Curries and Chutneys

This Restaurant is CLOSED. India Gate restaurant is opening on Friday June 26^th, 2015 at the same location.

The place is impeccably clean and the services was very friendly. I was so looking forward to having some good Indian food, but this place was a big disappointment. It says fast-​food Indian food, but it basically was like eating frozen Indian food that had been warmed up in the microwave. I’ll keep looking.

If I’m going to eat out I definitely want to eat things I can’t make at home. A decent curry is on the list of things I’ve tried and have failed miserably to prepare well!
I’ve driven by this place more times than I can count on one hand, but never really knew what their deal was! I assumed, based on the name, that they sold bottled spices and sauces. I was wrong, and I’m glad I know now because I loved it and I will be back.
Favorite tidbits:
–This place was impeccably clean and inviting! The modern décor made it stand out quite a bit from other joints who serve similar food.
–The opportunity to sample EvErYtHiNg. Definitely helpful when ordering new foods!
–Incredibly kind, outgoing, inviting and helpful staff!
–They’ve got BOGO coupons in a couple of local coupon books (Entertainment, etc.)
–The takeout containers for the bowls are sturdy and are not going to leak!
–The bowl is a great value: 1 rice, 1 curry and 1 chutney in a bowl. The portion was definitely very generous and could easily be shared.
Least favorite tidbits:
–I waited at the counter for about 30 seconds before anyone came out from the kitchen area to greet me. But, he came out and apologized profusely and welcomed me right away!

It’s probably a really good thing that this isn’t located anywhere near me! Indian fast food?!? Dangerous for my waistline and my wallet. The variety wasn’t huge and the establishment small, but it was definitely worth the money. for the price you pay, you get a heaping plate!

This was the worst «indian» food I’ve ever eaten. The rice was overcooked and room temperature. The butter chicken tasted worse than a frozen dinner. The only redeeming factor was the fact that the staff was incredibly kind and friendly.

All in all, its a pretty solid lunch spot. Everything is okay. Not very spicy or authentic. It’s fast and relatively cheap. I went once but haven’t bothered to go back. Just okay, but worth a try if you are new to Indian cuisine.

As a South Indian, I was excited to see a place that served dosa and sambar! The sambar was pretty well made. The dosa could have been crispier, but still tasted great and was large and well worth the money. I got a dosa with potatoes («masalaa» dosa), but you can egg or cheese as well. I also got it «extra spicy», which gives it a great kick.
I samples some of the entrée dishes. They were all flavorful and spicy. I’ll have to come back to try them as a meal.
The only negative I would have would be that the samosa was not well-​made. It’s a potato and green pea-​filled, fried appetizer. The dough shell was hard and it wasn’t as good as the other food I had.
Great service too!

Really, the only thing that is to be desired is better naan. Everything else is at the level or better of my favorite Indian places. Make sure you try the vegetable rice! The truth is, this place is probably more of a 4-​star type situation, but because it is family owned I feel like its a business that should be supported. Sure beats any of the other «ethnic» fast/​quick food places (I.E. Panda Express, Noodle-​Whatever-​the-​hell) where you could choose to have your lunch.

This place was a pleasant surprise. I never new that «fast food» indian existed! I had the Tiki and Butter chicken. Both were tasty. And I found the prices super reasonable for the amount and quality I got. If you are in the area, this place is worth checking out. The only reason I gave it five stars was because the staff was just ok. The service was a little slow for no one being in the restaurant, but overall not enough to prevent me from coming back.

My boyfriend and I stopped in because we realized we had a coupon from our Indianapolis Entertainment book.
The woman behind the counter who explained that the offerings at the subway-​style set up change every week, and the menu was their catering menu.
She served us and was very very friendly, and it was enjoyable being served by her. It seems like most of the staff are very friendly and knowledgeable.
She let us try one bite of everything they had to offer in little sample cups. There is a wide variety of flavours, very spicy to very mild.
The chutneys are something you should avoid if you do not like spicy food. They will also offer you some yogurt-​sour cream sauce stuff if you are a big wimp, or accidentally put chutney in your mouth and it is now burning and numb at the same time and you are desperate for relief.
I really liked the butter chicken, and opted to order that. My boyfriend ordered the chicken curry but I forget what it was called. Both tasted great and were very filling, I even had enough leftovers for lunch the next day. He horked it down to fast for leftovers. We also bought a lemony dessert ball thing. It was yummy, if you see a lemony dessert ball thing being offered by the register you should try it.
We also bought naan. We did not like the naan and threw it away, it was tough and sort of chewy and singed. We did come right before close though, so this could simply be because it wasnt fresh naan? My other thought is that I would love if I could add some mixed vegetables or something to the curry, because it is sauce and meat only. I know that is not exactly traditional, but it would be nice to have the option IMO

