In the early 90s, Bina and Raj Sharma went on a vacation to Maine. They instantly fell in love with its coastal charm so much so that a year later, they relocated from Europe to the US state.
After relocating, the Indian-origin couple observed that their new home did not have any Indian restaurants.
“At the time, the population in Maine was not at all diverse and immigrants, especially from India, were far and few in between,” says Bina.
Today, the couple runs ‘Bombay Mahal’ in Brunswick city to bring diversity to Maine’s international food scene which lacked it.
Being Punjabi, the couple introduced a North Indian menu and offered staple tandoori dishes such as tandoori chicken, naan, butter chicken, saag paneer, and much more.
In all, the couple offers at least 70 varieties of Indian food including pakora, samosa, rikki tikki tavi, peshawari naan, saag paneer, gulab jamun, and Punjab’s most beloved – lassi.
The couple says that people in Maine had never tasted Indian food and they feared the food to be too spicy.
In fact, before coming into the restaurant, customers even researched about the dishes they offered, the method of preparation, and even the types of spices used.
Once scared to try Indian food, today Bina and Raj welcome hundreds of local customers from Maine, as well as Canada, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.
Over the years, the Sharmas were able to make Maine fall in love with their culinary delights and the unique flavours that they offered.
“People in Maine embraced our food right from the start. We have had diners from three generations who not only relish food but also bring their grandkids to try Indian food for the first time," says Bina.
Today, Bombay Mahal is the oldest-running Indian restaurant in the state. It has won an America’s Best Business Award and voted the Best Indian and International Restaurant in Maine.