Fab Indian food

Settled snuggly in a corner of old downtown Silver Spring, Bombay Gaylord has offered authentic Indian cuisine for five satisfying years. The settlement's tapestries and beaming vases embellished in gold may be offset by peeling wallpaper and nicks on the wooden supports, but Bombay Gaylord's spicy concoctions are superlative and coupled with equally exceptional fares.

Before feasting your eyes on the appetizers, turn to the last page of the menu: It is almost imperative that you order a juicy mango lassi ($2.25). The smooth, creamy yogurt blended to perfection with ripe mangoes is a tasty addition to every plate.

The traditional samosas, also a must-try, are deep-fried, browned to a golden crisp and stuffed with the right amount of either meat or vegetables. The meat samosa ($1.50), in particular, came as a delightful surprise, with green peas peppered in tasty patties of ground beef. The chicken pakora, pieces of succulent white meat deep-fried in a specialty chickpea batter, is also exquisite.

Though the samosas and pakoras ($3.95) are pleasantly prepared, the filling soups and ordinary salad tosses failed to meet the standard established by their fried counterparts; the fresh-season salad ($2.25) was disappointingly mediocre, a lethargic combination of unripe tomatoes, green bell peppers, white onions and iceberg lettuce. The curry-flavored chicken mulligatawny soup ($2.25) simply seems too much like the other, more delectable curried dishes. Fortunately, ten mouth-watering ounces of the boneless chicken curry ($8.95), cooked and marinated in a thick, spicy curry sauce, more than make up for these shortcomings.

Every Indian restaurant boasts of its tandoori chicken ($9.95), broiled quickly in a cylindrical tandoor oven. Bombay Gaylord's presentation of the chicken—banded in a traditional bright red sauce, sprinkled with herbs and spices—appeared striking, but the meat was disappointingly bland, far from tender. Instead, try the zesty lamb boti kabob ($9.95), cubes of tender lamb carefully seasoned in aromatic spices.

One section of the menu is solely devoted to exciting vegetarian specialties. The cauliflower bhaji ($7.95) can generously provide for two with sautéed white onions and thinly-sliced roma tomatoes. For the curry-lover, the mixed vegetables with curry ($7.95) offer a warm platter of soft celery and sweet kernels of yellow corn.

An Indian restaurant would not be complete without flat bread, and although limited, Bombay Gaylord's selections are impressive. The typical whole white flour naan bread ($1.25) has a thin, crunchy crust and a fluffy center. The bread is usually torn into pieces and can be dipped into curry or used as a wrap for various meat and vegetable entrées.

After consuming these fares, dessert is usually unnecessary. However, if you do want to indulge in sweets, the gulab jamun ($1.50)—a hot, sugary ball of self-rising dough soaked in honey and syrup—is scrumptious though rather heavy. The almond kulfi ($2.50) lacks the creamy consistency expected from homemade ice cream; the pungent spices overpower the dessert itself. Even using a spoon, carving into the ice is difficult.

Despite a weak selection of desserts and salads, Bombay Gaylord's hot Indian traditional dishes are delightful, and the restaurant effortlessly establishes a welcome introduction to the East.

BOMBAY GAYLORD, Fine Indian Cuisine—8401 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910. 301-565-2528. Open: Monday through Friday-Lunch: 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Dinner: 5:00 p.m.-9:30 p.m., Saturday through Sunday-Lunch: 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., Dinner: 5:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Buffet served on week days for $6.95 (11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.), Saturday for $7.95 (12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.) and Sunday for $7.95 for lunch (12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.) and $8.95 for dinner (5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.). Prices: Appetizers ($1.00-$4.50), Soups ($1.95-$2.25), Salads and Accompaniments ($1.50-$2.25), Entrees ($4.95-$11.95), Breads ($1.25-$2.50), Desserts ($1.95-$2.25)

• Meat Samosa: crispy pastry stuffed with potatoes and deep-fried to a golden brown ($1.50)


• Onion Bhajia: chopped onion dipped in chick pea flour and deep-fried ($1.95)


• Lamb Boti Kabob: cubes of lamb seasoned in aromatic spices and cooked to perfection ($9.95)


• Tandoori Platter: marinated lamb, chicken, shrimp, ground meatball broiled in a tandoor oven ($11.95)


• Nann: flatbread made of whole white flour and baked in tandoor ($1.25)


• Roti: flatbread made of whole wheat flour and baked in tandoor ($1.25)


• Mango Lassi: a refreshing yogurt drink blended with juicy, ripe mangoes ($2.25)