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Varam

4.3 (247 reviews)
Closed • 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

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Dahi Bhalla
Sharan N.

Located in the heart of Redwood City downtown, steps away from the historic Courthouse Square. Spacious restaurant with an outdoor patio overlooking the downtown. Went at 5 PM on a weekday and we were immediately seated. Enjoyed the Lazeez Chicken Seekh Kebab and Lamb Korma with Malabar Parotta. Service was great. Unfortunately, some of the interesting items on the menu weren't available: Goat Pepper Fry, Beet Sliders, etc.

Kadai paneer
Harsh D.

Just had lunch at Varam to celebrate Father's Day. The food was great and service was truly superb. We had Cauliflower Manchurian that was hot and crispy, Kadai Paneer, and Methi Malai Matar were really good and the garlic naan was really good too.for dessert, we had double ka meetha which was delicious. Will definitely come back.

Schelly Y.

Our favorite dish was the samosa chaat which was a perfect combination of sweet and salty. We enjoyed our other dishes as well and service was great. Samosa Chaat $21 Crispy fried pastry, sweet potato, pomegranate, corn, house chutneys, crisps Aattukari Dosa "Lamb" $24 Dosa stuffed with spice minced lamb, peas and potato masala, fresh cilantro, ghee Butter Chicken | Chicken Tikka Masala $21 Shredded tandoori chicken, tomato, cream sauce

Appam
Amitaabh M.

East Coast buddy comes to town, wants Indian food, and finally this becomes the excuse to tick Varam off the list. Two birds, one stone. Booked the table, showed up, and what followed was a full-on feast that I have zero regrets about. Varam is right on Broadway, on the block next to the courthouse, just before the closed off section of the road. Its in the middle of restaurant row, and you could almost walk past it if you were not looking. Interiors are nice and chic. I guess the place has been open for a year or so. Lets get down to the food First things first: the Appam. Someone had given us strict instructions to order it, and thank god we listened. The plain Appam comes with a little curry and a sweet coconut dip that is, I'm just going to say it, divine. Soft, lacy, perfectly made. I have been chasing good Appam in the Bay Area for some time, and looks like I have found my spot. Of course the excessive consumption of the Hayward 5000 beers set the mood nicely. Very nicely. The kind of nicely where the conversation gets louder and the food tastes even better. Apologies to the staff waiting on our table and every one else seated around us. The staff were genuinely great, especially considering we were basically the last table standing before they shut down for the evening. Not only did they not rush us out, even though I could well imagine them wanting to. Our server recommended the Andhra Goat Curry, which we promptly ordered along with the Khatti Daal. The goat was cooked exactly how it should be: tender, full of flavor, not aggressively spicy but with enough depth to know someone's grandmother's recipe was involved somewhere. Had it with roti and naan. Absolutely on point. Now. The Gongura Paneer Biryani. I will be honest, vegetable biryani feels philosophically wrong to me. Like a compromise nobody asked for. But this one genuinely exceeded expectations, and I say that with some reluctance because I don't want to make a habit of enjoying veg biryani. Let's call it a one-time exception that may happen again. Bonus: Varam is right across from Zareens and not far from Broadway Masala, which means Redwood City's Indian food scene has quietly become something serious. This place is going on the regular rotation. Next Time: Going for the dosas, the haleem, the real mutton biryani, some of the chaats and of course check out the deserts.

Bombay Beet Root Slider ( starter)
Priyanka M.

Tried Varam Indian Restaurant in Redwood City recently and had a really pleasant experience. The food was flavorful and well-balanced nothing overly heavy, just good, comforting Indian dishes done right. I tried Beet Root Sliders which was my favorite. We had Kadhai paneer and bread basket which was pretty delicious. The ambiance also stood out; it's clean, inviting, and has a nice vibe whether you're going for a casual meal or a relaxed dinner. Overall, a solid spot if you're in the area and craving good Indian food. Definitely worth checking out!

Interior
Prem D.

