the Chicken Tikka Kabob for $13.99, a dish of chicken breast chunks marinated in yogurt with Indian spices grilled in a clay oven. It was garnished with carrots, onions, O-shaped cut red peppers, a lemon wedge, and yellow and white-grained rice called basmati. It smelled wonderful, but I was still apprehensive.
“Sizzling Bombay is located behind Burger King off of Rt. 924 in Bel Air. When I walked in the front door, I noticed that the atmosphere was soft and warm with a dimly lit ambience, tangerine walls, Indian tapestries and sculptures, and festive chandeliers hanging from the ceilings.”
Then the server brought out a red, zesty sauce called masala that I was supposed to eat with my meal. The combination of the basmati, chicken, vegetables and masala was delectable.
Sizzling Bombay also offers a full vegetarian menu as well as a kids’ menu that features both Indian cuisine and American favorites like chicken tenders with fries for only $5.99. The restaurant also offers a daily buffet, featuring a variety of vegetarian and nonvegetarian entrees and appetizers for only $8.99.
I was so pleased that I made the decision to try Indian cuisine again. The food, service, and atmosphere were wonderful and exceeded my expectations. My experience dining at Sizzling Bombay was very satisfying, and I expect to go back again in the near future.