Checking in 3 years laters just to say it still slaps…read more Everything was delish! Also, I will be needing a liter of that mango lassi please!

Friyay came and cooking was off the table! After a brief moment of possibilities I decided on…read moreIndian cuisine and Himalayan Taste has great curry. Ordered the Lamb Curry, Saag Paneer Curry and Garlic Naan, for carry-out. Popped a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon and I was in heaven! Tender, juicy, mouth watering Lamb with just the right amount of heat! And the Saag Paneer was creamy. Totally refreshing and delicious

I didn't know what to expect when we came here for dinner but it turned out for the better. It was…read morea friend's birthday and this was her choice. Me personally, I'm not much of a curry type unless I really have the craving for it. And I tend to stick to my usual. It's right in the heart of the village and along the main strip. Sunday night when we arrived, it wasn't too busy with a few tables occupied. From the look of it outside, it didn't seem too big. But once you're inside, there's the main dining area and another one to the side which wasn't utilized. We didn't need reservations which we thought we would. Service was great as all the staffs were very friendly and accommodating. Menu wise, a mixture of everything. After a day of drinks, we didn't want to see any more alcohol...lol... I alway forget whenever I order an ice tea at any of these establishments, there's always cinnamon added. I like my tea plain with no sugar. So that was a bust but not nothing major. We started off with some samosas which were really nice. The sauces that accompanied them were tasty. Also an order of the chicken pakora. They were good but nothing major about them. Different from other places I've had them. Lastly the onion bhaji, a favorite and it was lovely. For mains, everything is à la carte so rice was additional item. As there was four of us, we ordered a mixture is everything to share. The lamb sagg, creamy spinach and had a nice flavor to it but a little skimpy on lamb. I would have preferred chunks instead. Then the paneer sagg which was nice. Between the lamb and panner, I would say paneer takes the lead. Both good but the lamb was a little too skimpy. Of course you have to have chicken tikka which is always a good option. They asked regarding spice level which we did want spicy but it came out more mild. I guess they didn't think we could handle the heat...lol... Lastly the lamb tandoori. That was a favorite and cooked perfectly. A nice grill to it and very juicy. As mentioned, everything is à la carte so rice was an additional item. And you can't leave out the garlic nann. Overall the food was quite tasty and much enjoyed. Spice level could have been a little spicier but it was fine. Better safe than sorry. The only downfall for me was the lamb sagg, but besides that we greatly enjoyed everything. Service was nice and all the staffs were amazing and very friendly. They have prime location on the strip.

Having been here multiple times in the last decade, our visit yesterday was a bit disappointing,…read moreand I can no longer give this spot 5 stars. For a restaurant in a touristy area, it still lands at a solid 3.5 to 4 stars, but the experience has definitely taken a step back. Cleanliness - there's a fly constantly going up and down the window we sat next to. It was getting a lot of my attention but alas I did not have a fly swatter. Lucky sob!!! Food - portion sizes felt smaller. While Indian dishes aren't typically huge, the presentation this time made them look a bit meager--it could be the dinnerware, the presentation? I don't know. Flavor-wise, something has changed for the worse. The Chicken Tikka Masala was decent, but lacked the rich depth and spice profile of our previous visits. The Fish Vindaloo suffered a similar fate. It wasn't bad, but it lacked that bold, signature Indian flavor. Also, using salmon felt like a misstep; its strong flavor tends to clash with vindaloo spices rather than absorb them. Side note, this dish was not at all spicy. And the server never asked us about the spiciness level of any of the dishes we ordered. Maybe they only offer non-spicy for all their dishes?? The same vindaloo dish at our favorite Indian restaurant in L.A. is very spicy and full of other favors. Service was just ok. The restaurant was quiet, with far more empty tables than occupied ones, yet the food took quite a while to come out. At one point, at least four servers were standing around the counter watching the dinning hall. Yet, other than delivering the food, no one came to any of the tables to check on them once the food had been delivered. Multiple times nearby tables waved their hands in the air to get attention after they got their food. We overheard one young man asking for hot sauce and chuckled - so someone else wanted their food spicier, too! Come here if you REALLY love touristy/Americanized Indian or want some vegetarian choices. Personally, I'll find dinner elsewhere next time in Big Bear.

Very yummy and flavorful compared to other Indian food places in San Marcos + Escondido…read more Price is very fair for the portion sizes, speed, and quality. Service is fairly nice and direct. Eating in their outside area is nice and so is eating inside.

Great welcoming service. The tandoori and tikka masala were perfect. Very reasonable prices.read more

Amazing that big bear has 2 Indian restaurants. We're never been to Masala Craft before and we…read morereally liked it. We started with the Seekh Kabab appetizer. Everything was so fresh. The onions were perfectly crispy and sweet but not overcooked and the chicken had some nice flavorful spices on it. Then for the main meals we got Saag Paneer, Shahi Paneer and Garlic Naan. So good. The Indian cheese they use in paneer is amazing. Kind of like tofu cheese. Love it. Service was quick and friendly and the place was clean. The bathrooms were ok, they're out in a hallway that's shared by the restaurant nextdoor.

