CityView Magazine

38 | September 2020 But coronavirus has had a way of changing things. Today, the buffet setup sits like a stainless-steel monument. Chef Kelly says that's where it is going to stay. She has hopes it will be filled to the brim again … one day. Meanwhile – and here's the silver lining – faithful customers continue to flock to Bombay Bistro to order the dishes that got them hooked during the buffet days. e kitchen is still churning out the sweetest of aromas, turning the Indian art-filled restaurant into a sensory experience, whether we dine-in and social distance or go for takeout (bonus: natural air freshener for your vehicle). We first discovered the Bistro in its early days, circa 2005. Chef Kelly, who learned to cook in her native India, had done catering in the Carolinas and Virginia, but the restaurant business was new to her. By her side was Arvind, aka Kumar, her husband of now 40 years, who still works the front of the house and waits tables (he's the tall, friendly guy in PPE and a mask). Kumar had posted a big, handmade poster in the window, citing a scientific journal about the brain-boosting benefits of curcumin, or turmeric, and, specifically, that Alzheimer's disease is virtually unheard of in countries with a diet high in curries. Even though Kumar probably didn't know it at the time, his poster was pure marketing genius. Boomers like me couldn't resist, and we also learned that adding black pepper to the turmeric-based dishes is said to help activate the spice's healing properties. We read that turmeric may not only help our memories, but ward off inflammation, as well. Bring on the curries! Herbs and spices are the heart of Indian cooking, such as cardamom, which is citrusy, minty, spicy and herbal all at the same time. Many of the enhancers that Chef Kelly uses are imported from various parts of Asia – and have become harder to come by since coronavirus concerns surfaced earlier this year, she says. "Lots of spices have doubled or tripled in price," adds Kumar. Still, the Kishans carry on, shopping multiple sources and working long days to provide supremely fresh Indian cuisine to a cross-section of humanity that comes through their doors. Buffet or no buffet. Just order from the menu. "e Fayetteville community has supported me so much," says Chef Kelly, "and I thank them from the bottom of my heart." Front: Chicken Tikka Masala (the no. 1 menu item), tender chunks of chicken breasts in a creamy tomato sauce; Rear left: mild Chicken Korma in a coconut-based sauce (punctuated with pineapple, nutmeg, raisins and cashews); Rear right: a super-spicy Vindaloo.

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