Sneak Review: Bombay Darbar

Bombay Darbar Indian Restaurant inhabits a neat, neighborly room with 34 seats, linen-draped tables, a tile floor, and pale-yellow walls judiciously adorned with Indian art. Alfresco dining on Commodore Plaza permits patrons to peer at passersby and speculate on "For Sale" signs posted in the shop windows of Chicago's Bakery & Deli, Chicago's Steakhouse, Cita's Italian Chop House, and the Ivy at the Grove -- all just a roti's throw from the patio, which by the way used to belong to another Indian restaurant, Anokha.
Diners can crunch on crisp papadum wafers served with mint chutney and a marinated pink onion/tomato mix while perusing a menu that treads the usual terrain of tikkas, tandooris, and vindaloos.