Un-Bay-Leaf-Able!*

The Q's suspiciously French restaurant reviewer, M. Rue des de la Sonne, once again sent us a well-researched missive from the field. Bay Leaf is the third Indian restaurant to open in PLG in the past couple years, and according to de la Sonne, it's a keeper. Here's Rue...

The decor is more Kiev than Kalkutta, but our table, on a chilly February night, came with its own space-heater, so you know the place is legitimately subcontinental.  And although the menu offers a surprising number of pricing alternatives ("50% off Executive Lunch" "Catering to Private party, wedding and Corporate are welcome" "Lunch Box to Go $8.50" "Prix Fixe Menu $14.95"), set your mind at ease, and set yourself in the good hands of Rohman, the waiter.  He refuses to smile for the camera, but he is the sweetest man you're likely to encounter any day of the week.


And the food.  Oh, the food. 

The samosas are ideally crisp; the eggplant in the bhartha is thick and smokey and irresistible on the naan; the chicken in the chicken tikka masala is perfectly roasted, and the sauce is tangy and complex; the mango lassis are everything you need; except for the rice pudding, with cardamon, which you also need, it turns out.

To judge by the frequency with which their telephone rings, and the frequency with which their delivery dude is on and off his motor bike, the word is out about Bay Leaf.  And no wonder.  This was the best meal we've ever eaten in the neighborhood.

* pun courtesy of the reviewer...proprietor of blog takes no responsibility for it, though he wishes he could.