I’ve said it before, and it remains true – I love flavorful, unique food and I especially love the cultural melting pot of cuisines that make up the Fresno food landscape, so when I heard about the opening of a new restaurant in Northeast Fresno called Bollywood that would be serving Indian Street Food “with attitude” I had to check it out.
Street food, in general, is such a fun way to explore unique flavors and dishes. With the continued explosion of food trucks not just in the Fresno area, but across the country, street food is definitely experiencing its moment in the sun and I’m not sad about it one bit. One of the best things about street food is that it’s generally affordable, portable and often finger food making it easy to try multiple dishes and share with friends and loved ones.
My husband and I made it to Bollywood this past Friday and we’re so glad we did! Bollywood is located on the northwest corner of Herndon and Cedar Avenues, in the same shopping center as John’s Incredible pizza, a couple of doors down from Blue Fin Sushi and Jimy Wen’s. The restaurant is a fast casual style with counter ordering and plenty of tables to allow for eating in. The walls feature posters of Bollywood celebrities and there are TVs around the room displaying sports, entertainment, and music from India. It was around 6:30 pm when we arrived and the place was hopping busy and stayed that way the whole time we were there, but there were plenty of tables for everyone and the food was prepared and came out quickly.
Bollywood’s menu consists of street “snacks” like Aloo Tikki (deep-fried, crispy, seasoned potato patties) Samosas, Devil Shrimp and Chicken Wings (with four sauce options including Lemon Pepper, Buffalo, Tandoori and Achari), Bowls consisting of chana masala or daal lentil, white rice, salad and your choice of veggie or meat, Thali (balanced, substantial meals with protein of your choice and all the fixings), Biryani (spiced Basmati rice prepared with your choice of protein) Tandoori style kababs, traditional Indian main dishes like Lamb Curry and Butter Chicken and my personal favorite: Naughty Naan Tacos.
The Naughty Naan Tacos are what drew me to try Bollywood in the first place. They are made with homemade Naan, served warm and topped with your choice of entrée meats. We started our meal with an order of Samosas, then we each had two tacos. I tried the Butter Chicken and Chicken Tikka options, and my husband ordered the Aloo Gobi and Lamb Curry. The tacos were so generously sized, I couldn’t finish my second one, however, it made for a delicious lunch the following day.
The restaurant opened in early February and is owned by Goldie Bedi and his wife Pattie Cervantes, along with Bedi’s brother, Sonu Singh Mehra. Bedi’s Indian heritage and his wife’s Mexican background led to the creation of the Naughty Naan tacos, which aren’t traditional to either cuisine, however, they sure are delicious. Something that is traditional to both Indian and Mexican dishes is being well-spiced, and that is definitely a fantastic feature of the food at Bollywood. All of the menu items my husband and I tried were exploding with rich and vibrant flavors and everything was very fresh.
If you’ve not yet been, and you love flavorful food, I highly recommend making the trip to Bollywood soon! They’re open from 11 am and 9 pm Monday through Saturday.
Have you been!? Let us know what you thought!
Happy eating + exploring,
-Natali
- Discover the Magic of Winter Wonderland in Hanford: A Perfect Holiday Mini Trip - December 6, 2023
- A Scoop of Nostalgia: Discovering Gelateria del Centro in Downtown Fresno - November 27, 2023
- Fall into Joy: 5 Ways to Discover Seasonal Glimmers in Fresno/Clovis - November 16, 2023
Leave a Reply