We were there on a weekday, not much crowd. We started with Hyderabad Sherbath which has basil seeds, ginger, chilli, fresh lime, simple syrup, black salt, rose syrup, sprite. Unfortunately it did not taste good, I think rose syrup was out of place and ruined the whole taste. I was worried about the rest of the order. Next came the Kale and Palak chat made a 360, first I was off put by fruits in that like blueberries, but one mouth, it was great, melts in your mouth with flavor layers, very unique dish a must try and our top favorite dish. Bombay beet sliders continued the goodness. Salad that came with that did not have much dressing though. Sona Mor Panner Tiringa was exactly what the menu descriped Panner done 3 ways, with 2 pieces for each flavor. All tasted good perfectly spiced. Then on to the main course we had Methi Malai Mutter Saag, good tasting but looking totally different from the picture from their website. Bagara Baigan was good but there were spices missing in some portion of Baigan which tasted bland but otherwise ok. We had ordered bread basket. All of the breads were good. I am not fan of biriyani, but tempted by gongura and paneer combination and ordered it, surprisingly it was very well made. We also tried khubani ka Meetha, we were told they were just making it was not that great as it supposed to be served chilled and it was not as we were told they were just making it. But overall good ambiance, great service and good food, which can easily be great with few minor tweaks. Will go again..

Naan , biryani
Camille M.

First time coming here after seeing it time to time. Food: yummy, I like the chicken 65 but found it a bit spicy . My husband thought the food lacked the spices it needed. Service: nice staff! Ambiance: cool and clean

outside
Amy Y.

I came to Varam after having noticed their daily thali lunch specials which end at 3pm, as they're one of the most visually appealing and varied that I've seen. I was happy to find out that everything was also delicious, and the service was fantastically friendly. Varam is hidden on the edges of downtown RWC with funny huge tablet menus (I think normal printed ones would work a bit better). The parking, both street and lot aren't too bad, but it's paid and they are strict with fining to a tee. When we went, it wasn't crowded at all, which allowed me to appreciate the beautiful interior more. They are a little extra upscale and fancy than the usual Indian restaurant, but the prices are still accessible. I love how unique their menu is, even though I can't decipher what many things mean. It seems they do specific regional dishes and add in modernized touches with fresh ingredients. - Varam Virunthu Platter Veg, non-veg, and fish appetizers - veg, chicken, and non-veg entrees - bread, pulao of the day, pappad, and dessert. It's like a ten-course meal! I really want to come back to try the other spreads. My thali consisted of a salad, a lentil curry, saag paneer, a bone-in goat curry, stewed chicken, delicate fish, a ground meat kabob, and some kind of soft breaded cheese. It also came with a mini scoop of rice, the pappad that's like a thin wafer, a piece of plain naan, and the dessert, payasam, which amazed me so much that I had to inquire about it so I knew what to order at all future Indian restaurants. It tasted like dreamy, creamy warm and sweet milk. - Butter Chicken The chicken was tender but not as hearty as we would have liked, though the curry was a flavorful velvety roux. It comes with a small bowl of rice, which is very generous because it's usually an extra side order. An extra order of naan was definitely needed to mop up all the delicious curry, but it's so worth it. - Garlic Naan One of the best naan in the bay! It was so fresh and dripping with butter. It was more of a grippy naan opposed to soft or fluffy, but that was made up for in crispness with multiple bubble pockets. Varam is now one of my favorite Indian restaurants in the bay! Will gladly make the commute out here whenever I'm craving Indian food or a multi-coursed set meal. And yes, I'm aware of the competitors in this same city - to be honest, I'd choose Varam over them all still!

Truffle Masala Dosa
Soumen B.

We got to try Varam for a quick bite and absolutely loved the food. This review is for their 5 star worthy masala dosa that would make you want to come back and try other stuff on their menu. Located in a central location of Redwood City downtown, right opposite to the theater, this place is a hidden gem for the Indian food scene in Bay Area. Will go back again to try more of their menu. Kudos on a good masala dosa, chef!

Michele T.

The lunch specials are what caught our attention. We ordered the chicken schnitzel which came with rice and veggies. The chicken tikka masala came with rice and dal. We also ordered a garlic naan to share. The schnitzel was nicely presented. We liked the veggies. The chicken pieces were a bit small. There were quite a few chicken pieces in the Tikka masala - good with the rice and naan. We asked for mild - still had a kick. We'd return to try other items.

Kumbakonam filter coffee
Sho R.

I stopped by for lunch on a Sunday. The place was not full. Food was spicy and flavorful. Butter chicken was my favorite here. Peshawari naan went nicely with it. Potlam chicken biryani was an interesting concept. Biryani wrapped in egg and cooked. That was cool. Though I should say biryani is biryani. I thought the filter coffee was ok.

Derek S.