Upon a friend's recommendation we ate at Masala Craft Indian Kitchen last night. I've been eating…read moreIndian food for 40 years so come to a new place with some pretty well defined expectations. Overall, the ambience was sparse and generic, the service was exceptional, and the food was good with some obvious high and low points for my wife and I. My wife is vegan and has a sugar allergy which limits us in most places, though Indian or south Asian tends to lean in our favor. The server was casual, communicative, and genuinely concerned about meeting my wife's dietary restrictions. We were able to order everything we wanted, but were cautioned about over ordering because the portion sizes were large. We ordered one less dish, thankfully, because of this warning. For starters I ordered a Modelo beer and we shared an order of samosas. I would have enjoyed a Taj, an Indian pilsner, but they only have giant bottles. The samosas were much flakier and crispier than the samosas we're used to so we wondered about the difference in the dough. Personally, I loved the lighter and crispier dough as it highlighted the really flavorful potato and pea filling. Though these samosas were great, the stand out part for both of us was the chat masala, a dry Indian seasoning that has black salt, coriander, cumin, cardamom, and other spices. It really punched up the flavor of the dish and we asked to bring some home to use on our own crispy tofu dish We ordered bhindi masala (okra), aloo gobi (cauliflower and potatoes), and Chana masala as our main dishes. We've eater these dishes in many restaurants and ordered all dishes at spice level 5 (1-10 are the options) since we like spicy food, but have been burned (literally) by Indian spice before. Level 5 was nicely spiced, but not overwhelming. The bhindi masala was our favorite dish. The okra was perfectly cooked and the seasoning was tasty, but the onions and tomato pieces were so big it detracted from the dish. The Chana masala was aromatic and flavorful with a lot of yummy masala gravy, but it was missing something. The aloo gobi, which we are used to being a more dry, fenugreek forward, dish was swimming in a curry that tasted just like the Chana masala. The potatoes were a bit under done and overall this dish was a little disappointing. We ordered two breads to accompany our meal and both were home runs. The aloo paratha (potato stuffed wheat bread) was very flavorful, slightly crispy, and perfectly cooked. My favorite paratha ever. The tandoori roti (wheat bread cooked in the tandoori oven) was perfectly charred, just crispy while soft, and perfectly chewy. Chutneys: I was disappointed that the mint, cilantro chutney had yogurt in it. I've been eating this for years and it is traditionally dairy free. The yogurt not only makes this not-vegan, but it also takes away from the expected herbaceous flavor and bite of the chili you should expect from this chutney. The tamarind, on the other hand was maybe my favorite tamarind chutney ever. This is so often overly sweet and just a bit sour, but here the sweet was downplayed, sour was more prominent, and there was a bit of amazing heat. SO GOOD! The also brought a side of this fantastic chili paste that was expectedly spicy, pungent, and flavorful. Used in small amounts, it was a great addition. Finally, I ordered some Indian pickles which were very sour, very preserved tasting, and just tangy enough to provide a really good counter point to the spicy flavors of the food. I'll mention price here given the earlier comments on portion size. I don't know how Masala received a $$ rating as I'd absolutely rate it $ for overall cost to food/value ratio. The main dishes ran under $14 each, the paratha and samosas under $7 each, the roti UNDER $3, and my beer was under $5. We got the bill along with copious amounts of leftovers for under $70. That is at least 10-15% less than expected for good Indian food! We don't eat any meat or dairy dishes so I can't comment Olin that part of the menu, but I can recommend this spot for the vegan dishes, breads, and great service.

Update. Still 5 stars, but the chicken karahi is pretty spicy (still delicious) not for the little…read moreone Another one for the list to try

The average 5-star review is suspicious unless a takeaway experience differs from the dine-in…read moreexperience. Even on our way out, I heard a conflict regarding a takeaway order. My family chose Himalayan Taste because it's a Nepalese / Nepali restaurant which also serves Indian dishes. (Yes, there are nuances between the cuisines. We enjoyed both restaurants in Manchester.) When we arrived on a Sat, slightly earlier than the dinner rush hour, the restaurant was pleasantly filled. I like when people support locally-owned businesses in the neighborhood. We didn't wait long to be seated at a table, get ice water, and place our order. The waiter even asked what spice level (1 mild to 10 hottest) we wanted for each dish; he also asked (with a slightly testy tone) if we wanted a drink other than water. A plain lassi, why not? Then the rush arrived. Our order arrived, plus basmati rice - which we didn't order b/c we have a low-carb plan. The jalfrezi and vindaloo were mild, despite ordering a level 8 heat. The saag ordered to level 5 was actually hotter. :D Based on a blood sugar level the following morning, we suspect sugar. (Indian and Nepali cooks in England have told us sugar = cheating / manipulation of authentic cooking.) The restaurant is under-staffed. Water refills were infrequent. Our waiter didn't check on us. The lassi was never served; at least it wasn't charged to our tab. By the entrance, people were waiting for tables as we waited for the check so we could free up a table... as another (empty) table waited to be bussed. The upside: The food was slightly flavorful and pricing is relatively affordable, but we won't return.

