I've had quite a bit of Indian food in my day and honestly this is not my favorite. We had…read moremulligatawny soup, samosa chaat, chicken tikka masala, lamb Rogan Josh, shrimp mango curry and onion naan. I found the food to be very salty and they gave us 2 containers of rice despite ordering 3 entrees (got take out and didn't realize till we were home). Things I liked are the ease of ordering directly through them and not a 3rd party site on their website. Also, if you enroll in the rewards program on their site, they give 20% back of your ordering total for a future order which is the most generous rewards program I have seen. Additionally, the portion sizes are pretty large. I may return for the sole reason that I now have $15 in rewards but wouldn't otherwise return as the flavor of their food is not my fave Indian in the area.

Hi there -- I recently ordered the chicken phaal. Very spicy…read moredish (which is totally fine for me), but I wanted to give some technical feedback on the preparation. The issue wasn't the heat -- it was the pepper execution. The peppers tasted raw and extremely bitter, the way hot peppers do when they aren't roasted or cooked down before blending. Because of that, the dish ended up tasting like two separate elements: * the capsaicin heat * the raw pepper bitterness What was missing was the tomato and onion base that the dish is supposed to have. Those flavors didn't come through at all. Also, the ginger was very fibrous -- like large grated strands that hadn't been cooked down enough. It added harsh texture instead of the warmth and aromatics ginger normally gives when properly prepared. Overall, the spice level was fine, but the technique made the dish feel unbalanced. Roasting or sweating the peppers first would bring out sweetness, reduce bitterness, and let the tomato/onion flavors actually shine. This isn't a complaint about the heat at all -- I enjoy spicy food. This is strictly about flavor balance and preparation. I hope this comes across as constructive; this dish could be excellent with just a few technique adjustments. Would order again of adjustments were made.

I come to this restaurant regularly, and over time, I've seen the lunch buffet improve…read moreconsiderably. Today, I came on a Saturday for the first time, to try their weekend buffet. It's a bit more, currently at $21.50, but it's definitely worth it. The entire buffet area is filled with numerous meat and vegetable dishes, including several types of chicken (including the all-important tikka masala (really good)), fish, and goat. A small side table contained a cold drink and hot masala chai. There were FOUR desserts available today, one of which was one I'd not seen there before, a coconut mousse. Service and friendliness remains top-notch here too. The commitment they've made to the quality of food you get here shows.

Pretty solid Indian takeaway. The chicken itself was cut into strips which wasn't the best form…read morefactor but the Makhani was delicious. The naan was okay, I had gotten the cheese naan which didn't have much cheese and wasn't melted at all so that was a bit of a letdown. All in all a good place for scratching the itch of wanting some Indian cuisine in the area. Would definitely like to check out the restaurant proper as opposed to ordering it delivered.

Love this place! Had a prime rib debacle on Christmas Day and my family pivoted to Indian takeout…read more I was so thankful they were open, had food ready quickly (no preorder needed) and were pleasant! I love mulligatawny soup and they do it perfectly. My family also shared onion and jalapeño cheese naan, falafel, chicken tikka masala, palak paneer and lamb Rogan Josh. Everything was chefs kiss. A highlight to an end of a stressful Christmas meal. Can't wait to eat more!

Ordered this as a delivery so I can't comment on the service or ambiance of the restaurant. The…read morefood however was alright, as someone who eats Indian food pretty regularly this was one of the less flavorful chicken tikki masala dishes I've tried. It had no spice (which is fine although there was no option to make it spicy), but the sauce itself was a little lacking. The portion was solid, overall not the best nor the worst Indian food I've tried

Great experience today at Indian Flame. We stopped in for their lunch buffet and it was excellent…read more They had a nice variety of meat and veggie options. Their garlic naan was absolutely incredible as was their service. I look forward to my next visit!

Don't let the exterior of this restaurant deceive you. Once you get past the tinted windows and…read morewalk inside, you'll see a beautiful interior. Though it does need some attention here and there, such as along the wall next to the table at which I was seated. But don't let things like that take away from the great food here. The lunch buffet (slightly higher price on weekends) has an assortment of vegetable and lentil dishes, several chicken offerings and today a goat dish. Everything I sampled had very strong and distinct flavors. My favorites were the chilli broccoli and the lemon chicken, I needed second helpings of those. The chicken tikka masala will probably be more tender as the day goes on. I thought some of the vegetable dishes and the dal were a bit watery, though still delicious. You get quite a lot of naan (regular or butter naan are offered). Dessert today was a vermicelli kheer with a hint of cardamom, and a very creamy carrot halwa with just the right amount of sweetness. There are quite a lot of Indian restaurants in the Capital District that offer a lunch buffet. I feel this is the best one on the east side of the Hudson River, and a place I'd choose to visit again when I'm in that area.