Came by for dinner the other night and it was a mediocre experience. Made a reservation for dinner and the restaurant was empty. Parking is available in the private city-owned lots or on the street. Dining was available both indoors and outdoors. The vibe of the restaurant wanted to appear high end. It was weird that the music seemed to cut out like if someone manually mixed the music at home?!? Started off with the samosas which tasted like they were frozen. Moved on to the shrimp appetizer and it was ok. The shrimp were on the smaller side and weren't super fresh. The grilled cod for the main was gigantic and came with a bed of curry along with some asparagus. The garlic naan was good although even more garlic would have been even better. Service was attentive by the staff. ~$70/head after tax and gratuity with plenty of leftovers.

Chicken Masala Dosa
Mike L.

Varam offers generous portions, but the overall experience was a bit mixed for us. We ordered the chicken masala dosa, which was huge and had a good balance of crispy and fluffy texture when it first came out hot. However, once it cooled down, the texture and flavor dropped off and didn't hold up as well (and this was pretty quick) We also tried the curry chicken, which had a heavy nutmeg/cinnamon flavor that didn't quite suit our taste. It might be more traditional for South Indian curries, but it just wasn't what we were expecting. Service was also on the slower side, even though the restaurant wasn't particularly busy during our visit. Overall, Varam is worth a try for the portion size and unique offerings, but it may not be for everyone depending on your flavor preferences.

Goat curry

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2 months ago

Delicious, hot and fresh food. Best was the Biriyani and lamb Appam. Biriyani. Soft goat. Good ambience. Location is at the downtown

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Ask the Community - Varam

What is the noise level usually?

Has been quiet when I've been there

Are there any vegan items? Also prices for menu items don't show up on the website menu?

There are vegan items on the buffet but the selection is not very good.

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Temp & Time - Hojicha cake, flan cake, and hojicha tea

Temp & Time

4.4(150 reviews)
3.0 mi
•$$

Temp & Time is one of the underrated matcha tea shops! When you drive on El Camino Real, it may be…read moreeasy to miss as there is a small entryway to the parking lot for Temp & Time. The inside has such a pretty aesthetic, with a few inside tables to How to order is with an iPad kiosk, so card payment only. The menu selection is nice and simple, offering matcha and hojicha options. There are also small desserts like cheesecakes, cake rolls whole or slice and tiramisu. This tea shop is nice to go to after work to relax and decompress for a bit. Items my coworker and I ordered- * Hojicha Strawberry Latte - light sweet, soy milk and less ice. Rating 5/5 * Hojicha Cake Roll slice. Rating 5/5 * Matcha Latte - light sweet, oat milk, less ice. Rating 5/5

Temp & Time is a hidden gem in Palo Alto! It's not the easiest to get to - the cafe shares a small…read moreplaza with Drunken Monk and parking is extremely difficult so be warned. This cafe specializes in Asian inspired drinks, roll cakes, basque cheesecakes, as well as Japanese puddings. The interior is super Japandi / minimalistic aesthetic. Their desserts have also been officially marked as "not too sweet" by my inlaws so you know it's got that Asian parent stamp of approval! I haven't tried the basque cheesecakes and the puddings, but have been a repeat customer for their roll cakes. So far I've tried their matcha, coffee, and black sesame roll cakes and all are fantastic. Super strong flavors and the chiffon cake isn't too dry. I will say for a single slice the price is quite steep, but it /is/ located in Palo Alto so rent is not cheap I would assume. Also if you wanted an entire roll, you have to order 2 business days in advance.

Photos
Temp & Time - Clockwise: Matcha Latte w/ oat milk ($6.75), Hōji Roll Cake ($6), Thai Tea Roll Cake (OTH), Hōji Latte w/ oat milk ($6.75)

Clockwise: Matcha Latte w/ oat milk ($6.75), Hōji Roll Cake ($6), Thai Tea Roll Cake (OTH), Hōji Latte w/ oat milk ($6.75)

