We tried the Thanksgiving Non-Veg Special Meal at Kongunadu in San Jose and it was absolutely outstanding. Every single item on the thali was flavorful, fresh, and perfectly prepared. The Turkey Pepper Fry and Kongu Chicken Varuval were the stars--authentic spices, great texture, and full of rich Kongu-nadu flavors. The Hyderabadi Chicken Dum Biryani was aromatic and perfectly cooked, and the side dishes like Pacha Puli Rasam, Spinach Kootu, Veg Salna, and Pollachi Chicken Kulambu balanced the meal beautifully. Even the simpler parts of the thali--steamed rice, curd, appalam, and the delicious Badam Halwa--were made with care and tasted fantastic. For $24.99, the portion size and the variety offered were totally worth it. Entire thali was excellent. Highly recommended! read more

Kongunadu - Indian Near Me - San Jose, California

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I'm very torn on this review but it needs to be said. The reason I'm torn is because the food itself was pretty tasty--everything was good quality and the flavors and spice level were great. HOWEVER We ordered the Chicken Meal Family pack. It is supposed to be enough for three adults and contain 16 oz of 5 items (chicken soup, Kongunadu chicken gravy, rasam, spinach kootu, chicken 65), 8 oz of curd and vetrilai payasam, and 32 oz of white rice (8 items total). What we got was 16 oz of chicken gravy, chicken 65, 32 oz of rice with 6 basic baked chicken drumsticks, the curd and vetrilai payasam, and three hard-boiled eggs (wtf!). So six out of eight advertised dishes. And one was just eggs--they take like five minutes to make at home!!! It is hard to compare value since there were chicken drumsticks in the rice but we did not receive two entire dishes in "payment" of the drumsticks. And, ironically, we'd specifically picked this option because it was chilly and we wanted chicken soup, which ended up not being included. So...basically either false advertising or confusion at the restaurant about what is posted online. Either way, we were disappointed. read more

Kongunadu - Online menu description - Indian Near Me - San Jose, California

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Rating: I visited for a weekday dinner and was impressed by the seamless experience. We were seated immediately, and the staff was incredibly attentive throughout the meal. The ambience is a highlight--it's a very pleasant space to spend an evening. Regarding the food, I tried the Mutton Thali and the Mutton Parotha with gravy. While the presentation was good, the flavors were fairly average and didn't quite live up to the surroundings. A solid choice for the service and vibe, but the food was just okay. read more

Kongunadu - Mutton Thali - Indian Near Me - San Jose, California

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This review is for catering service only as I have not dined here. We had catered lunch from Kongunadu for our son's 1st birthday party. We had lot of high expectations as my husband who is from Chennai knows all the hype about the celebrity chef Madamphatty and told me many times about the franchise. We wanted to give it a shot. My husband and I both are foodies and have served the best food so far for all the events we've hosted. Our guests always loved and raved about the food. But unfortunately that is not the case this time. We ordered for 40 people with 18$ silver package. The quantity was so damn less. Everything was served in half trays. Any catering service provides more food than the number we order as we never have to run out of food. 1. We only had about 35 adults at our party and the food was not sufficient. both veg and chicken biryani was over. Guess what, me my husband, our son's caretaker and few close family did not even have any food left for us to eat. so esentially they served us food for 30 people when we ordered and paid for 40 people. 2. the chicken curry was just bones. so many bones the dish should be named bone-only chicken curry. there is barely any meat. i could literally see bare bones floating in a pool of gravy. 3. the chapatis are literally uncooked. one glance and I could see all the uncooked patches. not even 10% cooked. we could not even eat it aswell. i got some the left over chapatis back home and cooked on hot tava and they came out so well. that shows the dough is good but they were in so much hurry that they couldnt even cook simple chapati properly. 4. I overheard someone saying the curd rice was good. they gave us half tray of raita and half tray of salna for 2 half trays of biryani lol what are we supposed to do with so much raita and salna when the biryani was so less. Now I cannot even comment anything about the taste because there was nothing left for me and my husband to eat at our own party. Such underwhelming experience. My husband was feeling bad for ordering from here. The one thing we both hate is running out of food and guests leaving hungry at our parties. it hurts us so much that this happened. this is totally unacceptable. Will share pics once we get them from our photographer. But to give an honest feedback: Always provide more food to catering than less. Even if food is leftover we will distribute it and our guests would love to take some home (the biggest jokes was we even got togo boxes as from previous experience our guests would take leftovers home). read more

