Bollywood Grill - Shrewsbury, MA - Ian

Well, I practically had to drag Sheri to this restaurant on Mass Route 9 in Shrewsbury, but I'm glad I did. It was a very interesting experience. I didn't eat or taste anything that I didn't like.

I'm not going to pretend to be a connoisseur of Indian food, because I don't frequent Indian restaurants. But I think I'm going to try a few others now.

The Ambiance
The atmosphere was very interactive--Indian music videos displayed on a large plasma screen and popular Indian actors looking up at you from underneath the polyurethane on the table. The decor was very modern and warm. Lot's of browns and yellows. It was a very comfortable place and I wasn't the only one feeling it because there was a small group at a nearby table that were really kicking back. But the full bar could have been the explanation for that.

The Food
We started off with the Bollywood Combo Platter under "Trailers" because we wanted to taste as much variety as we could. Since we were both starving we were glad that it came out quickly. The platter mostly consisted of meats or vegetables deep-fried in chickpea batter, which was a nice, healthy twist. Tasty too. I think my favorites were the non-deep-fried Meat Samosas, which were turnovers stuffed with fresh, minced lamb. Yummy.

For a main dish, I decided to reach for the unknown and went for the Shaahi Paneer, although I wasn't reaching too far because the listed ingredients (ginger, garlic, onions and tomato base) are on my hit list. But the paneer cheese was completely foreign to me. It's kind of a homemade Indian version of cottage cheese, but much more firm with almost the consistency of tofu. It has a very mild flavor of its own, which made it a great canvas for the sauce it came with. It was totally delish. I wrapped bite after bite in a whole wheat pita and finished the entire thing.

Sheri got the Chicken Curry because she was too chicken to get something other than chicken. Sorry I had to. Anyway, I got a taste of it and it was top-notch curry flavor. Yummy. I also tried this great Mango shake that she got that was made with yogurt and it was oh, so smooth. Good stuff.

The Service
I have to say that the service was pleasant and attentive. The whole wheat pita I mentioned was something I had to ask for, and they had no problems complying. The service here gets a big gold star on its forehead.

Sorry, but I can't offer any feedback on the dessert menu since we were stuffed, but if you like Indian food, definitely check it out. Even if you don't know if you like Indian food, but you're in the mood for some diversity, give it a try. You might have something new to put on your comfort food list.

Here's the quick scorecard:

// Menu Selection: 8.8
// Taste: 7.9
// Presentation: 6.9
// Ambiance/Atmosphere: 8.1
// Service: 9.6

Their website features the full menu:
www.bollywoodgrill.com