Salaam Bombay

At some point in the middle of my meal at Bombay Palace last week, a sense of regret crept over me. How long has this gem of an Indian restaurant been here, I thought, and I've been missing out on it? Had I known about the serene dining room, the gracious service and the food—oh, the food—I would have been dining there or ordering dinner to go on a regular basis.

Fortunately, I hadn't been missing out for long. Owners Ranjeet Singh and Surinder Kumar—both from the Punjab region of India, via New Jersey, Maryland and Missouri—opened Bombay Palace only four days before we stumbled upon it. With little fanfare and unusual polish, the team of restaurant veterans sneaked into the former location of Nola's and transformed the rustic Uruguay/New Orleans-themed eatery into an elegant dining room, with a gleaming crystal chandelier and cheerful apricot walls, where servers in black and white deliver a laborious feast of North Indian delights.

Chef Kumar's menu of more than 100 items can be overwhelming as it winds through tandoori specialties cooked in a clay oven, vegetarian dishes and homemade breads. We had a bunch of kids in tow, so we asked for some grilled chicken to stave off the immediate hunger. Then we tucked into a basket of light papadums (crispy lentil flatbread) with a trio of onion-tomato relish, mint chutney and tamarind sauce.

The children's plate arrived quickly, overflowing with tender hunks of moist grilled chicken and a selection of sautéed vegetables, including broccoli, onion and zucchini. The simple platter of fresh ingredients foreshadowed a gorgeous meal to come.

Among the most surprising tastes of our meal was the coconut-saffron soup, a bowl of frothy coconut milk laced with nutty threads, which would make a decadent, soothing breakfast drink on a cold morning.

Most dishes at Bombay Palace are founded on one of four sauces: masala, korma, vindaloo or tomato. Masala means simply a blend of spices, and chef Kumar grinds his own mixture of ginger, cardamom, garlic, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon and curry leaf, which he mixes with onion, tomato and cream to create the gravy for chicken tikka masala (tandoori-broiled chicken in sauce), chicken makhani (tandoori-broiled chicken with butter in sauce) and boti kabab masala (tandoori-broiled lamb in sauce). He also adds a small amount of korma sauce—made with ground almonds and cashews—to thicken the masala gravy.

In matter paneer, Kumar uses the spice blend to flavor a creamy onion-based gravy with peas and cubes of lightly fried homemade cheese the consistency of tofu.

Among the non-sauce dishes, chicken biryani was a moist bed of basmati rice and boneless chicken sautéed with caramelized onions. The nutty rice dish had surprising bursts of chewy sweet raisins and vibrant traces of fresh mint.

A side order of homemade naan drizzled with butter and minced garlic served as a delicious implement for sopping up the decadent sauces, and thanks to individual copper chafing dishes, the food stayed hot as long as we lingered. (After we had paid the bill and I was gathering my stuff and children, I shamelessly went back for one last bite of naan and sauce, which was as hot and delicious as the first bite.)

After such a positive first visit, we look forward to working our way through the menu of chicken, lamb, seafood and vegetarian dishes. Bombay Palace offers a lunch buffet with 25 items alternating daily. If you get there hoping for something and it's not on the buffet, just ask for it, Singh says. "We will make sure it comes to your table."

Bombay Palace serves lunch and dinner daily. The buffet is available Monday through Friday 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and noon to 3 p.m. on weekends.