Catering service, so comments are on the food. We didn't get a variety of meat, we got Tandoori chicken leg quarter cut, Butter chicken masala, Plain Naan cut in quarter, Kadai Paneer, vegetable samosa, fresh salad, and white Basmati rice. My favorite is their Naan as the dough was fresh and soft and the word buttery appeared in my mind as I was munching on it. The Tandoori chicken was better than a lot of places as the meat was actually tender and not dry despite the quarter cut. The Butter chicken masala is too spicy for my liking and I wish the sauce was creamier and not so oily. So overall no dish that I said let's go back and have it again. read more

Kongunadu - Indian Near Me - San Jose, California

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It was a Saturday afternoon and the place was pretty packed! We tried a few items, but honestly most of them didn't work for us. The donne veg biryani tasted more like fried rice and the chicken dum biryani was on the bland side. The chicken appetizer was okay, the mutton appetizer was actually good and the malabar paratha was the one thing everyone really enjoyed since it was freshly made. Paneer Monica didn't turn out great and the kadai mushroom didn't have much flavor either. I get that this is Kongunadu cuisine but as someone who's used to rich Hyderabadi style flavors, it just didn't hit the mark for me personally. Maybe it's just a difference in taste. I was hoping for a bit more depth and balance in the flavors. Decent ambience and service was good but felt like they are under staffed. read more

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Being from Tamil Nadu, I've had this style of Coimbatore food plenty before and this food is definitely quite authentic! Quite liked the up-scaley ambiance too. After reading the reviews, we were confused whether to go for the chicken monica (chef's special) or the chicken chinthamani (weekend special) but went for the latter after finding out that the former is deep fried. Ordered Parotta to have both of them together and it was a very good idea. The chinthamani is a slightly semi gravy type appetizer and hence I recommend you eat it with the parotta. Order it spicy (it's not too spicy). The parotta itself was super flaky! The madhampatty special chicken biryani was also extremely flavorful! Really nice portion. Two of us were quite stuffed. I'm definitely coming back for the Madhampatty special kari virunthu next time. read more

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We recently tried the Biryani here and I think the biryani rice is the most flavorful i have ever had! Definitely recommend. The raita and salna were great too. We also got the kothu paratha which was excellent read more

I came here for lunch based on a great recommendation from a friend living in Chennai (even though he hasn't been here himself, but heard great things). The place is very nice, clean, and inviting. It serves cuisine from Kongu Nadu, a region in the northwest of Tamil Nadu. I ordered the chicken thali, which was served on a banana leaf. I also ordered paneer soda as my drink. The meal started with a complimentary mini cup of chicken soup. The thali included: * curd * oorugai (pickles) * boneless chicken starter * salna (gravy) * bone-in chicken curry * pacha puli rasam (a raw rasam meant to help with digestion, my first time trying it) * keerai kootu (spinach cooked with dal) * payasam (dessert) * white rice * papad * chapati (they let you choose between chapati and parotta) Everything tasted fresh and well-prepared. My server Bala was great, we even had a nice chat about the book I was reading. The chef also stopped by to make sure everything was fine. Definitely a place I would recommend! read more

Kongunadu - chicken thali - Indian Near Me - San Jose, California

Kongunadu is a hot new restaurant showcasing succulent, savory South Indian dishes of Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. IYKYK. Located in the plaza of India Cash and Carry, this restaurant is non-vegetarian counterpart of the popular vegetarian Kovai Cafe next door. Meat and fish dishes are the highlight, but vegetarian offerings round out the menu as well. Tamil celebrity chef Madhampatty Rangaraaj is the executive chef, a caterer to Bollywood film stars and PM Modi. The restaurant is tastefully designed, with earth tones, natural wood effects, abundant plants and cozy booths. A complementary cup of piping hot soup is served at the start of the meal, like a rasam to stimulate the taste buds. It was a cold rainy day; an order of South Indian chai hit the spot. Chai is served in a glass like tea sellers do in India, a charming touch. Tandoori paneer was grilled to charred perfection, with an expertly spiced marinade. I loved the spicing of the veg biryani -- the rice has an addictive taste but is not greasy. It comes with a salan gravy and raita. The kolambu fish curry sauce was so tasty with the rice. Ghee roast dosa was perfectly crispy. Malabar paratha was rich with the enticing flavor of pure ghee. Jaggery halwa, served hot, was a delicious finish to the meal. It's a new restaurant so servers are still getting their footing. But very hospitable, warm atmosphere. read more

