The buffet is 5 stars. Made to order meals? Not so much to downright scary. Read on...
As someone who grew up with Indian cuisine--both Northern and Southern, yes they're different but equally delicious--I have a deep appreciation for the nuances of regional dishes. And I have eaten at this restaurant several times in the past, particularly enjoying the buffet which has consistently been flavorful, fresh, and well-curated. However, during my most recent visit, I order mutter panner (cheese and peas, essentially) and it came out so startlingly different that it left me unsettled and not just in taste, but in a very real and personal way.
At the time, it wasn't the buffet but mto meals. Anyway, to my alarm, the dish was heavily overwhelmed with neem leaves, not curry leaves. (Yes, I can easily tell the difference.) Here's the thing, neem leaves, in large quantities, are traditionally to be avoided during pregnancy, as they can pose serious risks. And, I was early but very visibly pregnant The amount of leaves in the dish was so overwhelming that I couldn't eat it. Perhaps, in hindsight, that was a blessing. Regardless, the amount was excessive, almost as if it had been misprepared or tampered with to make the dish uneatable or...something worse.
What concerns me most is that I had ordered this same dish previously (not pregnant) and it was prepared correctly and beautifully. This time, it was unrecognizable.
Whether it was a careless oversight or something more deliberate, I can't say. But when I walked in, the hostess stared at my visibly pregnant belly--not with curiosity or kindness, but in a manner that felt... unusually prolonged, intrusive and made me deeply uncomfortable. It was enough for both me and my SigO to notice and remark on it afterward. It may have been nothing, or it may have been something but in combination with the dish I was served, it left us disturbed.
After that experience, we never went back. Which sucks because it's otherwise a fantastic restaurant.
The restaurant itself has always had a warm and inviting setting. Maybe stick to the buffet?
The service from the waitstaff has always been one of this restaurant's strongest points. The servers are attentive, fast, and courteous, the drinks are refilled promptly, and empty plates are cleared efficiently without interruption. On this visit, that level of professionalism and care remained consistent and appreciated. However, the interaction with the hostess stood out in stark contrast. It's hard to articulate exactly why her actions it felt so wrong, but it did. That said, I want to be clear that her behavior does not reflect the rest of the team, who have always been wonderful. Still, that single interaction left such a strong impression that it changed how safe and welcome I felt in the space. It may have even been unintentional on her part, but combined with the food issue, it was enough to keep us from returning, sadly.
This isn't just any food to me...this is home. I grew up eating these same foods! That's why I've returned in the past, and why this experience hurt as much as it did. The buffet remains exceptional, and I hope others continue to enjoy what the restaurant does well. But for us, that visit was our last.
We left not just disappointed, but fearful because... well, what was that?! read more