Taste of India in downtown Bangor to reopen on Friday, after renovations

The new bar, an addition to the newly renovated Taste of India in Bangor.

Taste of India, the 25-year-old Indian restaurant on Main Street in downtown Bangor, has undergone extensive renovations, and after two months closed will reopen with a new look, new menu, and brand new cocktail bar.

Owner Shri Kant said the new Taste of India would feature all of the same menu items that have been longtime favorites, like Chicken Tikka Masala, Palak Paneer and Lamb Vindaloo, alongside several new additions. These include a seafood coconut curry, braised lamb shanks and Tandoori lobster, as well as some Indian fusion dishes like General Tso’s Cauliflower, and duck curry made with miso paste.

“We’re keeping all the classics, but we’ve revamped a lot of stuff,” said Kant, 26, a 2009 graduate of Bangor High School. “It’s a fresh new look.”

A newly built full bar will offer beer, wine and specialty cocktails with an Indian twist, like the Cardamom Collins (a Tom Collins made with cardamom simple syrup), the Taj (a Manhattan made with garam masala bitters) and spiked Mango Lassi.

The interior has been spruced up, with a brand new floor, freshly painted walls with new decor, and intricate Indian-style woodworking details. Kant said the restaurant will open for dinner the evening of Friday, March 24, and would resume regular hours (11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Saturday, noon to 9 p.m. Sundays) from there. Friday’s reopening will feature extensive drink specials and live music.

He also said that fans of the restaurant’s lunch service need not worry — their popular lunch buffet would continue, with classic items mixed in with new items.

Kant said that next year he hopes to open another Taste of India restaurant in Bar Harbor.

Emily Burnham

About Emily Burnham

Emily Burnham is a Maine native, UMaine graduate, proud Bangorian and a writer for the Bangor Daily News, where she's worked since 2004. She reports on everything from local bands to local food to all the cool things going on in the Greater Bangor area. In her quest for stories, she's seen countless concerts and plays, been lobster fishing, interviewed celebrities, hung out with water buffalo and played in a ukulele orchestra. She's interested in everything that happens in Maine.