Diners enjoy Sunday night at Bollywood Bistro, a restaurant that opened two months ago in Great Falls. Photo by Reena Singh.
Great Falls loves lamb - at least according to Bollywood Bistro owner Pankaj Sharma.
The restaurant has been open for two months and already has regular clientele, he said.
“The people here are so nice. We have a lot of repeat customers,” said Sharma when asked why he decided to open the location at the Safeway shopping center.
This is Sharma’s third location for Bollywood Bistro. Other locations include Fairfax and a catering wing for parties and weddings.
Before Bollywood Bistro, however, he worked at hotels and restaurants around the nation’s capital and his hometown New Delhi.
The inside of the restaurant - which is self-designed - has black and white photos of bygone Bollywood actors and elegantly set tables. Set against exposed brick, the slogan “contemporary Indian cuisine: colors you can taste” is realized visually. The menu, created by restaurant partner and self-taught head chef Sunil Bastola, is yet another way the restaurant makes northern Indian dishes - food that has been made for centuries - into masterful, contemporary meals.
Items like sweet and savory garlic shrimp incorporate both honey and white wine to create a memorable glaze. Tender tandoori lamb chops - under the menu as “Champe’” - comes with a nontraditional berry chutney.
Bastola moved from Nepal to the U.S. in 2001 and specializes in northern Indian fare.
“I’m always looking for new ingredients for the taste and presentation,” he said. “I’m always researching.”
He believes that fresh ingredients sets Bollywood Bistro apart from other Indian restaurants.
Although there are plenty of contemporary dishes, Bastola made sure to incorporate Indian staples like potato-stuffed samosas, fiery and tender lamb shank vindaloo and tandoori chicken.
Since the opening two months ago, Sharma noticed what Great Falls residents prefer to order over Fairfax-area restaurant goers.
“They are more fond of lamb,” he said. “They like spicy lamb curries and shanks. They also really love seafood.”
Most of his advertising has been through word of mouth, he said, but he did place ads in the local newspaper after the restaurant opened. Prior to the opening, he said, many were eagerly waiting for the restaurant to open.
Currently, Bollywood Bistro has a four star rating on Yelp. One commenter under the name “Uppasana C.” stated, “Bollywood Bistro is our go-to Indian restaurant. After finding this place it's hard eating Indian food elsewhere.”
Sharma has also been delighted by the in-person comments he has received.
“They love it,” he said. “I’ve never seen so many repeat clientele like I have at this location.
Bollywood Bistro, located at 9853 Georgetown Pike, is open Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for lunch and from 5 to 10 p.m. for dinner.
Saturday opening hours are the same, except lunch is from noon to 3 p.m.
Sunday opening hours are from noon to 3 p.m. for lunch and 5 to 9:30 p.m. for dinner.
For more information, visit www.bollywoodbistrofairfax.com or call 703-865-0405.