Another One Bites The Dust

Well, it would seem as though the malevolent forces of the www have caused my dear PC to cease all functionalities and die for the second time in as many years. Because of this, I am unfortunately not able to post the article I had initially planned for you. Why? Well, the subject matter I had in mind relied heavily upon photo accompaniment, and without the source files, which now sit sad and alone within my forever dormant Toshiba, I cannot provide the proper story. Yes, it is a sad day.

That being said, however, all is not completely lost - while I will put my story and adventure of farm land discovery on a temporary hiatus, I can still tap into an equally exciting tale of food, wine and friends in downtown Guelph.

For many moons the Bollywood Bistro had been praised by friends and recommended as a place perfectly fitting for a Locale blog topic. Truth be told, I don't know what took me so long to follow up on the word of so many reliable sources, save for that so many locations in this city are deserving of praise that it took me a while to get to. Hesitations aside, my experience with Bollywood was an all around positive one, even if first impressions had me worried...

We sat down on a Saturday night at 7:30 in a full house; if I can say anything about this initial experience it would be that reservations are highly suggested. Our table was near the front of the restaurant, all set to go for us, except for some randomly misplaced cutlery and some incomplete menus - my first impression was admittedly not 100% on board with what I'd been promised by so many past visitors, but I wasn't about to give up over some small insignificance.

Impressions did change very quickly when our server promptly approached us and took our first orders. Now, on this note, when I go to restaurants with a group I see it as a perfect opportunity for everyone at the table to try an array of dishes rather than just one entree per diner. So, when I asked out server if it was possible to get a community event going and she not only said yes but also made suggestions for us, we knew that our experience was only going to get better.

Next, and probably to the point that most impressed me through the whole experience, I asked what she recommended as the best dish in the house. This can be a tricky test for some servers to pass, as more often than not they haven't tried the whole menu and will therefor only suggest what is most popular amongst the clientele. Our server, however, answered with the following: "Well, would you like what is most popular and trendy, or do you want what's actually good?" 10 points awarded! This seemingly simple answer is as rare one in the industry and so in her hands we gladly placed all our faith in menu selections - we were not disappointed.

I feel as though I could rant at length over my experience with the food, so I will keep this next part brief and to the point: it was delicious. You could tell in the flavours and preparations of each dish that the chefs were working with a proper tandoor in the back, and that they had sourced out proper spices and herbs with which to prepare their curries and sauces.

The house special was to die for, and whether or not you are a fan of fish, you simply must give it a try. Truth be told, there was nothing on our plates that we didn't like and it was polished off to the last grain of rice. I'll say it again, simply delicious.

Now then, for the unfortunate business of the bill. Yes, with every fine meal comes a typically hefty charge, and Bollywood was no exception; and since I am here to give honest and fair reviews, I will have to say that it seemed over priced. Not for quality, but certainly for portion. We were full to the brim, there's no doubting that, but I can't quite figure out why prices couldn't be lowered even by two dollars an entree - the perception it would give patrons would undoubtedly provide positive feedback towards the restaurant.

But I digress, I would hate to leave you on a negative note, so let me say once more that the overall experience was one of my favourites in Guelph thus far and I will definitely be returning there soon. The atmosphere as a whole was friendly, inviting and comfortable. We at no point felt rushed through our meal, despite the fact they were at full capacity. Our food was presented in a timely fashion, outside of their normal presentations and in a way that catered to what we asked for. The flavours of each dish were complimented greatly by the dish that sat beside it and everything was spiced just right for our tastes.

There is no hesitation in my voice when I say that I recommend Bollywood Bistro as a must for anyone interested in a traditionally prepared Indian dining experience.

Happy eating, and hopefully I will be able to return soon with more tales of the city - but please bear patience with me as I attempt to reconstruct my poor ol' laptop.

Phil