by Anura Guruge

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The well thought out & yummy menu
(click to ENLARGE and savor)

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That chic, upscale and progressive Bar Harbor, Maine, gateway to Acadia, did not, until last month have an Indian restaurant was incongruous and frustrating. You want variety, specially if you, like so many others, including us, visit Bar Harbor on a regular basis and do so for a number of nights each visit. I truly stumbled upon the ‘Royal Indian’ serendipitously. I was trying to get back to ‘Cottage Street’ from ‘Main’ late Tuesday night, after dinner at a lobster place, when I took the wrong turn (which I habitually do). So, I had to cut across the car parks to get to Cottage. That is when I saw the well-lit and extremely welcoming sign. My heart skipped a beat. WOW. An Indian at long last. I went there for dinner the very next day and just loved it.

Authentic, carefully spiced, well cooked food, at a reasonable price. I, as I do 85% of the time, had the lamb korma and it was as good as I have had it ever. And the extremely congenial (and young) owner saw me looking puzzled at the dessert menu and he knew, without me saying a word, exactly what I was looking for! He magiced me up a kulfi — the only exception I make to my diet when it comes to sweets. Kulfi will be available on a regular basis soon. {SMILE}

The restaurant is spacious, airy and easy on the eye. They have done a brilliant job converting what had been a bakery.

Wonderful dining experience AND they are open till 10pm. That is great. Trust me, late dining can be a real issue in that area.

Not sure how long this will be the policy, but the night I was there it was ‘Happy Hour’ ALL NIGHT! Wine in Bar Harbor at $4 a glass? Good job I can walk back to the ‘Wonder View Inn‘.

Family run. Extremely nice folk. They also own a motel on Route 3 just by ‘Pirates Cove‘. They are going to be a great addition to the Bar Harbor business and social scene.

That there was no Indian restaurant previously baffled I more than once. I invariably do a micro census of Acadia visitors on each trip and this was my 12th time in Acadia since 2013. ‘Indians’ (brown folks like I (rather than Asians in general)) are, by far, the largest minority that you see at the Park. I see ten times more Indians in a day in Acadia than I see in a year in central New Hampshire (where I live)! The word just has to get around and it will.

I already heard, from a Park Ranger, that they like the new Indian! That was good to hear.

So, I am excited. Not sure whether we will be going back in September as we used to do for many years. Maybe Acadia is becoming a once a year destination. Not sure.

But, the next time I am in Bar Harbor this is where I will be having dinner on my first night. Maybe I will see you there. {SMILE}

Enjoy.

Related posts:
Check Category ‘Restaurants’.

by Anura Guruge