Mehak

I’ve never written a one star review before, but wow, disappointed is an understatement. All of the food was so salty it was inedible. I have never been unable to finish a plate of Indian food, but I just couldn’t keep eating. Even the naan was the quality of a frozen package from the supermarket. Nothing tasted fresh. If you know what good Indian food tastes like, you will not be happy here. This meal was nothing short of depressing. And a $ 2 delivery fee to boot! The hunt for decent Indian in Forest Hills continues.

I stopped by Mehak before seeing a movie at the theater on the same block. The building obviously wasn’t originally intended to be a restaurant, but that wasn’t really an issue. I don’t understand all of the bad reviews they have.
The owner was able to answer my questions about what vegetarian dishes didn’t contain dairy. I was pleasantly surprised that their naan isn’t made with dairy, so we ordered some but had to request they not put butter on it. It wasn’t as chewy as other naan I’ve had (prior to going vegan) but was still good. Our main dishes were also tasty. The portion sizes weren’t too small or large, and the prices were reasonable. It’d have been more pleasant if the tables were a bit larger, but that wasn’t a huge issue. I’ll probably go back next time I see something at the Kew Theater. The only thing I was really disappointed by was that there seems to be only one vegetarian lunch special (out of 6) and that it isn’t vegan by default.

This is not a fancy place. It is like going into someone’s home and asking them to make you some food. I am pretty sure the host is magical as he does everything. he might even cook the food and he always recommends a Taj Mahal beer. I only order vegetarian — so I might be biased. It is always good. and cheap (or inexpensive). so what that the secret ingredient might be salt. it is take out. That would be like going to McDonalds and protesting about the amount of sodium in their fries. Try it… at least the vegetables! (Don’t forget the beer.)

Highly Recommend this family-​owned restaurant for several good reasons… EXCELLENT homemade style authentic Indian & Pakistani cuisine flavors, something for just about everyone — vegetarian, meat dishes, desserts — economically priced, courteous service that aims to please, clean and cozy ambiance, managed by a dedicated professional restaurateur who cares about serving the community, appeals to diverse foodies — friends & family groups, date night, commuters, etc. It’s at the intersection of Austin St. and Lefferts Blvd. right by the Q10 Bus Stop, near Kew Gardens Cinemas, LIRR and the USPS Office. Great place for pre/​post movie dining, grabbing a healthy dinner after work, ordering food to go, and weekend meals to comfort the soul! Eating here feels like someone prepared the food just for you with lots of love and care. It’s a genuine Namaste dining experience! You and your guests will be delighted.

My local Indian/​Pakistan place… quaint location and the food makes my eyes roll back. Ali and Ameer are great guys who provide outstanding service too.

So we decided to place an order on seamless web for 2 dishes and some nan bread. Wife was in the mood for Indian food.
Total came to $ 35 and change. The order included $ 2 delivery fee and $ 3.35 tip. Right after we placed the order we got a call stating that our home location was a bit to far since they delivered by bike. The owner offered to give us a 15% discount if we picked it up and we agreed .
Upon arrival the owner explained that he cannot refund me the money so he offered either a discount for next visit or a couple of samosas.
I told him I did not want the discount or the extra food and that the last time this happened to me the restaurant gave me cash to cover the tip. He then proceeded to the register and took out $ 3
When I suggested that it should be $ 5 to cover the delivery fee and tip he got upset and decided not to give me the food and told me to cancel the order with seamless!
I actually walked out laughing and surprised that this place was still in business lol!
I called seamless customer support and they refunded my money plus another $ 10 toward the next order!
Thanks Seamless!
P. S. Not going back to Mehak! I should have listened to the other reviews!

Date: 09/​19/​2015
Worst Indian cuisine in Kew Gardens, NY ever!
The menu claims to be the finest Indian and Pakistani authentic Mughlai cuisine. Does that equate to extremely salty and extremely spicy?
Haveli was not answering their phone nor accepting online orders. My husband and I resorted to GrubHub’s recommendation sorted by distance: Mehak.
Our delivery order consisted of:
Chicken Tikka Masala
Chicken Vindaloo
Garlic Naan
Verdict: Never ever eating/​ordering from Mehak again! The chicken tikka masala was very SALTY! The garlic naan is not naan; it is dry pita bread brushed with maybe garlic oil. The chicken vindaloo has a warning that it’s «very hot,» and they got that right. Your stomach and taste buds are on fire and burn all night long.
I just can’t get over the amount of sodium in the tikka masala… Was this to get at me because GrubHub didn’t include my apartment number, and the restaurant had to call and ask when they received the order? Upon delivery, the guy went on and on about how he called, and pointed at the print out indicating no apartment number. He kept talking on and on. Okay, point made. Was he just rambling thinking I was not going to tip? Regardless, I still gave him a hefty tip. And… In the end, we did not enjoy the food, took a bite each, and threw everything out.

We were ushered into a corner next to the table with the only two other diners in the restaurant. When we wanted to change the table the manager or a cook or the owner was very rude. Most importantly chicken tandoori was cold and tasteless. We asked why we were served cold food the answer from the same person was that the chicken is half prepared in advance. Warming it did not improve the flavor. Would not go back.

Mehak is a neighborhood gem! It’s one of those cozy, mom & pop places where you feel like you’ve been invited to dinner at someone’s home. The owner is attentive (asked how everything was, if we needed anything more, etc), welcoming, and sociable. We had a wonderful meal and a really nice chat with the owner. Hubby and I have had several great experiences here and will continue to frequent. :)
The food is amazing! We enjoy coming in for lunch on the weekend and usually order chicken tikka masala, saag paneer, mango lassis, & garlic naan. They adjust spice levels to your preference, so if you like your food with a kick order it spicy and you won’t be disappointed. Yum!
They cater to omnivores & vegetarians alike — there are plenty of delicious options no matter what you like to eat. They also deliver.
And don’t skip dessert — they usually have Ras Malai and Gulab Jamun.

