If not for one family stuck in a traffic jam on FM 359 nearly eight years ago, Bombay Grill would have closed its doors in the Pecan Grove Plaza, owner Jay Patel said.

“In the beginning, it was very difficult. At one point, we decided to lock this door and get out. But the guy who owns this plaza said, ‘OK, you can try for another six months,’” Patel said.

Shortly into the sixth-month extension, that family was stuck in traffic and wandered into Bombay Grill—the only customers Patel had that night.

“They ordered eight different entrees,” Patel said.

That family recommended Bombay Grill to four other families who visited the restaurant the next night, he said.

“That particular month, instead of losing money, I broke even,” he said. “I was like, ‘Thank God for this particular family who walk[ed] in this door [and] appreciate[d] what we are doing.’”

Patel and his wife, Kalpana, opened the restaurant in 2008. For the couple, preparing north Indian cuisine is a labor of love.

“My favorite aspect is when people [are] talking while they are dining,” Patel said. “That makes us feel like, ‘Yes, one more happy family.’”

Dishes on the menu include chicken, seafood, lamb and goat specialties as well as rice and vegetarian options. Traditional north Indian cuisine, such as curries, masala, biryani and a variety of nan are available.

Patel said cooking Indian cuisine demands concentration, and he noted Bombay Grill prepares each recipe from scratch.

“Spice is timing," he said. "Certain [spices] go in at the beginning of the cooking, certain [spice] goes at the middle part of the cooking, [and] certain [spice] goes in after the dish is cooked.”

Bombay Grill offers catering in addition to dine-in and carryout services.

“We go on vacation and crave coming back here [to Bombay Grill],” said one customer who stopped in for a carryout order.

Because the food is made from scratch, Patel said dishes can take up to an hour to prepare.

“If you’re in a hurry, this is not the restaurant for you,” he said.

To understand the work put into an Indian dish, Patel said he used to have a window into his kitchen so customers could watch as their meal was prepared. Although the window is no longer there, the offer is still on, he said.

“I don’t hesitate at [inviting customers to view the cooking process],” Patel said. “I just tell them, ‘C’mon, let’s go. I’ll show you.’”