Buffet food, perfected Buffet food, perfected (October 21, 2005)

Decor, Bollywood music accentuate Indian basics at Cafe Bombay

By Elaine M. Rowland

Strip malls, those little slices of Americana where Chinese restaurants rub shoulders with French laundries, are the epitome of our famous melting pot. And in Silicon Valley, it's Indian restaurants you frequently find there -- sometimes very good Indian restaurants. That's why I dined at Cafe Bombay, in the Village Court at the corner of San Antonio Road and El Camino Real, with reasonably high expectations.

Cafe Bombay -- with its very respectable buffet, and for skeptics an a la carte menu -- may not have the largest spread in town, but it mostly steers clear of foods that don't buffet well. The result is a tasty smorgasbord of all-you-can-eat for $9.95. During one lunchtime, for example, I sampled chicken makhani, lamb "riblet" masala, potato pakoras, rice with peas, mint chutney, and chai -- all included in the buffet price. The waiter also brought a basket of hot, fresh naan, that soft leavened bread with a slightly smoky flavor.

I might have known deep-fried pakoras aren't great buffet food, and they proved to be the least inviting choice I made. The potato fritters were a little heavy, and didn't have much flavor. But if you're determined, and adventurous, try them with the various chutneys, especially the mint chutney -- a savory, breath-freshening pureed sauce. The makhani, also known as butter chicken, featured a smooth, creamy and mild tomato and butter sauce over tender, bite-sized boneless chicken. It was an excellent choice for people who fear Indian food might be too hot for them.

The lamb, too, was tender, in a rich, heartily spiced sauce ("masala" means a mix of spices that varies with the chef) which didn't overpower the tongue with peppers. If you go for the chai, it's probably best saved for last, as the quiet flavors of this spiced Indian tea with milk will be overrun by many of the dishes in the buffet. Tea purists may find it a bit sweet and the flavors muted.

Ordering a la carte offers more options than at the buffet, and the good-sized menu here has different sections for breads, rices, vegetarian dishes, and Tandoori dishes, among others. Despite its name, Cafe Bombay offers cuisine from all over India, with an emphasis on Tandoori cooking. We ordered off the menu, as well, and the wait gave us a chance to take in the restaurant's casual ambience, from the rickshaw parked overhead and purple fabric runners draped from the rafters, to the array of decorative elephants (also found on the cafe's logo) and Bollywood music in the background. These add an exotic touch to the more generic decor of oil painting prints, pink tablecloths and dark banquettes.

The first dish, onion kulcha bread ($2.95), was soft in the middle and slightly crunchy outside. The onions weren't sauteed or caramelized separately before being baked in the bread, giving it a mild onion flavor, and making for a fine respite from heavily seasoned food. I liked it with the raita ($3.50), a smooth dip of whipped yogurt with cucumbers.

Depending on your enthusiasm for coriander, you'll like (or not) the kachumber salad ($3.50), a mix that also includes cucumber, onion, and tomato. It was cool and crispy, and a satisfyingly exotic variation on the cucumber-onion-tomato combination you'll find in other cuisines. More than a palate cleanser between courses, I'd call it a palate "scrubber" because of its brisk flavors. And under the "exotic chicken specialties" heading, we chose chicken tikka masala ($11.95), which arrived at the table in a pretty copper pot. The mildly smoky chicken complemented the curry sauce, adding depth to the dish, though whether the chicken was mesquite broiled as the menu states, I couldn't say.

During our weekend lunch there was only a smattering of diners, and, unfortunately, only one person waiting tables while also acting as host and cashier. That meant we had to flag him down when we needed a couple of things, though he did come by to check on us once during our meal.

At dinner, we bypassed the "Candlelight Dinner Buffet" and ordered from the menu. The paneer pakoras ($5.50) appetizer of deep-fried cheese with a lentil batter was a hearty appetizer that tasted good with the sweet, thick mango chutney ($1.50). I also had the mulligawtawny soup ($3.50), a pureed lentil soup with minced chicken and spices and a creamy, buttery flavor. The name is Tamil, and means "pepper water," so it was spicy enough to make the back of your mouth water, but not hot enough to make you cry. Crying into my curry is where I draw the line.

We had mixed feelings about the prawn vindaloo ($14.95). The dish seemed overpriced for what it was: a few small, somewhat hard prawns cooked with potatoes in a spicy curry sauce. The menu said the sauce was hot, but it wasn't. That said, the curry itself was quite tasty and made a delectable naan dip. I didn't think the combination of seasonings in the mushroom tandoori ($9.95) was as successful. It was kebabs of mushrooms, onions and green bell peppers, marinated and grilled in a traditional tandoori oven. The mushrooms were still firm and meaty, but the marinade didn't seem to take advantage of their savory, almost beefy flavor. We finished the meal with kheer ($3.50), a rice pudding usually made with cardamom. This one tasted a lot like sweet warm milk (with rice), so if you grew up eating this dessert or drinking warm milk at bedtime, you'll probably like this dessert. If not, you may have to acquire a taste for it.

A couple of insider tips for dining at Cafe Bombay: Dinner plates don't include rice, so be sure to order it if you want it. Saada pulao ($2.95) is the default when you just ask for rice -- a steamed basmati rice garnished with green peas. And before you go, check the coupon page of the cafe's Web site for special offers. Then head for the mall and some spicy buffet food.

INFORMATION: Cafe Bombay, 4546 El Camino Real, Los Altos (at Village Court, corner of El Camino and San Antonio Road); (650) 948-9463, www.cafebombay.net

Hours: lunch Monday to Friday 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; dinner Monday to Thursday 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday dinner 4 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

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