THE BOMBAY CLUB STORY

When you visit Bombay Club, you will enjoy the fruits of a creative partnership that has flourished for nearly two decades. In 1977 Shikha Bhalla left Natraj, the Cambridge restaurant she ran with her sister, to return to her native New Delhi to marry Vinod Kapoor. A natural cook, Shikha’s culinary skill so impressed her new husband that it reawakened his lifelong dream to own a restaurant. “I knew that Shikha’s was outstanding - simple, delicious, and perfectly seasoned. Her recipes are as close to Mom’s as you can get!” says Vinod. The Kapoors came back to Cambridge a year later, and by 1980 they had opened their first restaurant together, Kebab-N-Kurry, in Boston’s Back Bay. Natraj had been the first Indian restaurant in Boston, and now Boston was getting another taste of Indian cuisine. Mildly spiced (dispelling the myth that all Indian food is palate-searing), flavorful, nutritious, with plenty of offerings for the health-conscious, Shikha’s cooking quickly won a loyal following.

As the family business became more successful, Vinod and Shikha decided to open a second restaurant, Star of India, in Somerville, Massachusetts. It also did well, and the business expanded again. A Kebab-N-Kurry in Providence, Rhode Island introduced more New Englanders to the delights of Indian food.

In 1991 the Kapoors found a dream location in Harvard Square for a more upscale Indian dining experience, Bombay Club. Unlike most area restaurants located at ground level, this elevated second-floor space affords panoramic views of the Square. For Bombay Club, Shikha and Vinod developed an expanded menu that reflects the full diversity of Indian regional cooking. The family returns to India annually to scout the latest culinary delights. They have sought out innovative recipes from a talented new generation of chefs throughout the continent. Shikha has the ability to sample a dish and then recreate it in her kitchen, where the spices are freshly ground and everything, including yogurt and cheese, is made from scratch. Bombay Club is elegantly appointed, filled with paintings, sculpture, and cookware all carefully chosen and imported from India. The effect is colorful, exotic, and authentically Indian in the heart of Harvard Square.

While Shikha handles the kitchen, Vinod manages the business aspects of the restaurants. In 1999 the family expanded its operations to Quincy Market in Boston. The latest Bombay Club offers take-away food from several different regions of India, quickly and conveniently served. The refreshing lassis (yogurt-based drinks) and dosas (Indian crepes) make perfect walking-around-the-marketplace fare for tourists and locals alike.

Vinod and Shikha say their restaurants are their passion. They have remained true to their original goal of introducing authentic Indian cuisine, lovingly prepared “like home.” Indeed, their restaurants are institutions, and have served as a training ground for 29 Indian restaurants owners throughout New England, all of whom have worked for the Kapoors. They hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you to Bombay Club sometime soon.