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We planned our visit on a weekday to avoid the possible weekend rush. Ambiance is pleasant, contemporary and clean. Lots of booths as well as they divided the middle portion to allow for more booth seating. The descriptions in the menu were enticing. Looks like the chef is the son of another celebrated chef from India. We were served soup in tiny cups as soon as we got seated. I tried both the veggie and meat version. Though both were delicious, the non veg one was undoubtedly more flavorful. Mild use of spices and it lifted our spirits up. We confirmed the dishes without art colors and this is what we got- **Chefs special chicken Monica, $16, 3.5/5- Seemed like a cousin of Chicken 65 without the art colors and flavors leaning towards the sweeter end maybe because of onions or maybe because of the sauce it was doused in. It was served on an omlette. The omlette was delicious but the chicken was overcooked in parts. The chicken was not cut consistently as well and the smaller bits were severely overcooked. **Pollachi Kozhi Kulambu, $15, 4.5/5, The chicken was fall off the bone tender in this case, the gravy was flavorful, maybe on the fiery side for the uninitiated. **Parotta-$5, 3.5/5 Tiny parotta and very chewy instead of its characteristic flakiness. **Butter Chapathi, $4, 3/5 This was disappointing, the chapathi was hard and small in size. And it was served much before the curry was sent so it was sitting around for a while as well. **Madhampatty special chicken biryani, $19, 3/5 I could smell the cinnamon before I even tasted the biryani. Chicken was again fall off the bone tender and the rice was moist and rich but they just didn't have a handle over their spice usage. Spices can be very strong and can destroy a dish if not used correctly. I have been eating spices since childhood but the overuse in this case left me with an upset tummy for several hours later. Overall, likely lot of potential and possibly poor execution by the people following the recipes in the kitchen. read more

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We absolutely loved the complimentary mini cup of soup - it was an elevated 'rasam'. Everything we actually ordered got mixed reviews from our group. Chicken Lollipop & Gobi were good. The Madhampatty Special Chicken Biryani was flavorful but was soft & sticky. Not for folks that like their rice fluffy & light. The Parotta & Pollachi Kozhi Kulambu were just plain OK. Vetrilai Payasam has an interesting betel leaf flavor but was mostly milky, not the pudding/porridge texture we expected. Elaneer Karupatti Halwa was my favorite item of the night. It has an interesting jelly like texture. Ambiance is good. Service was good. It's in a busy strip mall so make time for finding parking. read more

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Got seated right away (on weekday) Biryani - good Kongunadu Grilled Chicken - Excellent Service - Great And to top it off, the front desk aunty in true Kongu style kindly offered to take care of the baby while we were eating - Offered soup complimentary to start the meal; Tamil songs playing in the background just added to the warm, homely vibe. Parotta was quite oily, almost fried and not good. Both the salna and biryani were a tad salty. The meat while good, lacked the biryani flavors. Needs some improvement. Hopefully they can be consistent and improve further to make it a 5 star restaurant! read more

Kongunadu - Kongunadu Grilled Chicken - Indian Near Me - San Jose, California

The people servicing at this place are very hospitable and are doing a great job making the guests feel welcome. I decided to do a take out and one item wasn't there and he said he would refund me. The ambiance is a very clean look - as you walk in, you can smell the South Indian spices. This place is known for its non vegetarian spicy food. The gravy of the butter chicken and mutton was too thin - very tasty but could be thicker. The mutton biryani was spicy and yummy - would give that a 4/5. The fish was a very thin slice and had a fishy smell. The Monica chicken was tasty with a unique tangy taste. The jaggery halwa dessert was something I have never had before - I love jaggery and thought it melted in my mouth. My mom didn't like the consistency. If you enjoy spicy food, you should give it a try - it's a new place and I am sure they will keep improving based on feedback. read more

