Eating international fare locally eliminates the woes associated with transatlantic travel, such as jet lag and oar splinters. Stamp your palate’s passport with today’s Groupon: for $15, you get $30 worth of Indian fare at Bollywood Bistro in Fairfax, Virginia.
Stars and scores of Bollywood blockbusters and aromas of traditional and contemporary Indian fare surround diners at Bollywood Bistro, winner of the Washingtonian's 2011 "Best Bargain" award. Feasters rifle through or fully memorize a varied menu, landing on items such as the paneer kadahi, a colorful garden medley of peppers, cheese, and zesty tomato ($10.95). Chefs polish lobsters with a tamarind glaze and embellish them with caramelized coconut and spices to forge the locusta xec xec entree ($20.95). The nizami lamb biryani, hailing from Hyderabad, leans on basmati rice and slow-cooked meat ($14.95) to better sate stomachs, and the daal makhani brings together black lentil, double cream, and puréed tomatoes ($9.95), much like an unexpected power outage brings together families.
Inside Bollywood Bistro, vintage photos of Indian movie icons frame a dining room ablaze with fiery hues and subdued light. A soundtrack of Bollywood tunes tinkles amid date-night dinner conversations and impromptu tableside spelling bees.
Bollywood Bistro
The movie stars on Bollywood Bistro's walls seem about to spring from their black-and-white film stills, perhaps to dance in time to the high-energy Indian music swelling in the background. The kitchen also bustles with activity as cooks prepare contemporary Indian dishes whose vibrant colors further transport diners onto the set of a lavish Bollywood movie. Tandoor ovens roast Atlantic salmon with mango salsa, and chefs sauté vegetarian entrees with seasonal, organic vegetables as they belt out choruses about their dramatic reversals of fortune. The kitchen crew then hands off freshly crafted dishes to servers who also pick up wines, specialty cocktails, and imported Indian beers from the bar.
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