I wanted a meal to make me all warm inside on a cold evening, so I figured some nice spicy Indian food would do the trick. The restaurant was clean, the steam table was fully stocked, and the young woman whom waited on me was very nice and helpful. I ordered two Tikka Masala and Lemon Rice bowls, with ginger chutney, to go. Tandoori Chicken Legs, Cilantro Curry, Paneer Butter Masala, Mixed Vegetable Curry and Chole (Garbanzo Beans cooked in spices) were the other entrée items available, but be aware that the menu changes. When it was time to checkout, I was in the process of trying to pull up my 20% off Unilocal Check-​in coupon on my phone, when she told me not to worry about it because she believed me. This act of kindness saved me from any further fumbling with my phone.
The Tikka Masala was delightfully spicy and the Lemon Rice was cooked nicely, possessing a refreshing, yet delicate lemon flavor. The ginger chutney was a robust addition of yet more flavor and spice to the bowl. Overall, I enjoyed my meal, except the Tikka Masala was a little skimpy on the chicken. Additionally, I had to work quite a bit just to get in the restaurant to order my food.
When I first arrived, I pulled and pulled on the door, but it would not open. I went back to my car and called to verify that they were still open, which they were. I attempted to open the doors again, however, they still would not open. i called again, was assured that the business was open, so I told them that I would attempt to open the doors a third time. Well, my persistence paid off, two staff members came to the door and one of them banged his body against it about three times and it finally opened. Come to find out the doors were frozen; we could see the ice formed at the bottom. Needless to say, it was a bit of a hassle to get inside. I gave four stars instead of five because the Tikka Masala needed more chicken and the staff needs to ensure that customers can easily access the establishment. My meal did succeed in making me warm all over so I plan to visit again.

I visited twice this week. The first st was so good I brought my wife for a return!
Service here is friendly and efficient. While I’m pretty comfortable with Indian food, my wife is a wimp when it comes to spice and heat. The helpful staff let her sample everything, and we both settled n Butter Chicken and ??? Paneer.
I found the flavors smooth and spicy but not hot. My wife said she noticed heat but it was not objectionable. The server offered a yogurt sauce that helped to soil the minor heat.
The Samosas were large and filled with a smooth mixture of potatoes and peas, not air like many places! The mint chutney was a bit on the salty side, though.
Our only complaint was that the sauce in the Butter Chicken was a bit oily, and had a visible lumpy texture, as if the sauce had «broken».
Reasonable costs per platter totaled less then $ 20 for two people — the cheapest lunch we’ve had in a while!
Looking forward to going back to see how the menu changes.

I was really pleased at The concept of a fast food Indian restaurant, so I was disposed to be positive when I went here.
Reality bites. For positives, the server at the counter was friendly and efficient, the décor was nice, and the place was very clean.
I ordered the platter, which is one rice and two (out of four choices) curries. There were two vegetarian and two chicken curries available. I had both chicken ones, and they were not very different in flavor, and a little skimpy on meat. They were also only lukewarm. On the good side, they were nicely spicy. The rice was fine, but the flatbread (I expected naan) was awful, funny tasting, tough, and elastic as a rubber band.
There may be better choices on the steam table on other days, but I doubt I will be back.