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Very spicy but very delicious food. Pallipalayam chicken curry- coconut based spicy chicken curry. It was delicious 4.5/5 Nei podi kozhi- chicken starter, like a chicken 65 but very tasty. 4/5 Kotthu paratha - tasty and not very spicy 4/5 Elaneer karupatti halwa- never had this earlier. It was amazing 5/5 Will def go back again! read more

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I ordered from this restaurant on Doordash. I tried the mutton biryani. It was flavorful but was oily.

Not the best quality of food or hygiene maintained. For almost the entire time we been there, we could smell the Raw meat in the restaurant. The server also seemed very arrogant, not sure if he had rough day or what. The food was very normal and there is a huge difference between other similar restaurants and this one, especially hygiene and food quality. Not coming here again but hopefully they can improve. read more

I'm deeply disappointed to write a review for a brand which I trusted for making my son's first birthday more special. I chose Kongunadu Catering Silver Package (18$) per plate for January 11, Sunday afternoon lunch. For first couple of weeks, I was in communication with the manager Prakash who was very helpful and supportive for every question I had. After the holidays, I was trying to confirm the headcount and was reaching out to the restaurant, after some delay I got a call from Chris(restaurant owner), he was asking the information and I have to repeat everything and finally confirmed my order three days before the event day. Now coming to the disappointment part , I was asking Chris if the food would be prepared in a way that even few extra people attend the event , that they will prepare extra. He said, no they will prepare exactly for the headcount that we confirm. He mentioned people will eat less quantity or few will eat more, so they don't usually prepare extra. So i get 13 dishes from the menu, all are half tray and few dishes come in quarter tray. On the day of the event, we picked it up from San Jose and my location of venue was in Fremont, those half tray dishes were not at all enough for the guests, we had to compromise on our choice of food, especially chicken biryani , quantity is less and it's not even cooked for 40 people. Guess what, we didn't have 40 guests on that day, as hosts myself and wife , our family and friends were made to compromise so that the guests could get a sample of biryani and other dishes. Uncooked chapati and it was so oily. As an owner of the restaurant, it is the responsibility of the person to make us aware that half tray wouldn't be enough for 40 guests. Very poor communication and I don't think I will choose Kongunadu for catering again. It was a shame for me in front of all guests that the quantity was so less. I will upload pictures once I get it from photographer. Positives - Food taste was really great and that was the only feedback. read more

This is another South Indian spot in the South Bay and is actually right next door to another South Indian restaurant. I am curious what their calculus was when they made the decision. Either way, the food was good, and so was the presentation. However note that it is SUPER spicy and I could not handle even the "mild" version that I asked for. read more

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Food is very good. But service is very bad. Nobody will come and take order after long wait time. This happened even when the its not busy. You have to wait longer everytime for placing a new order or any request. read more

I had high expectations for this place based on all the hype, but the experience ended up being just okay. Coming from the southern part of Tamil Nadu, maybe my palate is tuned to a different style, because the flavors here didn't quite land for me. I specifically went to try the thali, but honestly, even the thali at their own Kovai Cafe locations is far superior. The chicken curry and the chicken side dish didn't stand out in any memorable way, and the overall meal felt underwhelming given the buzz around this place. Service was fine--the manager checked on me a couple of times since my friend was running late, which I appreciated. Ambience was decent too, nothing to complain about there. read more

From first bite to last, a flavor-filled haul. The portions? Generous, so here's the deal: You'll be full before you know it--skip that extra meal! The service? A+--warm, friendly, and fast, Like dining with friends from your favorite past. Attentive but chill, not hovering near. Loved it! read more

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Here is another update on a takeout order that I had today. To start with, I used clover online which wasn't updated with proper menu. I was charged for chicken chintamani but they apparently have it only in the weekends. So accepted the alternative they recommended picked up and came back to Fremont area after which I realized that they didn't include the alternative they said is there in the takeout bag. They also have parotta and kurma on the menu but it was salna that I received after paying a bomb price and driving 25miles. With 2 chances, I feel a business cannot use excuse that they are new and therefore this happened. Because I'm being charged and not given anything for free. I must highlight that the person I called was kind enough to refund me the money. But I think the service on phone was spot on and I appreciate that. read more

