Last week, the Dorchester Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon-cutting for Bombay Social, an Indian restaurant that recently opened on Muir Street in downtown Cambridge. Owned by the Gomes family, who came to the Eastern Shore from Queens, New York, the restaurant was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream to give the patriarch of the family, Paul, a restaurant where he could put to use the culinary skills he acquired over 40 years in the business.
A family-owned and run business was important to the Gomes’ who initially hoped to open a restaurant in Queens. That idea was abandoned due to how expensive it was to operate in New York. For a short time, they considered North Carolina but then heard about Rohit Shinde, owner of Bombay Tadka. Shinde had just opened another restaurant in Easton and was interested in selling the Race street Cambridge location, preferably to another family. The Gomes’ were the perfect fit, and his past January, Bombay Social moved to their current downtown location.
The restaurant is living up to being family-operated employing, besides Paul, wife Veronica, daughter Judith, son Romeo and his wife, Janci. Romeo said he never expected to be in the restaurant industry since he graduated with a business degree. Still, his training allows him to use his managing and marketing skills to create a unique experience for customers, just as his dad creates authentic Indian cuisine that enables him to share his culture. “There aren’t too many Indian restaurants on the Eastern Shore, and we want to bring more diversity and want people to come in and try the food,” says Romeo.
Romeo likes to suggest options for people who may be new to the cuisine. “For first-timers, I would recommend vegetable samosa or Gobi Manchurian as an appetizer. For an entrée, they should try butter chicken, which is made with fenugreek and tomatoes. I personally like the Shahi Korma Chicken, which is creamy and made with a cashew-based sauce.” Being mindful of the varying degrees of palates in the area, their menu thoughtfully identifies each dish as gluten-free, spicy, and whether it’s vegan or vegetarian appropriate.
The family could not be happier with their Cambridge downtown location, and the feeling appears to be mutual. The ribbon-cutting attracted a large and appreciative crowd of supporters, the Dorchester Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, and local officials. In attendance were City of Cambridge Mayor Andrew Bradshaw and three City Commissioners, City Economic Development, Dorchester County Economic Development, and representatives from the Maryland Comptroller’s Office and Maryland Dept. of Agriculture were. After the speeches and the Mayor awarding a commendation to the Gomes’, everyone was offered samples of items available at the restaurant.
Cambridge Mayor Andrew Bradshaw helps with Ribbon Cutting
To continue making new fans, the family is looking forward to serving a buffet again, a staple of Indian restaurants, which allows both Indian food novices and enthusiasts to try a variety of options. As the weather turns warmer, they will also be doing outdoor seating and introducing additional items on the already tempting menu that will reflect the Eastern Shore. “I’d like to try to do a little more seafood and add lobster, crab, and scallops to the menu,” says Romeo. This week, the restaurant is also expecting to get its liquor license. “We’ve picked out the beers and drinks we’ll be adding,” said Romeo. “I want people to come in stay for a while.”
Ideas such as these show that Romeo is very much putting his business degree to use. You could see his marketing savvy on everything from the website to the menu, which is both informative and classy. But there’s more. “I’m thinking about starting a franchise in Salisbury and maybe Rehoboth in the near future. Let’s see how that goes,” he says.
Meanwhile, Paul is doing what he’s always wanted to, and the family is glad to contribute however they can. “He’s going to retire in a few years,” says Romeo, and I’m sure he’ll continue to help in the kitchen. However, Cambridge will always be home to Bombay Social.”
Which is great news for Cambridge. Says Bill Christopher, President/CEO of the Dorchester Chamber of Commerce, “It’s exciting to have a restaurant coming into town, especially during the pandemic. It shows that Bombay Social has the tenacity to open that door during a pandemic and that they can introduce a different food to the downtown area for folks to enjoy. The event itself was a testament to them as to how well it was attended. We get good turnouts, but not to that extent. It just shows that people are out to support them.”
Bombay Social is located at 413 Muir Street, Cambridge, MD https://www.bombaysocialmd.com/ Phone: 443.515.0853
Val Cavalheri is a recent transplant to the Eastern Shore, having lived in Northern Virginia for the past 20 years. She’s been a writer, editor and professional photographer for various publications, including the Washington Post.
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