Temp & Time - Matcha roll cake, plain basque cheesecake

Matcha roll cake, plain basque cheesecake

Temp & Time - Black Sesame Roll Cake

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Black Sesame Roll Cake

Donato Enoteca - oxtail pasta

Donato Enoteca

3.8(1.1k reviews)
0.2 mi
•$$$

Haven't been in years and changed a bit: pasta is still good but menu structure is different and…read moreservice was sub par. Food: 4 Service: 2 Atmosphere: 3 Cost to worth it rating: 3 Opentableable: yes Return worthiness: maybe Highlights: - Pasta with sausage, brown butter, and pancetta: standout of the night. 4.5 stars - Oxtail agnolotti pasta: nice broth with a mellow flavor and lots of little pockets of pasta. 4 stars - Appetizer portions of all pastas so you can try a few - Wines: all outstanding and not ones you'd find anywhere. Good amount by the glass or different sizes of carafe portion. - Menu: organized by vegetables, seafood, and meat which was different Midlights: - Tiramisu: proportions marscapone to ladyfingers was off with mostly all marscapone in a jar: 3 stars - Fish: just ok, not too tender and bland flavors. 3 stars Lowlights: - No bread offered or cheese for pasta--was for other tables - Service: mia after order was taken, glasses of wine were empty and got our entrees, staff seemed confused when our entrees were coming and having an internal conversation in front of us of what to do. Not the quality of service I'd expect from an upscale Italian restaurant.

This one hurts to write because Donato Enoteca used to be one of my favorite Italian restaurants on…read morethe Peninsula. I'd happily drive over just for the Bigoli e Coda. Unfortunately, this visit felt like a restaurant that's lost some of its spark. Happy hour was actually a pleasant surprise. The prices are excellent and make it easy to sample a variety of dishes. The Polpette and prosciutto with melon were enjoyable, but the croquettes were forgettable. The mussels and shrimp didn't taste particularly fresh, which was disappointing. The chicken had an unusual texture--somewhere between a chicken nugget and a crab cake. It just wasn't for me, The biggest letdown was the Bigoli e Coda. The pasta still had its signature chewy texture, but the sauce felt oily instead of rich, the braised oxtail lacked the deep, slow-cooked flavor I remembered, and the entire dish desperately needed seasoning. It used to be one of those dishes I'd recommend without hesitation. Not anymore. The seafood entrée was probably the strongest dish of the night, but even there it fell short. The fish was properly cooked, yet the skin lacked the crisp, golden finish that makes a skin-on fillet so satisfying. It was another dish that felt underseasoned and never quite came to life. That was really the theme of the evening: almost everything felt underseasoned. Nothing was inedible--it just lacked the vibrant flavors and careful execution that made Donato stand out years ago. I'm hoping this was simply an off night because Donato has earned a lot of goodwill over the years. But when a longtime favorite no longer tastes like the restaurant you remember, it's hard not to leave a little disappointed.

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Donato Enoteca - Bar

Bar

Donato Enoteca - Suppli calabresi (eggplant fritter)

Suppli calabresi (eggplant fritter)

Donato Enoteca - Branzino filet

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Branzino filet

Lavender 'n Cream - chocolate cupcake

Lavender 'n Cream

3.9(112 reviews)
2.4 mi

Finding this cafe was the highlight of my trip. I came back for 4 days straight and worked from the…read morecafe, no need to try anywhere else because everything was soooo good. They have wifi for those who need to work remotely and the food was amazing. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Some of my favorites were the beet salad, the ham and cheese croissant sandwich, the Mediterranean sandwich, the apple mini tarts, and the tomato soup. If you're looking for a deal, they have a lunch special from 11 AM to 4 PM That includes a sandwich, a salad, a small pastry and a drink/coffee for $15. The employees are extremely accommodating and provide amazing service. I am allergic to eggs and lactose intolerant. They can modify almost everything based on dietary restrictions. I also tend to struggle with gluten (Im not celiac) but had no issues with their croissants. They use really fresh ingredients and everything's clearly made day of. I'm a big foodie and I also enjoy cooking a lot and I am generally not easy to please when it comes to food. You truly cannot go wrong with anything on their menu. A must try!!!!

I was excited about trying new breakfast place. Instead of enjoyment this place produce…read more disappointment. My husband and I ordered identical breakfast plates. His arrived 20 minutes after I finished eating mine. My latte was weak and lukewarm. The server never stopped by to offer more coffee. We had to ask for water twice and mysteriously, one one glass was brought out. The breakfast plate was not great. There was a giant stack of pale pancakes with a few berries on top. Tiny ramiken of soggy potatoes accompanied by eggs so overcooked that some spot were crispy. The bacon was middle of the road 2 short strips. I don't reccomend this place for breakfast.

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Lavender 'n Cream - Hot chocolate bomb

Hot chocolate bomb

Lavender 'n Cream - Cookies & Petits Fours catering plate

Cookies & Petits Fours catering plate

Lavender 'n Cream - Chocolate Mousse

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Chocolate Mousse

Varam - indpak - Updated October 2026

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