Best kili parotta in the bay area so fluffy and creamy :) Best kili parotta in the bay area so fluffy and creamy :) read more

Not gonna lie, we ended up coming here because the place next to it had a long line, but I'm glad I tried this place. The ambiance is very welcoming and the staff is polite and kind. I tried the mutton Kari dosa which was likely the best in the bay area, stuffed with tons of meat. Although limited in vegetarian options, the paneer appetizer and biryani we tried was delicious! read more

Kongunadu, a newly opened South Indian restaurant in San Jose, offers an authentic taste of Tamil Nadu's Kongu region. Launched by Chef Madhampatty Rangaraj, the establishment brings traditional flavors to the Bay Area. The restaurant boasts a spacious and elegant interior, creating a comfortable setting for both families and groups. The menu showcases a variety of regional specialties. Signature dishes include the Madhampatty Special Keda Virunthu, a traditional feast served on a banana leaf, and the Pallipalayam Kozhi Varuval, a spicy chicken preparation. Other notable items are the chicken Monika, Mutton Kola Urandai and the Chicken Chinthamani. Really loved the Jigar Thanda read more

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I got the thanksgiving special, good quantity, selection of different items and most importantly super tasty. I ordered a fish dish and sometimes fish in restaurants is hit or miss but it was awesome here. Highly recommend for both non-veg and veg dishes. read more

Great ambiance. Have tried it twice both times food quality was great. The seafood dishes specially are excellent. The service is great, the waiters give good recommendations and are friendly. Price is on the higher side read more

Overpriced for small portions and the taste of food is below quality standards. It was a one and done. Although their to-go packaging quality is of a higher quality than other Indian joints. They have spent good money on the latter but not on the taste of the food sadly. read more

Highly recommend the mutton Nalli and biryani . Good food and good service. Love their payasam too

This is definitely the best south indian non-veg restaurant. Lollipop chicken was crispy and mouth watery. Pallipalayam chicken is not for someone who wants spicy food. But best part was Paratha, it was so good and went well with Chicken curry. I would that is definite try. read more

This place is clearly for non-vegetarians. Tried veg thali, it was served with 1 curry, 1 dal, rasam (bland) etc. $17 for thali should atleast come with 2 curries. Ambience is good but food is ok. read more

Kongunadu was on the bucket list of restaurants to try and had lunch here on a Friday afternoon. Went like an hour before closing so restaurant was not too crowded. We ordered the chicken 65 biryani, masala omelette, kongunadu grill chicken and the betel leaf payasam. The biryani rice was seeraga samba and was cooked very well. They had worked out the spice level better so it was very bland. Chicken was cooked well and flavorful. The payasam was also a nice touch without any overpowering sweetness. Overall good food and if they can control the oil in every dish, this would be a good weekend restaurant visit. Service was good. read more

We went here for dinner and the experience was amazing. It was my spouse's birthday and he loves non vegetarian food made in the South Indian style hence decided to check out this place. We ordered 3 thalis (veggie, chicken and fish), 1 chicken biriyani and their konganadu style chicken tandoor. The portions was generous and the food was actually too much for our table. Bala took such good care of us, giving us a history of the cuisine and restaurant. The payasam served in the thali(a beatle leaf payasam) was delicious, something I had never tried. After getting to know it was my spouse's birthday he brought us complimentary dessert (another unique taste of tender coconut infused halwa) Will definitely return. Ask for Bala if you happen to eat there. read more

