Bermuda has three Indian restaurants, all situated in Hamilton. All are Indian run with Indian chefs as against the more familiar Bangla Deshi run restaurants in England.

The longest established, most elegant and most expensive is the Bombay situated on the 3rd floor of 75 Reid Street. Established for 14 years it was formerly known as the Bombay Bicycle Club (nothing to do with restaurants of a similar name in London SW12 or Nottingham). Run by a Goan family it changed it’s name to the Bombay two years ago when it was taken over by the brother of the previous owner. The waiter and chef are also from Goa - Candolim and Panjim respectively - so a chat about restaurants and bars in their home towns immediately created a friendly atmosphere. A stylish looking restaurant seating about 70 with dark wood panelling, ceiling fans and dark wood furniture - some high backed chairs looking almost antique. Quite pricey (everything is in Bermuda!) and my benchmark meal of two average starters, two standard mains, one vegetable side dish, one pillau rice and a peshwari nan, used for pricing comparisons, came to just over $70 (about £50) without popadoms, drinks and the 15% service charge which is automatically added.

The second longest established is House of India which opened as a take away about 4 years ago but only added the restaurant some two years ago. The take away (and small grocery store attached) still exists next door. This restaurant doesn’t advertise (as far as I could see) and I only learned of it by chance. It was reputed from several sources to be the best for food but is a little way from the town centre in North Street and difficult to find on foot (but once there you can’t miss it - it’s lit up like a Christmas tree!) Unfortunately the shortest walking route goes through a rather run down local area and I was recommended to take a taxi, particularly on Friday or Saturday night. However, the restaurant itself is fine - fairly ordinary but not uncomfortable inside seating 44 in bench like seating along the walls. My informant (and the restaurant manager) said that Friday and Saturday nights are always full and bookings advised. My benchmark meal would cost around $45 (£32) without drinks or service charge.

The third and most recent member of the trio is Taste of India, opening just over a year ago. The advertisements in local publications give a rather exaggerated impression as it is little more than a take-away (ie a serving counter in front of a small open cooking area) with three small tables. The address given of 2nd floor, Bermudian Arcade is also misleading as it is in the road at the rear of the arcade and at ground level! The front man is Goan and the two chefs from Madras and Bombay were friendly enough (once again, talk of Chowpatty beach and Crawford market in their home town established a good relationship). This is the cheapest of the lot with the benchmark meal costing about $35 (£25) and I imagine service is optional rather than the 15% levied at most restaurants on the island. It is not licensed.

And so to the crucial point of the food. Well, we planned to eat at the Bombay but we met a couple who had eaten there who were not impressed. Discussion elicited that the dishes contained a high degree of artificial colouring and opinion ranged between "not very good" and a reluctant "OK". They obviously knew their curry as they visit the Indian Club and restaurants in Drummond Street in London so their opinion was a valuable guide. We postponed our decision to eat there. Opinion from locals (particularly a Bermuda based American who liked curry and had used them all) was that the House of India was the best, followed by Bombay (which he variously described as "fair" and "OK as far as Bermudian Indian restaurants go" - talk about being damned by faint praise!), while Taste of India was considered the least good.

Did I try them? Well, the fairly high prices at the Bombay for what would, by all accounts, be a pretty average curry at best put us off that one. We were not attracted to sitting in the ‘take-away’ atmosphere of Taste of India or it’s reputation, and very unfortunately we discovered the House of India too late in the week to return for a meal. I didn’t eat in any of them !!

Malcolm Wilkins - November 2000