A Taste of Bollywood and Desi Street Food

There’s a place not so far away from Downtown Portland where they serve Indian Street food in a large room with small tables surrounded by mismatched chairs. The mismatched chairs, some of them wobbly, only add to the character of the place.

You’ll find antiques of all kinds crowding the walls and I’m pretty sure that if you trace their roots, you’ll be taken back to the streets of India. One wall that just cannot go unnoticed is the one opposite the front door; crying for wall-space there, are a collection of film posters of yesteryears — a proof of the rich history of Indian Cinema. Wait! did I tell you what this eatery is called? Bollywood Theater!

Now, coming back to the wall with all those movie posters, if you look carefully, you’ll even find pictures of gods and goddesses of the Hindu Pantheon, even age-old post cards of Taj Mahal, Qutub Minar and other ancient monuments in between the film posters. Apart from that there are the wall calendars and black-and-white family photos that were evidently taken at photo studios. All this succeeding in amplifying the ambiance of a small restaurant selling Indian street food. On the right half of that wall is a patch of white that serves as a projection screen. Playing on it that cold Saturday afternoon that I visited there, were songs from an old Dharmendra flick.

I looked around the place and found that there were hardly any Indians in there despite the fact the Portland does have a fairly sizeable Indian population. As such, I was pretty sure that the food there would be tailored to suit the white man’s palette. It so happened that I was wrong. The food was anything but bland. The spice levels were just right and everything was flavourful; just like the grub in a roadside stall.

Later as I went through the restaurant’s site I learnt that the owner of the place isn’t even Indian. He’s done ample homework before he set out to serve Indian street food. He’s been to India to pick up authentic local recipes and has succeeded in bring back a part of the streets of India. I’m impressed and say this place is a must-visit if you like Indian street food.

I had some Paav Bhaji and I swear I was really satisfied. The  Samosa Chole and the Kati rolls were good too. And the ‘chai’ was ok. You just might find some beverages you don’t normally see around these parts. There’s Thumbs Up here. And Limca even. For the beer person, there’s the ‘King of good times’ – Kingfisher. I also have to tell you this: You will be served in steel plates and steel tumblers for the complete experience.

For more info Bollywood Theater

You might also want to check out –
 Curry Up Now – Indian Cuisine with an International Twist (in San Mateo, CA)

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