Amber Indian - Carmel, IN

Wednesday April 17, 2013

Amber Indian

12510 North Meridian Street

Carmel, IN 46032

317-580-0828

Website: http://www.amberindianrestaurant.com/
Type of Food: Buffet / Indian

Price: $3.00 - $15.00

Date Potential: lunch or dinner with friends

Dress: Casual

Entrée: 3/5 stars

Atmosphere: 2/5 stars

Atmosphere

The Amber Indian is not the place to visit for ambiance, lovely table linens, or a fancy night out. You will enjoy the food and the service, but do not expect to walk into this restaurant situated in a Carmel strip mall and be overwhelmed by ambiance.

 

Service

The service was friendly, speedy, and made the dining experience a pleasurable one. The wait staff and manager seem to understand the fine line between making sure a customer has what they require to enjoy the meal and standing at the table every 5 minutes and interrupting the evening. Overall, the staff was exactly what I hope for when I dine out.

 

Food/Drinks

My dining companion and I came for dinner, and therefore ordered off the traditional menu rather than sampling the lunch time buffet. I prefer to go to Indian restaurants for the lunch buffet, because I enjoy sampling as many dishes as I can, but our meal was wonderful. I ordered the Aloo Gobhi, which is a dry dish made with potatoes, cauliflower and Indian spices. It is yellowish in color, due to the use of turmeric, and occasionally contains kalonji and curry leaves. I chose to accompany this dish with basmati rice and garlic naan. The flavors blended together well, and the dish had exactly the amount of spice I was looking for (I ordered mine with medium spice). The food was warm at the table, cooked well, and presented nicely. I had no complaints about the food and would happily eat there again.

 

Overview

Overall I enjoyed my trip to Amber Indian and would happily return, maybe next time to sample the lunch buffet. The food and atmosphere may seem simple in presentation but combined with the outstanding wait staff and the flavors of the dishes served, this restaurant is a new favorite.

 

Interested in having your establishment reviewed?
Contact us at indyfoodiereviews@gmail.com

Sabbatical - Broad Ripple, IN

Wednesday April 10, 2013

Sabbatical

921 Broad Ripple Ave

Indianapolis, IN 46220

317-253-5252

Website: http://www.sabbaticalindy.com/
Type of Food: Small Plates

Price: $6.00 - $33.00

Date Potential: 2^nd Date

Dress: Casual to Business Casual

Entrée: 3/5 stars

Atmosphere: 2/5 stars

Atmosphere

Sitting on porch of this restaurant was nice on a mild spring evening. My dining partner and I were given the chance to people watch, as well as enjoy each other’s company without the typical “bar scene” of Broad Ripple Ave. You can tell the restaurant is still working on finding its niche and style, as many areas still have the original La Jolla decorations and signs posted.

 

Service

The servers were nice and knowledgeable, but this is not a place to go if you have limited dining time. There were not many patrons inside or out - I believe we counted 15 in total - yet the food service was extremely slow.

 

Food/Drinks

We sampled a plate of bread and truffle butter, grilled chicken skewers in Thai peanut sauce, and pulled pork sliders. Overall I would give the win to the pulled pork sliders. The bread and truffle butter was a nice treat but nothing to rave about. The chicken was well cooked, and the peanut sauce was well made but was a bit thicker than I was used to and could use a bit more heat for the Thai food crowd. The pulled pork sliders were two rolls with nicely cooked pork and onion straws on top. The meat was tender and the onion straws added the crunch and salt needed to round out the dish.

 

Overview

Overall I would return to Sabbatical, as their food was decent and they have a large selection of craft beers and wine. However, I would save this specific spot for more of a light appetizer course or a mid-day stop to relax rather than a full meal, as acquiring a large amount of food from this establishment could break the bank.

 

Interested in having your establishment reviewed?
Contact us at indyfoodiereviews@gmail.com

Delhi Palace - Indianapolis, IN

Wednesday April 3, 2013

Delhi Palace

 

2654 Lake Circle Dr

Indianapolis, IN 46268

317-824-1600

Website: N/A
Type of Food: Indian Buffet/Dining

Price: $2.00 - $17.00

Date Potential: Dinner/Lunch with friends

Dress: casual

Appetizers: 4/5 stars

Entrée: 4/5 stars

Atmosphere: 2/5 stars

Atmosphere

Delhi Palace is not a place to go for incredible decorations or a fine dining experience. When you walk into this somewhat hole-in-the-wall restaurant located in a strip mall, you will not have high expectations for what you will discover inside. However, the food is worth it!

 

Service

During the lunch buffet, the wait staff is almost nonexistent after you have been seated. Occasionally a waiter will come around and refill your water, but if you are expecting someone to “check in on you” this is not the restaurant for you. During dinner service the wait staff is a bit more attentive, but they still are quite scarce between the time you order and the time you are served.

 

Food

For those unfamiliar with Indian cuisine, I recommend starting with the buffet. Grab a coupon from Coupons 4 Indy to receive a dollar off, and you will have the chance to taste small portions of all the wonderful dishes this restaurant has to offer. The garlic naan is a MUST try!

If you are there for dinner, grab your dinner coupon, and make sure to order exactly what you are hoping for. During dinner you will have to go a bit more ala carte to get different flavors, but the food is worth it and you will not be disappointed by the portions. I like the samosas as an appetizer and palak paneer with garlic naan for an entrée.

 

Overview

Overall I am a fan of Delhi Palace. I would not recommend it to friends who, like me, appreciate a full dining experience with an attentive wait staff. However, if you are in it for the food, give this place a try!

 

Interested in having your establishment reviewed?
Contact us at indyfoodiereviews@gmail.com