Had a spectacular experience and delish cuisine. My group of 6 people were taken care of easy…read morepeasy. Was fye would recommend.

Caveat - we got takeout so no commentary on service or ambiance. And yes, I know it isn't the…read morefairest assessment of food. But we were hungry for Indian food and lazy! The lamb moma's were very good. The chicken korma and lamb tikka were both bland and tasted like the same sauce even though they are supposed to be very different. Given other Indian food choices, not sure if we will give them a second chance.

Always delicious! We have been coming here since they opened. It is always consistently delicious…read more The atmosphere is great, it feels like comfortable fine dinning. The service exceeds expectations, you will feel like an old friend.

Absolutely delicious! We tried the lamb momos, butter chicken, and chicken tikka masala, and…read moreeverything was cooked perfectly. The flavors were rich, authentic, and incredibly well-balanced. The lamb momos were a standout, and both chicken dishes were tender, flavorful, and full of delicious spices. Our waitress was also wonderful--so friendly, welcoming, and genuinely helpful. She told us she had been there since the restaurant first opened, and it definitely showed in how knowledgeable she was about the menu. She explained each dish so well and answered all of our questions, which made it really easy to decide what to order. Everything came out fresh, hot, and beautifully prepared. We had such a great experience from the food to the service and will definitely be back to try more of the menu. Highly recommend!

Went here to meet some friends and celebrate birthdays. This was recommended by one of the…read morecelebrants. Place was empty when we arrived on a saturday lunch so we had our server Salik all to ourselves. He was very friendly, funny and recommended some dishes. We ordered Pakora (vegetable fritter) for appetizer. So yummy. Came with either mint sauce or tamarind sauce. Both were yummy. For our mains we ordered the Shrimp Shaag, chciken tikka masala (less sweet), salmon curry and Bhanta ra aloo. Alll were all so flavorful and perfectly seasoned. We also ordered Mango Lassi as our drink and it was so refreshing. We had a great experience and definetely recommend it to anyone who loves This cuisine.

Himalayan Cafe - San Dimas…read more Friendly staff and a beautifully decorated restaurant with an exotic and welcoming atmosphere. The menu is extensive, with a great variety of dishes and plenty of options to choose from. Prices were very reasonable, and the food was amazing! I had the Aloo Saag, and we also ordered the Chicken Tikka. Everything was perfectly spiced and packed with flavor--the kind of food that makes your taste buds dance! Delicious from start to finish. Definitely a place worth checking out in San Dimas!

Took my friend out to eat for her bday and she wanted the best place and this is it. She was well…read morecelebrated and sisters (it's a family restaurant) cared for us well. Even sharing homemade mango ice cream you can't find elsewhere. My friend loved it! I did too! Super unique and refreshing and delicious. She said the coconut curry is one she had years ago and haven't found equal... this is it! It's that good! This family restaurant serves quality homemade meals and you feel great after eating here. And at $11.99 for lunch (that lasts me two meals) well you just can't beat it. Not at this quality.

Monday night was our last night in Carlsbad and we had dinner here. Place is located at the…read moreCarlsbad village infront of a fountain with other restaurants and ice cream shop. Beautiful area with lots of kids playing by the fountain. Sitting is inside or outside the restaurant. Lady who greeted us were very nice. All tables were taken outside so we sat inside the restaurant looking out to the fountain area. Place was decorated nicely with pillows on some of the sittings. Really cute place and cozy. Three of us were hungry and the aroma coming from the kitchen made us twice as hungry. We ordered 2 vegetable dishes, Palak Paneer and Aloo Matar. The Palak Paneer which is spinach with cheese was delightful. It is our favorite vegetable dish and tied our entrees together. It's comforting and savory. The Aloo Matar fresh peas and potatoes were as delicious but hard to compare with the Paneer. I did like the peas a lot. For our entrees we had the Chicken Kadai, Lamb Tarkari and Chicken Tandoori. All came with basmati rice. The chicken kadai had a nice spicy kick. The lamb was tender and lots of cinnamon notes. The tandoori was crispy, tender and juicy. The Garlic cilantro naan was tasty, soft and buttery and great with soaking in all the curry sauce. All the flavors hit the right spot and were all delicious! We had a tiny leftover left of the rice, naan and Aloo Matar. Otherwise we devoured our entire meal. It was that yummy!!! We love this place. Everything about our experience felt like your grandmother or aunties made these food just for you. It was that authentic and cozy! If you're by Carlsbad and want to experience the taste of Nepal, Indian and Tibetan cuisine, this place is for you. They will treat you like family. This will be our go to place when we visit Carlsbad again. Will be back!!!