An Exotic Taste Found In a Well-Known Bridgewater Place

 The smells of cumin and curry wafted in the air, and led me to a quaint and uncommon dining experience tucked in the middle of a well-known strip mall.

With outdoor seating, and a comfortable and ethnic dining area, the fact that I was in a strip mall Monday was forgotten as I lost myself in the delicious smells and the unique atmosphere of Bombay Spice on Prince Rodgers Avenue.

Bombay Spice is a rare delight for the area, being one of the few Indian restaurants in Bridgewater. The bright and ethnic decor, the strong smell of spices, the quiet atmosphere and the exotic tastes that danced on my tongue all combined to take me on a journey and heighten my senses.

Bombay Spice is actually known as the former Bombay Diner.

"We decided to change the name because people were coming here expecting to get scrambled eggs and ham," my waiter Vinay explained with a laugh.

But the experience is nothing like a diner, and the food is in an entirely different realm.

Vinay brought out Papad to start, which is a thin lentil and bean wafer accompanied by a mint chutney. The chutney, bright green with tiny flakes of mint floating on top, was a nice light addition to the dry wafers, but, fortunately, neither of the flavors were too strong, which was a change from the rest of the meal which was strong in spice.

As I sipped my sparkling non-alcoholic mint mojito, I glanced over the menu, but, seeing as this was only about my second time trying Indian food, I was a bit stumped on what to choose. Like Mumbai, the modern day Bombay, the menu is a melting pot of different Indian cuisines, with a large vegetarian selection as well as meat, chicken and seafood.

I was personally very pleased to see a large vegetarian section, but while some items are explained, others are not, so I had to ask my waiter for a recommendation.

"Do you like cottage cheese?" Vinay asked when I tried to get a suggestion.

While I do, I was not sure how I felt about having it for dinner. Still, I went along with his suggestion, trusting that he knew what he was talking about. 

"Would you like any bread with that?" Vinay asked when I placed my order.

Still not knowing what I was eating, or how it was prepared, I again asked him for a suggestion, to which he replied, "Do you like garlic? Then I will bring you garlic naan bread."

After the fact, I am very happy I decided to listen to Vinay because I had one of the best meals I have had in a while.

My dinner was a tomato-based sauce with a variety of spices, including cumin, mixed in with bell peppers, onions and the cottage cheese. Rice was given with my meal, as was the garlic bread, and, together, the strong smells brought a smile to my face and I was enjoying my meal before I even took a bite.

The cheese looked identical to small pieces of tofu, and had the same consistency, but much more flavor. It tasted like very light cubes of cottage cheese.

I soaked up the sauce with the side of white rice, and dipped in my garlic naan bread. My table was filled with enough food for three, but I was happy to have it all to myself.

The reddish-orange tomato-based sauce was absolutely out of this world. The strong spices were toned down by the tomato sauce so they were not over-powering, and the white rice helped cool my tongue.

The garlic naan bread was definitely meant for a garlic-lover, completely covered in diced garlic and a little oil. It was also a great pairing with the sauce.

With a full belly and a smile, I couldn't imagine eating anymore, but I also couldn't imagine skipping desert. I asked Vinay again for a suggestion, and he chose a very sweet treat, Gulab Jamun.

Gulab Jamun is similar to little round fried donuts soaked in sugary syrup. They were brought out in a hot tin, the syrup still slightly simmering.

The three little donuts were still steaming as I cut into them with my fork, so I waited a minute while they soaked deeper into the syrup, making them taste like a sweeter maple syrup. The lightly fried donuts and syrup were a little heavy, but extremely delicious, completely satisfying my sweet tooth.

As I finished, I took a deep breathe, which is my sign that it is time to put down my fork, then smiled and bid Vinay goodbye.

"You must come back for our buffet this weekend," he said as I left.

I nodded, and knew that I would be sure to go back again. But this time, I would bring someone with me so I could share the wonderful tastes, smells and decor of a small Indian restaurant with big flavor.