You mustn’t skip town when you’re in Montreal before you’ve sampled Indian cuisine. No, it isn’t the sigabon we receive on the plane almost every spring. You know… Indian as in India. The real India.

But never mind that and go to The Bombay Palace (2051 Ste. Catherine). You might have noticed its bright reddish facade on Ste. Catherine and Fort downtown. Just down the street from the Forum. We know, you’ve noticed it and never could summon up the courage to enter. A friend must have walked by it thousands of times before he finally went in one summer’s eve. And that was only because he desperately wanted to impress somebody. But that’s another story.

Try the chicken jalfrazie. Or tandoori chicken. Their naan bread is Cree bannock itself, we swear. Dip it in the sauces and you’ll agree with us. Feast on the onion bhaji. Don’t forget the chicken pakora to start off everything. If you like your food hot, spicy and stinging try the chicken Madras with basmati rice. The rice serves a purpose, if you knowwhatwe mean. Don’t worry about the bill it’s only 14 dollars plus for all you can eat.

For comparison, head east towards the Faubourg across from the mall on Ste. Catherine and have a taste of curry chicken. After you’ve recovered from your overdose of poultry move on to beef or veal. Mmmmm. Even shrimp with curry. Double mmmmm. But don’t stop there.

Walk or take a cab further east toward Crescent Street and south towards Rene Levesque Boulevard. Near the corner we have The Maharajah (1175 Crescent). Take your pick from the buffet.

Proceed with your culinary journey towards Guy Street near the Faubourg for the best ribs this side of border. You know what we’re talking about. What Cree doesn’t? We’re only talking about the Bar B Barn (1201 Guy). Nuff said.

The lesser known Joe’s on Metcalfe and de Maisonneuve is another recommended stop. Their steak is positively divine. Did I forget something? Oh yes, Le Bifteque (6705 Cote-de-Liesse). You’ll need to take a cab or maybe catch a ride with someone at The Nation (provided you pick up the tab) and sink your few remaining teeth into the best steak west of Joe’s. By this time you will have gained several thousand pounds so we’ll stop. In a future issue we’ll provide a guide to Montreal’s nightspots. Watch for it.