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All most Filipinos know about Indian cuisine is curry, but that changed for me when I went to San Francisco last year. At a convenience store in Berkeley I had my first samosa for $1.50, and a friend introduced me to chicken tikka masala and garlic naan, which soon became my favorite comfort food combination. When I came back to Manila I had really bad cravings for samosa, and it was only then that I realized that there are hardly any Indian restaurants in the Philippines. Is it because the Indian-Filipino community hasn’t integrated with the locals as well as the Chinese have? Does the lack of Indian restaurants in the country have anything to do the myth that Indian food makes you smell bad? Or does it have to do with – dare I say it – the Filipinos’ racist tendencies against the Indians? Sure, there’s Prince of Jaipur, but their food is overpriced and the place is fine dining. I prefer the no-frills, low-key Indian restaurants in San Francisco to the plush decorations of Jaipur, because that way you know you’re going for the food, not for the imagined prestige of being seen at a fancy restaurant.

I’ve been told that there’s a more affordable Indian restaurant called New Bombay all the way in far far Makati, and I promised myself I’d suck it up and travel all the way there the next time my cravings got bad. Luckily for me, I didn’t have to – turns out there’s a New Bombay at the 4th level of Podium! My boyfriend spotted the restaurant when he and his brother saw a movie there last Sunday and being the sweetheart that he is, he immediately thought of me and decided that our next date will be at New Bombay.

First order of business: samosas (P95)! An order of comes with four pieces of crispy, tasty samosa goodness, as well as two sauces: sweet mango chutney to make the saltiness stand out, and spicy green curry. I really appreciate that they didn’t mix the sauce with the samosas because they’re really good on their own, but it’s also nice to have the option of a sweet or spicy sauce.

As soon as we demolished half of our samosas, our medium spicy chicken tikka masala (P 195) arrived with a steaming plate of long-grain basmati rice (P120) and an order of garlic naan (P 75). I abandoned my samosas and dove for the basket of naan, tore off a piece, and dipped it into the spicy masala sauce. That first bite felt like coming home to a warm, familiar place after being away for a very long time. We really need more Indian restaurants in the Philippines.

What I really like about the food at New Bombay is that they are reasonably priced and good for sharing. My boyfriend eats like a horse, but we were both very satisfied with the amount of chicken tikka masala served to us.

Perhaps the reason why I felt full right away is because I washed my food down with a plain lassi (P65). When I ordered the lassi, the waitress asked if I wanted it sweet or salty. I picked sweet of course, but I’m curious about what a salty lassi tastes like – will definitely try it the next time I go back!

All in all, our meal cost P550. Not bad.

New Bombay is located at the 4th level of Podium Mall at Mandaluyong; at Sagittarius Bldg. III Salcedo Village, Makati; and The Columns, Makati.

Tags: indian food, indian restaurants in manila