Rude & Waste of Time. Save your time & dignity, go to Royal India out East. This is our second visit to SM. My daughter goes to school out on the outskirts of Pines, so sometimes we'll stop by the local shops. I love Indian and my daughter just dabbles in it. Well, the first visit was about 2.5, and I'm always extremely forgiving if you try for "average". I try to support LOCAL places and give them time to grow and shine, like a Baby. So I'll try a place out a few times before I give up and move on. We spent about $55 for 2 people on first visit and it was "average" at best and not a good representation of "Indian" food. So, here's how we land at a 1 star?
Let's me say KUDOS to the slim Latin girl who runs the front. Her English is getting better, but she's kind at least. Well, that's the end of the compliments on the people, we'll leave the RUDE owners for later. So on our second visit today, we ran inside for a 'snack' as we left the area school. My daughter had a long day and I thought a Mango Lassi might give her a smile. It did. The best things there are Garlic Nan and Mango Lassi. Get bread and a drink and run. AVOID ALL OVERPRICED GARBAGE. Get some coffee next door and grab a bread here and GO HOME.
The food is mediocre at best. Patt G. is spot on with the observations. Everything has ZERO flavor. It almost feels like a local Indian family has figured out that Indian food is an 'open niche' in that far west Pines area and let's give this scam a shot. So they are cranking out BELOW average food and high prices for the unsuspecting public.
WHY THE 5 STAR REVIEWS? Honestly, friends and loyal locals. There is a blend of people who don't know better and "friend" reviews. It's like when black people (such as myself) hear about great "soul food" and you try it, laugh, and thow it out. It's NOT good, it's just THEY don't know better. As we walked in a Caucasian man was eating. I think for those who don't KNOW better, it's what it should be. Now, if you know good Indian, you've been to Royal India in Hollywood; a 30 year staple in South Florida. If you KNOW, you KNOW.
I know this place is supposed to be FAST CASUAL Indian, almost like street food Indian, but overall its just not worth a visit, unless you want HOT bread, a Lassi and you run out. We had a rice dish on the first visit, just blah. Her chicken meal this time was blah! Just overall a waste of time and money. You wait and wait to get something less than McDonalds. NOPE!
What else drove it to a ONE:
A) It always takes forever. After we spent another $50, we sat there for 25 minutes for 4 items: 2 breads, 1 Samosa Chat, and 1 Kebob with fries. We sat there for 25 minutes and into the 30th minute, I said 'What's taking so long'. He said "Ah it's a grill item so takes longer". I said OK. He had the NERVE to say "Next time, take a menu and call ahead". I said 'well we were driving by, we didn't think we needed to call'. My common sense said ...you are a big idiot with terrible at customer service. For bread and a piece of chicken, I need to call ahead? Ok, now let's keep this circus going.
**No points were removed for this: After I look down on the ground there was a crushed roach under my CROCS; still moving a big, nickel size. No big deal, this is Florida, I pushed it out of the way as I thought we were near the door, whatever. I didn't see any crawling on the counters or chairs, so no big deal. EVen in nicer places, you may see a small bug here or there, after all its Florida! So ...we kept waiting, the food came out.**
For $50
$5 for a drink - tea (from next door Publix, that sells for $3.50, but OK)
$6 Lassie
$3 Nan (good side; garlic bread) x 2
$15 chicken kabob with fries
Let's just say, more money down the drain! No flavor, it was fresh, flavorless and slow. I think its probably the wife or family member back there who cooks at all of the Indian events so they think that means they should own the a restaurant. Every thing we've ever tried is just SAD. HOT & SAD!
So, here's there it finally took a DIVE into 1, wish I could say .5, but 1 is as low as I could go. So we got our food. Told my daughter to check it. I said did we get a tamarin very nicely. Yes, you did, owner said. They give you ONE of each sauce for $50. We had two dishes that could easily use sauce. I said "Can I have another tamarin'. He frowned up. I had just asked for his car keys! The owner said to the Spanish girl, "Give me another". He shoved in with a NASTY TONE AND ATTITUDE into my daughter's hand and said have a nice day and turned his back to us. DISGUSTING! Keep your attitude and your nasty service! Call ahead, no you GROW UP
I just spent $50 and I ask you for 50 cent sauce? And I just waited in your near a roach that I tried to discreetly push up under your seat as a courtesy. You shove a sauce to my daughter and tell us that. You should have given us two or three. 2 big chicks with 2 little sauces.
Well, here's your ONE STAR, put some sauce with it! read more