Yelp knows me pretty well by now. It knows I like Indian food, so Vande Bharat kept popping up in my recommendations. It's been sitting there for a while, so the wifey and I finally decided to drive down to Milpitas and give this Thali place a try. I'm glad we did because their Thali is probably one of the best we've had, if not the best. FYI Thali is LUNCH only. Here is my take.
Food (4.5 stars)
+The Combo Thali for around $18 is the way to go. Don't overthink it and don't order anything else. You get a little bit of everything, which is exactly why we like Thali. If there's something you don't like, just give it to your partner. My wife doesn't like lamb, so I ended up with double lamb. Bonus for me!
+ Lamb curry was probably my favorite. Tender meat with a flavorful curry and it went perfectly with the rice. Since my wife donated hers to me, I had plenty!
+ Fried fish is also very good. You don't get a huge piece, but with so many other things on the plate, it's enough. That's the beauty of Thali--you get a few bites of everything instead of committing to one giant dish.
+ Chicken curry was also good. Nothing on the plate really needs to be eaten by itself because everything complements each other. You get savory, spicy, sour and even a little sweet throughout the meal.
+ There are also the usual Thali sides like dal, sumbar, yogurt, dessert and another sour/soupy dish. Rice sits right in the middle and you basically mix and match your way through the entire plate.
+ I also really like the papadum. It's that thin crispy Indian cracker that gives you a nice crunchy break between all the curries and softer foods.
~ PRO TIP: The only thing to consider is whether you prefer a Thali or an Indian buffet. At a buffet, you can essentially get many of these same types of dishes and eat as much as you want. With a Thali, you're getting smaller portions of everything. Personally, I like the variety and having everything served together, especially when the combo is only around $18.
Service/Ambiance (4.5 stars)
+ We came during lunch and there was only one other customer while we were there, so service was good and the food came out rather quickly.
+ The restaurant has some really nice paintings along the walls. Some of the scenery almost looked Mediterranean to me, although I'm assuming they're depicting places somewhere in India. Either way, they add some character to the restaurant.
+ It's a comfortable, casual place to sit down and enjoy a Thali without much fuss.
GET THE COMBO! You get fish, lamb, chicken, rice, dal, sides, dessert and all the little extras that make eating Thali fun. Between the two of us, if one person doesn't like something, the other person probably will. In my case, that strategy resulted in double lamb, so I definitely wasn't complaining.
Wifey gives Vande Bharat 4.5 stars and I'm right there with her. For the price, variety and flavors, this is easily one of our favorite Thali meals we've had. Yelp got this recommendation right! read more