Namaste appears to be a hidden gem in Ippendorf, a little outside of the city center. It is a…read morefamily business run by a very nice family who, as far as I know, come from the Punjab region in India. I have always enjoyed the way they treated me as a customer-always friendly, always attentive, always kind, and always fast.
True, the decoration inside is as kitsch as it could get. True, it was formerly a Greek restaurant and you can still see the remnants of it. True, it is not sufficiently ventilated inside. True, the bathroom might have been more hygienic. BUT...
When one is to talk about Namaste's food, s/he should open a clean sheet and forget about all of the downsides. To start with the starters, without a doubt Namaste is serving the tastiest samosas in town. Period. Paneer pakora and vegetarian pakora tasted so good, too. Chicken pakora is, however, disappointingly mediocre. I should note that what makes those starters taste even better are the sauces served beforehand. Hausgemacht mint chutney, mango chutney and a spicy combination of vegetables (shame I don't know what it's called) make the whole experience unforgettable. If I were the business owner, I'd even sell mint and mango chutney in cans with a catchy brand name to make more money and institutionalize eventually. :)
Pappadam and (butter) nan taste really good. Still, it is a mystery why they sometimes serve pappadam on house and sometimes they don't. Same applies for mango lassi-sometimes they serve it for free, sometimes they don't.
About swads...I strongly recommend lamm kefte masala, lamm rogan josh, lamm korma, chicken tikka masala, butter chicken, and chicken madras curry. Indeed tikka masala and butter chicken are generally not considered as genuine Indian food but they are still worth the try. Also, I strongly recommend kefte masala for those who want to taste as if they are having a garlic sausage in a spicy sauce, and korma for those who enjoy their meat, chicken or lamb, in a sweet and creamy curry. I don't recommend lamm kadahi and Namaste India Special, especially the latter. In my opinion, especially Namaste India Special was neither Indian, not special; it was rather like a money trap.
The rice served along with swads always tastes so aromatic and good.
I'd say the prices are high for the food you have in Namaste's atmosphere outside of city center. Therefore, it is always better to enjoy Namaste's lunch deals or open buffet options whenever possible.
Overall, I am sure no one regrets to eat at Namaste as it is one of the best (and undiscovered) Indian restaurants in town. Even a starter and a curry will convince you that Namaste is different (and better) than the rest of Indian restaurants in Bonn. :)