A new Indian restaurant celebrated its recent foray into the Eisenhower East neighborhood over the weekend with festivities alongside local city and business leaders.
The Bombay Canteen rolled out the red carpet at 2010 Eisenhower Avenue yesterday (Sunday) for a grand opening of its Mumbai-inspired dining room and kitchen. The new eatery, which soft opened last month, is led by D.C.-area restaurateur Asad Sheikh and chef Nishi Barua, replacing a vacancy left by Hunan Cafe.
The menu is partially inspired by Mumbai street food, while the interior is a love letter to the bustling atmosphere and cultural highlights of Mumbai. Red booths, bright pom-poms and Bollywood art nod to the place where Sheikh grew up and where Barua spent her college years developing a passion for culinary arts.
“The interior is all about the landmarks of Bombay, the older classical movies,” Sheikh, who grew up on Mumbai’s Linking Road corridor, said. “Bollywood is big about movies. The colors reflect the curry dishes that we have. So red, orange, burgundy — that’s our dishes.”
Barua has dreamed of opening a Mumbai-themed restaurant for 15 years. It became a reality when she met Sheikh, who owns several D.C.-area restaurants dedicated to authentic Indian cuisine.
Sheikh’s return to Alexandria has been years in the making. In 2017, he sold off his former Cameron Station restaurant, London Curry House, to new owners. It later became IndoChen before closing permanently in December.
“I left [London Curry House] to go to D.C. … but I always missed something about Alexandria,” Sheikh said.
Several city leaders and community members showed up Sunday to celebrate, including West End Business Association President Mary Ann Burstein, City Councilman Canek Aguirre and Mayor Alyia Gaskins, who thanked Sheikh for returning to the city.
“We want you to know how much we are excited for you, how we support you, and we can’t wait to watch your business thrive,” Gaskins said. “I think restaurants are particularly exciting because what it represents is a chance for so many to gather around a meal, share stories, to make memories, to meet new people and to engage and spend time in our city.”
Gaskins and Sheikh cut the ribbon with local leaders. They also participated in a ceremonial coconut smashing, shattering the fruits on the grounds outside the storefront. It’s a traditional ritual for good luck in India, Sheikh said.
Highlights at the new restaurant include an $18 unlimited platter special from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Monday through Friday, Sheikh said.
“You can just literally sit and eat for three, four hours,” he said. “Then in the evening, we have an a la carte menu. A la carte is more about Bombay snacks, Bombay delicacies that you get in Bombay city — 24 hours, anywhere you go.”
These street food offerings include spicy hara tandoori wings, vada pav with spicy chutney and fried chili, and crispy pani puris filled with spiced potato and tangy mint water.
The Bombay Canteen is open daily from 11 a.m.-10 p.m., with extended hours until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
