A bite of Bollywood
By Julia Boorstin

(FORTUNE Magazine) – First the kitschy Indian musical genre hit the big screen. Now Bollywood is sweeping through the restaurant business.

Vermillion, an Indian fusion restaurant in Chicago, is holding a festival that runs through the end of December featuring Bollywood-themed cocktails, dancing, and artwork. "Bollywood is fashionable and fun, but it's also a huge tie to Indian culture," says owner Rohini Dey. At Bombay Talkie in Manhattan, an LCD monitor plays a loop of Bollywood movies, and patrons sip drinks inspired by hits like Ankur (1974). The title means "seedling"; the drink is a mix of pomegranate juice, tequila, and Cointreau. And in Los Angeles, Indian restaurant and lounge Tantra plays a loop of 50 classic black-and-white Bollywood films. Tantra's designer is working on another Bollywood-inspired restaurant opening in Palo Alto this November, called Junnoon, which means "craziness." Given Bollywood's enduring appeal, that idea seems anything but. -- Julia Boorstin