Bombay Darbar Neighborhood Gems| Coconut Grove, Miami ? Tasting Table

Waves of tandoori spices–ginger, garlic and coriander–enveloped us as we approached Bombay Darbar in Coconut Grove.

Husband and wife Danny and Nan Danesh, who hail from Mumbai, own the four-year-old gem. It draws a pack of regulars who take up most of the two dozen indoor and outdoor tables.

Most of those tables are only an elbow's length apart from one another, but we forgot about being this close to our neighbors once we sipped the thick mango lassi ($3) and scooped complimentary mint and tomato-sweet onion chutneys with crispy pappadums.

A feast of naan, mango lassi, shrimp tandoori and gulab jamun (Photo: Caitlin Granfield)

The sizzle and smoke of six jumbo tandoori shrimp ($17) resting on a skillet with thinly sliced onions and green peppers turns heads. Tender chunks of boneless lamb rogan josh ($18) are submerged in a spiced tomato sauce and served alongside a bowl of fragrant basmati rice.

Don't overlook the dessert menu: Gulab jamun ($4) may look like glazed donut holes, but they're much more airy and arrive immersed in slurp-worthy rose syrup. Enjoy them with a hot masala chai ($3), which packs a heavy gingery kick.

Then decide when you're going to visit Coconut Grove again.

Our Other Favorite Coconut Grove Neighborhood Gems: LoKal Burgers & Beer, Le Bouchon du Grove, Foccacia Bistro, The Last Carrot