Bollywood Bistro, Downtown Fairfax With a Second Location in Great Falls

[Sundae in the Park]

Has anyone tried Bollywood Bistro in Fairfax City? Any news?

[John William G]

I ate at Bollywood once several months ago. It was pleasant,the service was nice. Based on that one time, I would put it on a par with Jaipur.

[Sundae in the Park]

I ate at Bollywood once several months ago. It was pleasant,the service was nice. Based on that one time, I would put it on a par with Jaipur.

Thanks! We tried it the other night. I do like the look of the place - it's more streamlined and modern than the typical family Indian restaurant, rather romantically but adequately lit, with some nods to Bollywood decorating the walls. The service was also excellent, friendly and cheerful and very attentive teamwork to make sure everything was up to par and water was continually topped off. We got out standards, chicken korma and bangain bharta, and liked both quite a bit. The portions are generous, resulting in plenty of leftovers. The korma has a little kick and the bharta is a chunky version, heavy on the onions and tomatoes and smoky flavor, almost to the point that I wondered if they used liquid smoke. We also tried their version of palak chaat. The spinach was only slightly crispy but the mix of flavors and textures - green mango and potato chunks spiked with crunchy bits of chick peas surrounded by a combination of tamarind and mint chutneys and yogurt, topped with the spinach - was quite interesting, and it is a sizeable portion, good for sharing. Yes, the Rasika crown is untouched, but this isn't a bad version at all for the suburbs (am I a horrible snob? This is really what I was thinking as I ate it). The mango lassi was sweet to my taste but the actual drinker of the beverage seemed to enjoy it, and the gulab jamun ws well received and gone in moments.

We used a Restaurant.com coupon and really enjoyed the experience. It's worth checking out. There are a few non-typical items on the menu (like a sea bass entree) that will have me returning sooner than later.

[tangledbranches]

We visited Bollywood Bistro last week and were generally happy with the experience. Very good Okra do Pyaza (basically okra sauteed with onion and tomato) and Lal Maas (boneless lamb cubes braised in red chile sauce). The Kolkatta Kachori appetizer would have been good, except that the pastry "shell" tasted of rancid oil.

[JBag57]

There is now a second location in the Great Falls Shopping Center (intersection of Walker Road and 193).  I haven't been--I spotted it while on my way to the Old Brogue last weekend.  My SIL gave it a general "thumbs up".

[jmd]

The Great Falls location is smaller than the first, but meets the same standard of cuisine. Not an issue for me, but unlike the Fairfax location (and pretty much every Indian restaurant in Virginia I know of), there is no lunch buffet available. 

[lion]

The original Fairfax location is better as the taste are milder in Great Falls location, almost bland. I'm sure that would fall into a Tyler Cowden theory on ethnic cuisine and the geographic diversity of the locations, and unfortunately in this case, it would be correct.