Never ordering again. Ordered via DoorDash, was never contacted about an item being unavailable, no offer of substitutes, nothing. Would have ordered something else or from somewhere else. Rang them and was given no explanation or apology. Asked to speak to the manager and was told he was on a break, no offer to get a call back. I guess they think word of mouth referrals don't matter. Over priced food, pathetically small serving size. Not recommend at all. --- Kavya, Your response contains multiple inaccuracies that require immediate correction. Prove Your Claims or Retract Them You claim "multiple attempts" to contact me. Provide the evidence now: call logs, timestamps, DoorDash message screenshots. I have comprehensive records of all communications (or lack thereof) and screenshots I can happily furnish to demonstrate your claim is false. Your inability to produce this documentation will speak volumes to potential customers about your establishment's integrity. Stop Mischaracterizing Customer Frustration My language expressed frustration with your service failures - not abuse directed at staff. Customer service professionals know the difference. Your attempt to reframe legitimate complaints as "unacceptable behavior" is a transparent deflection tactic. Share a recording, it will be very clear that I was using expletives to express my self, and not being abusive. "Refund" Misrepresentation You didn't provide "a refund" - you provided a partial refund that left me paying twice for adequate food due to your operational failures. Stop misrepresenting the resolution to make your response appear more generous than it was. The Real Issues You're Avoiding - Tandoor down, no customer notification - Zero communication about unavailable items - Manager conveniently "on break" with no callback - Inadequate compensation for service breakdown Bottom Line Your response prioritizes damage control over accountability. I have documentation supporting every aspect of my original review. You have deflection tactics and unsubstantiated claims. Put up or shut up: Provide your alleged contact evidence, or acknowledge that your "multiple attempts" claim is fabricated. I'm confident in my position and happy to provide my comprehensive records to anyone interested in the truth. Kartik D. read more

Kongunadu - Sorry, NA. I would have ordered something else or from somewhere else to feed the family with an appropriate amount of food. - Indian Near Me - San Jose, California

The food at Kongunadu was so delicious. I've never had South Indian food like this and the cuisine is truly unique and one of a kind, especially in our area. This was my first time trying cuisine from this specific region as well. We came in on a Sunday evening and were given a complimentary cup of chicken soup which was SO GOOD. I never tasted chicken broth like this. It had a unique flavor profile with lots of herbs and spices - extremely comforting and soooo sippable. It was almost like medicine but tasty - I imagine this broth would be comforting to have when you're feeling under the weather. We ordered Gobi 65, Mini Chicken Thali, and a Mutton Dosa. Everything was amazing. This was my first time ever having dosa with meat in it and we loved it. The Thali is labeled as "mini" but it was really a generous serving and larger than I expected (which I appreciated). The staff at the restaurant were also very kind and accommodating. I'm definitely looking forward to coming back and trying more of their menu items. read more

Authentic taste of Kongu flavors right in Bay Area now !!! Personal favorites: Starter : Chicken Monica , Pallipalayam Chicken Main course : Mutton Biriyani , Parotta with mutton/chicken curry Dessert: Elaneer karupatti Halwa ,Vethalai payasam read more

Kongunadu - Indian Near Me - San Jose, California

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We were excited to try this one, which had gathered a lot of hype recently.. let's talk about the good, the biryani a must try.. kola urundai was good but cold.. the fried rice was ok, I was kind of hoping the Indian street style.. it was just ok.. the chicken Kari dosa was ok too.. more egg than chicken.. the chicken Monica was not hot and personally it was too tangy for my liking.. I knew their service would be slow given they are new, but man we were there for 90 mins.. we would get something once in 30 mins completely killing the appetite.. not going back anytime soon until they improve their service.. the ambiance was good for an Indian restaurant read more

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Very good, neat place. I took big non-veg thali with mutton biryani. They serve it on banana leaf and Mutton biryani was out of the world. Only thing is that to my taste, curries given and with fish fry lacked enough salt. Gobi Manchurian and noddles were good too. Priya was extremely good/patience in taking orders and answering our questions. read more

Excellent restaurant and ambience! Newly opened and we decided to give it a try- same owner as next door Kovai Cafe which we also liked prior- we ordered their 34$ meal which was more than enough for 2 adults- this thali is limited and includes all meat options such as mutton, chicken and fish- you also get a small portion of mutton or chicken biryani with thali! To cap it off, the meal is served on a banana leaf! We had great service from our server - Bala.. he took care of our additional requested items such as rice, curd.. for our 5 year child, we got the ghee roast dosa- which was on softer side, so if your kids prefer crunchier dosas, do ask to make it crunchy! Next time will come to try their curries and parothas! read more