The owner cooked beef samosa for me & my girlfriend – it was not on the menu. Fantastic!

My favorite local spot. Love, love Indian cuisine and came across this place with my friend for something fresh and new in our area. The staff is warm and inviting. Atmosphere is simple and comforting. Feel like I am home here, and the staff knows my name. Now, the food … Fabulous!!! I have tried multiple of dishes and have been pleased every time. Simply delicious. This place is a must go!

I frequent this place often with my friend and the owner always remembers us. The service is great. The décor is inviting. The food is delicious. If you are in Kew Gardens and have a love for Indian food please make sure to visit.

We ordered through seamless, they were early. So that part was good except for the 2 $ delivery charge.
We had the vegetable pakoras and their shami kabob and condiments. The appetizers were excellent.
It was down hill from there. The chicken tikka masala was salty not spicy. It was inedible. We had to get the salty taste out of our mouths. The chicken and spinach dish was not as salty but it’s hard to tell with a high level of salt on your tongue. The raita was watery and we tried to use it to cut the saltiness of the masala to no avail. The garlic nan was not fresh and did not taste of garlic.
I give one star because if you can’t do a decent chicken tikka masala, serve stale nan and watery raita then you should not be in business.

THE WORST INDIAN FOOD EVER!!!
ABSOLUTE DISAPPOINTMENT! STAY AWAY and ORDER SOMEWHERE ELSE!!! My bf and I were craving some Indian food, and decided to order from here because of how close it was. We love Indian cuisine. Not today. The food was DISGUSTING and for the price you pay, you can get better quality and quantity ANYWHERE else! They made an inedible garlic naan! How does an Indian restaurant get that wrong!!! The chicken vindaloo was watery and the lamb Karahi was overcooked. The baghari jhinga shrimp was so hard and flavorless. The chef here clearly takes the lazy way out with his cooking. I would be ashamed if I was the chef.
However, the worst part about this restaurant is it’s business ethics and practices. BEWARE! They try to scam you and try to keep the receipts. As a consumer, you have the right to a receipt. They also try to make you pay cash so that they don’t have to report their income and pay taxes in their revenue. DO NOT BE FOOLED! They will accept cards as a last resort. The «fast and free» delivery IS NOT FREE! They charge you $ 5, and if you are not careful, the delivery guy tries to charge you an extra $ 3 on top of a tip. My bf almost got duped until I started contesting this suspicious hike in the total. The «manager» who claims he will tell you his name, refuses to tell you, rudely cuts you off and will not let you finish a sentence.
This establishment has a shady sense of morals and ethics with food that would be better left on the streets for the dogs. Then again, I don’t think even the dogs would want any of this gross food. WASTE OF MONEY and TIME!

THE most incredible dishes come out of the kitchen here. Every time I eat here I think, omg, this is the most delicious food I have ever had.
Seriously, i have never had a dish that was less than spectacular. And i am one rough critic when it comes to food. I love love love this little restaurant.
It is impossible to pick one dish and say, «this is better than that.» Whether its the shrimp or the chicken or a vegetarian dish, everything that i’ve had here is fantastic.
Cozy and intimate, this is one gem of a restaurant.

After an unfortunate delivery mishap at Haveli, and the closing of Baluchi’s, Mehak has now assumed the position of my go-​to place for Indian food. While much smaller and offering a far less extensive menu than it’s predecessors, I find that they still get the job done and scratch the itch when an Indian craving hits. I think they would benefit from offering some sort of combination special and hope that they will do so in the future.
The chicken tikka masala was neither the best nor the worst that I’ve come across. The sauce was definitely on point, but I found the chicken to be very overcooked. The garlic naan and samosas, however, were both excellent. Although their menu is definitely small by comparison to other Indian venues, I was happy to see that they offer two varieties of keema, which I have very rarely come across in other establishments and look forward to trying in the future. Delivery came in under the allotted time as well!

I don’t understand what everyone is talking about. Everyone kept raving about the food but that the service is horrible. Well it is opposite for me. The delivery was about half hour which is a plus. I ordered chicken tikka masala and chicken biryani, both were overly salty. Maybe I got a bad batch but I don’t think I will be ordering again. I am trying to find a place for my chicken tikka masala fix!!!

Awarding stars is a tough one for this business. The food is excellent — better than anything I’ve had in Jackson Heights, but the owner! Moody, rude and hostile. But the food is so good! Today, really craving their chicken tikka masala, I went over for the $ 12 brunch, arriving at 12:04, Mehak’s hours on Sunday begin at noon. They were not open — no one was there. I went for a walk and checked back at 12:30. Nope. I ate pizza instead. How this place stays open is a miracle.

I was hoping I would love this place because it’s so close. But, I didn’t. The food was almost watery /​not enough flavor. And the naan was definitely old or taken from the freezer. I thought the owner was very pleasant. But, I won’t order from here again.

The man can cook.
He may not be the most polite but he’s not the worst either.
I’ve been here twice thus far eating the tikka masala and their fish. The tikka masala was pretty damn good by most standards (and this is with Jackson Heights as the sandard) as was the fish.
If you’re a true «foodie» with a good meal in mind and are willing to deal with the possibility of mediocre service then give it a shot.