Café Bombay brings India to Bristol Borough
by Cate Murway

A firm handshake, a big smile and “Welcome to Café Bombay”. Come in and share an entirely new and delicious dining experience, an authentic Indian meal and feel as if you are part of the family. New and innovative dishes, the chef grinds his own spices, are presented even for the spicy “faint of heart”. Chef Gigi Eapen offers a “hotness meter” and truly respects and tailors the dishes to your taste preferences.
No need for “Caution for Curry” signs, he does not use any curry powder!

A detailed description accompanies the meal choice. The chef and his family own the restaurant on 233 Mill Street and they personally take the time to chat with each patron. The meats are tender and lean, the vegetables are freshly purchased, and the uniquely prepared delicious Indian bread is popped hot, right from the clay oven. There is free parking nearby and the café is within walking distance of the waterfront/wharf and the Bristol Riverside Theatre.
Gigi’s parents, Thomas & Annamma Eapen and most of his family still live in Kerala, an educationally advanced state with its own language of Malayalam on the Malabar Coast of southwestern India. Chef Gigi, graduate of the North India Holy Cross Vocational Institute, once helmed the elite 5 ٭٭٭٭٭ Taj Coromandel Chennai, in India, a member of the exclusive “Leading Hotels of the World”. He was recruited to be the Fish and Pasta Chef for the enhanced cuisine, by the world's largest cruise line, Carnival Cruise Lines, founded in 1972 and headquartered in Miami, FL. This was his first step in his personal pursuit of the “American Dream”. Similar journeys have been part of the fabric that has woven the successful principled foundations of this country. He was introduced to his future wife, Jancy by his late Uncle Thomas, one of his relatives in Philadelphia. Gigi was constantly working in different large cities in Michigan and at times in Harrisburg, but he wanted a business of his own and a small town, homey place to settle his family which now includes daughter, Angela, born in January 2003. His website search led him to Bristol Borough and the “FOR SALE” “Sweet Shop” that was currently on the market. The papers were signed on September 26, 2002, his wife’s birthday, and the Gigi Eapen family officially owned 233 Mill Street. He was presented with a huge undertaking to transform the “candy store” into a restaurant with a working kitchen. He painted the walls pastel pink, giving the dining room a romantic and charming appeal. Then he added strength with darker shades of pinks and purple and burgundy to augment the ambiance for your dining enjoyment. Original handcrafted Indian wall artwork created from dried banana bark and pineapple leaves depict his birthplace. Jancy personally assembled, over a period of 3 months, the extravagant crystal chandelier and wall lighting that was shipped from India.

The fresh spices used by Chef Gigi, which are virtually indispensable in the culinary art, are also shipped from India, known as the 'The home of spices'.  The perfect growing climate there is equable and varies little from season to season, the temperature normally ranges from 80 to 90 F and the rainfall is heavy, averaging around 118 inches annually.
Spices have curative properties and Chef Gigi, knowing this, weaves them into his myriad of dishes. Indian turmeric, with its antiseptic and preservative properties, purifies the blood, making it an ideal choice as a food flavor. Cardamom, the Queen of all spices, is an important ingredient of garam masala, a combination spice including black pepper, cloves, cinnamon and coriander and cumin seeds for many of the Bombay Café specially prepared vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes.

Be primed to add a new dimension to your taste palette. The distinct flavor of food cooked in a clay oven is a result of the oils and fats dripping from the marinated meats, producing a smoky unique taste. The succulent meat is threaded onto skewers and placed into the hot oven to cook by a combination of convected and radiated heat. The Naan, round flat unleavened bread, is pressed against the sides of the pot with the use of a small pillow and is cooked by conducted heat. This method of cooking allows meats, poultry, seafood, lamb and vegetables to quickly roast.
Stop in for an invigorating steaming cup of Madras Coffee, savoring all its chicory-infused glory, while you peruse the intensely diverse menu that encourages all appetites to be satiated. The South Indian java, made from dark roasted coffee beans, is intoxicatingly milky, sweet and rich. Enjoy a Bombay Naan, hot unleavened white bread stuffed with Paneer, a fresh and delicate cottage cheese made from whole milk in India, almonds, raisins, fresh ginger and coconut while your dinner choice is being expertly prepared. Perhaps on your first visit, you could indulge in Chicken Tikka Masala, marinated pieces of luscious chicken grilled in the clay oven, cooked with peppers and onions in a medium tomato based sauce. Craving Seafood? Savor the light flavor of Crab GOA served with soft cooked Basmathi rice, crab meat cooked to perfection with or without coconut, using a century old recipe from the coasts of Goa. A perfect vegetarian selection could be Malai Kofta, a light flavor homemade cheese and potato dumpling with raisins and nuts and green spices. Save room for dessert! Rumor has it that the homemade cardamon and nut rice pudding is amazing. Or make your choice be the Carrot Halwa, a thick pudding of grated carrot cooked with milk almond, served hot and garnished with pistachio.
Café Bombay is an affordable dining experience with quality food.

Give your taste buds a treat!


Cafe Bombay
233 Mill Street
215-788-4239
Closed on Monday
Lunch hours: Tuesday- Saturday 11:00A.M. –2:00P.M. [new menu starting at $6.95]
Dinner hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday    5:00P.M. –9:00 P.M.
                      Friday and Saturday-   5:00 P.M. –10:00 P.M.
Let Café Bombay Cater your next Party or Event. Seating for 40 guests.
Call for Reservations.
www.cafebombay.biz
All Major Credit Cards Accepted.
Gift Certificates are available.

Chef Gigi Eapen