Bombay Joe's opening in former Bistro Monet in Glen Ellyn

GLEN ELLYN – Those who happen to be in downtown Glen Ellyn on Sept. 10 will be able to sample some of the fare at the new Bombay Joe's Gastropub, which has moved into the space at 462 N. Park Blvd. that formerly housed Bistro Monet.

To give people a taste of what the restaurant has to offer, Bombay Joe's plans to open its doors and serve a few of the restaurant's items, such as its signature lamb, chicken and vegan burgers. The restaurant also will be serving yogurt smoothies and chai, which is Indian tea.

"We will open at 11 a.m. and see how it goes," said Bombay Joe's chef and managing partner Manoj Chopra of Wheaton, who is the namesake Joe in the restaurant's name. "I want to introduce people to the food."

The restaurant won't be fully open to the public until towards the end of September, Chopra said. But Chopra said he thought he would take advantage of the fact that more people will be in downtown Glen Ellyn on Sept. 10 for the Glen Ellyn Backyard BBQ, which benefits the Glen Ellyn-based Bridge Communities organization and its mission of transitioning homeless families to self-sufficiency.

The Glen Ellyn Backyard BBQ will take place from noon to 9 p.m. in the Glenwood Avenue parking lot on Crescent Boulevard between Main Street and Prospect Avenue, next to Bridge Communities' office.

Chopra has an extensive amount of restaurant experience, including being the chef/owner of the Little India restaurant in the San Francisco Bay Area for 25 years. Helping him run Bombay Joe's is managing partner Michael Herman.

Freshness is key in everything the restaurant does. The yogurt smoothies, for example, are made from organic homemade yogurt, which the restaurant makes itself.

Bombay Joe's will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Besides burgers, the restaurant will feature breakfast pizzas and omelettes along with such items as chicken dum biryani, chicken tikka masala and pork vindaloo.

Fitting in with the restaurant's motto – the world at your table – Bombay Joe's is planning to hold themed nights featuring food from around the world, such as Venezuela and South America.

"We want to appeal to an international audience," Chopra said.

The restaurant also will offer catering and delivery services. More information is available at Bombay Joe's website, gobombayjoes.com, and at its Facebook page, facebook.com/worldgastropub.