Bombay Bistro was the venue for our April visit, which is a well-established traditional restaurant situated on the High Street in Ibstock, a former coal mining village in North-West Leicestershire. There is a free public car park across the road.

On arrival we were warmly welcomed by a friendly waiter and shown to our table. We were pleased to see both Cobra and Kingfisher on draught, which was served ice-cold, and extremely welcoming following our 30-minute journey. One of our members requested a Lassi, but unfortunately this was not available, so settled for a soft drink.

The atmosphere was very relaxed, which was complemented by pleasant background music. The menu was quite extensive, with some unusual speciality dishes, but also featured all the familiar favourites.

As tradition dictates, we began with the usual two poppadom’s each, which were warm, dry, and crisp, and accompanied by the classic pickle tray, consisting of chutney/pickles, onion salad, mint sauce, and tamarind sauce.

We then ordered our Mains, these being a Mishti Milli Jhaal, Tandoori Mix Biriyani, Lamb Tawa, and a Tandoori Chicken Chana Palak.

The accompaniments we chose were a Mushroom Pilau Rice, and a Vegetable Pilau Rice, along with a Cheese & Chilli Naan, and a Garlic & Cheese Naan.

The consensus was that the dishes across the table were flavourful, well-prepared, and all served at the required strengths, however the Tawa, which wasn’t on the menu, was considered a little disappointing.

The rice was well-cooked, and the naans were a standout—generously smothered in cheese and packed with flavour.

The service throughout the evening was excellent, the staff were extremely attentive without being overbearing.

We were pleasantly surprised with a complimentary brandy to round off the meal and were warmly thanked as we left. The total bill came to £104, which we felt was extremely good value for the quality of food and the service received.

A couple of messages that I received the following morning from our members were;

‘7.5 for me – great place, service was superb, just the Tawa didn’t deliver.’

‘It’s 9 for me. I got lucky with my meal.’

‘I am at 8.5, great service, good food, worth the trip.’

Some great comments and feedback.

The score out of 40 based on the venue/surroundings/food/service/cost was 33… which puts them into second place for the year, but could easily have taken top spot if the Tawa had been better.

Overall, a very enjoyable evening, and worth the trip should you find yourself in North-West Leicestershire, and fancy a traditional curry house with great food and great service.

Please note as always, our reviews are personally subjective and isn’t necessarily what others may think or experience when they visit.