Composite of 3 visits. 2 on weekends, one on a weekday.
First two visits would be a four star. Interesting concept, to me of ‘fast’ Indian food. I got a thali or waited a few minutes (5 – 10) for a King dosa that was well worth it. Pakoras a bit on the oily side but other than that, got a nice a la carte lunch option with good portion sizes good taste. Ambience is fine, management — if you meet them — are friendly and helpful.
And on the third visit today the lack of process came a tumblin’ down. We were the early birds. Got two king dosas. Then a crowd came and the noob at the counter got flustered. Customers started piling up. My kid decided he wanted dessert (rice pudding). Got in line. Got passed over when it was his turn. The adults behind him (shame on you adults btw) jumped in and took his turn… So i step in and call the counter noob on it, and he blithers. After a few seconds, he fled to get management, who promptly informed me that they don’t have the dessert available today.
There’s a place called Metro Dhaba /​Il Forno in Gaithersbirg MD, that has similar good food but bad service processes. I wish my countrymen could get over this weakness.
So — pray that this place finds their feet — I think they are worth keeping but they need work. Or go there in off peak hours when you are not in a hurry.

Interesting menu that changes every week. Good healthy food and tastes awesome too…
I would recommend this place for sure!!!

Lady at the counter was very kind. She went over the items with us and explained what they were and also gave us a sample to taste whatever we wanted… Service was great! The curries was so delicious and very flavorful! Buy the flat breads to eat with your curries. Yum!

New favorite place for fast-​food Indian food… not awesome… but affordable and good service. My daughter ordered lemon rice with saffron chicken curry. The bowl was $ 5 and drink was extra. Like a previous reviewer stated it is like «panda express» so I also suggest picking the freshiest stew… or going during a busy time to assure freshness.

I (like others) am hoping that this place is just in their «getting our feet wet» stage.
I REALLY hope this place gets better.
I enjoyed the potato Dosa. Prior to cooking it, they asked my spice level liking which I said was a 3 – 5. Well, their definition of 3 – 5 is much higher than mine (in other words my Dosa was SUPER spicy. Great but almost TOO spicy). I will adjust accordinlgy next time.
I hope they learn to keep more options available later in the night in the future. Alot of the food seemed to be gone at about 8:00pm and they stated that what they had was what they had (in other words they were not cooking any thing additional to choose from). I ordered a few curries and apps (basically I took one of everything they had left). mothing stood out except the Dosa.

This is day four of business and obviously still having a few growing pains. On the plus side the service was fast (buffet steam table), super friendly and helpful. I appreciated the option to sample an item before selecting. The servers are experienced but new to Indian food and eager to learn flavors and spices to better assist customers.
Everything I ordered and sampled was very good and I loved the flavors and spices. The only negative that I experienced, and I pointed out, was the steam table wasn’t keeping the food hot. Once I brought to their attention they immediately began attempting to correct and thanked me for bringing to their attention. Growing pains always exists with a new business. Hopefully adding a cover or lids will correct the problem.
Apparently the game plan is changing the menu weekly for variety. I’m not sure if this is the entire steam table or just one or two items. Hopefully they’ll keep a few items for consistency. I’ll be back soon to try new selections and see how that stubborn steam table is working out.

It’s new, so I can be forgiving on C&C’s slowness. The very friendly people who work here made the time pass by, at least. Most of them were not too knowledgeable on what they were serving up, however. I also found the menu to be a tad confusing.
The chicken in my ‘Frankie’ (kind of like an Indian burrito) was so dry and tasteless I wanted to cry. The roti (bread) that was egg-​washed was limp and oily, not crisp like it should have been. The dish was also tiny and on the bland side. Spice Box is doing this dish one-​thousand times better… and you can watch them make it to your specifications.
Food Made to Order/​What Holds up the Line:
Dosa (South Indian dish that is a thin, crisp lentil crêpe filled with potatoes, served with chutney and sambar)
Weekend Biryani (spicy rice dish with chicken, served with yogurt/​raitha)
Frankies (Mumbai street food/​Indian burrito with chicken or potatoes)
Food pre-​made, ready for you to purchase (Platter with 2 curries and an app; Bowl with 1 curry and no app; Both options with roti and noodles OR rice)
Curries — Coconut Chicken, Butter Chicken, Roasted Chicken, Kadai Corn, Butter
Paneer, Methi Potato
Appetizers — Tandoori Chicken
Chutneys/​pickles are all FREE but you have to indicate you want them: Eggplant, Ginger, Tomato, Mango… try some! They’re delicious. I really liked the eggplant and mango varieties.
There’s also soup, dessert, and drinks. C&C has lots of vegetarian and chicken options. Would love to see some more appetizer options, shrimp options, more paneer choices, maybe a samosa or two…