Reviewing this spot again after nearly 4 years!…read more In my eyes, this spot has withstood the test of time. Maharaja still holds a dear place in my heart. The food is always exactly what I'm hoping for, and the service is always quick. I don't have to wait very long to get my food, and I always leave happy. My go-to is the Chicken Vindaloo. I have a pretty solid heat tolerance, and I don't recommend this to anyone that can't handle a bit of heat... I sometimes find myself sweating after this dish, but it is so worth it. My wife orders the Chicken Tikka Masala and it's also very delicious. I've tried a few chicken tikka masala dishes in the area (by extension of my wife) and this is my favorite. The sauce is a rich, buttery sauce that tastes amazing, and the chicken is always so tender. We share a helping of rice for the chicken tikka masala and vindaloo. It is plenty of food and we typically leave with leftovers (which reheat nicely). I do also love the copper-wear. Some of the appliances are getting a bit dented, and unfortunately the window in the front is cracked and I notice these small things, but the food is good enough for me to look past that.

This used to be our favorite Indian restaurant but they've gone downhill lately. Everything just…read morefeels lower quality, from the decor to the service and, most importantly, the food. Flavors are a little off, the ingredients seem cheaper, overall we were really disappointed the last two times and we probably will not return.

After wanting to go literally since it opened, and particularly encouraged by all the positive…read morereviews, my wife and I happened to be driving by for the Wednesday dinner buffet and had to stop! Shortly after we were seated there was a long line out the door, so certainly a popular spot, or at least for the dinner buffet. All told, we were a bit surprised to ultimately find the food just 'slightly above generic Indian buffet food.' Also, in spite the establishment's name, we asked twice for dosas but tragically none ever arrived. The meat dishes were primarily chicken, but varied and tasty. My favorite items were the tikka masala tofu and fritters.

The chicken tikka masala was good and tasted fresh. I was too excited to take a picture before but…read moreit came with fresh cilantro and a drizzle of cream on top. The service was excellent. They are very friendly and clearly proud of the restaurant. It's a nice place for fast casual dining. It's nothing fancy, but it doesn't need to be and it's comfortable. This is probably the best Indian restaurant within 10 miles of the UAlbany area since Sitar left.

Due to all things Corona, my husband and I took a chance on Masala Express and boy am I glad we…read moredid! We ordered samosas; crisp, flavorful and delicious, as well as some naan, veggie korma, chicken vindaloo and creamy beef meatballs. It was very good and the flavors were strong and aromatic. I do want to warn if you let Masala Express know you want things "spicy" you will ABSOLUTELY get it! Be careful unless you have a palate (and gut) of steel. Good takeout and we will order again... without the Corona or the note to make it "Extra Spicy!"

Note that masala express and Shalimar are the same restaurant and sane management. Extremely rude…read moretelephone customer service. I called today to ask how many pieces in one order of Samosa, naan, and roti. This was for a small dinner party and I wanted to make sure I was ordering enough for everyone, there is no information on number of pieces per order on their website or online menu. It took several phone calls before someone answered the phone.The person I spoke to on the phone answered my first question about number of Samosa. Then he abruptly told me to look online at the menu and hung up on me. I can make my own roti, and I can buy whatever else I need from the Indian groceries on Central Avenue. Taj in Glenmont offers much more pleasant customer service when I need to order premade food. As far as I'm concerned, I have no reason to ever order from Shalimar again.

Hey, often been shopping in this area but 1st time for this Indian buffet/starving when we walked…read morein or there would be pictures. Big room, not fancy inside but plenty of booths. The food is the BOMB here - no reason to think of anything else. A lot of choices, too many to try all, but everything we tried was of good quality and I'd say bold flavors in well seasoned dishes. Tried all my typical favorites: palak paneer(spinach), yellow cabbage, goat curry , tandoori chicken, rice pudding w/almond, pistachio, cardamom. Every dish was either equal to (or mostly better than) their counterparts I've had in other restaurants. Note: as is typical in goat curry whether Indian or Caribbean,(and often w/Chinese food); meat is crosscut ie., small bones may exist. Expected in this dish/easy to find bones; goat was tender, melt in the mouth delicious. Both Nan+ pappadum on buffet, all the dipping sauces were there + well made. A lot of fresh flavorful food going on in this establishment. It was a pleasure to find this place. Last but not least, free drink included. Rare @ Indian buffet. Not a soda person, so I just loved that they had hot and iced Indian spiced tea. We will return here often, and told the chef how it was the best tasting Indian buffet we've been to in the Albany area & happy to review a restaurant like this. Highly recommended. Really good! Waiter was available as needed but not obtrusive. Friendly staff. Huge parking lot outside.

I've only eaten here once, but the mattar paneer is good and the mulligatawny soup and the Kashmiri…read more(a.k.a. Peshwari) naan are excellent. Unfortunately the place falls very short on decor. It looks like it used to be a Five Guys and the Shalimar team couldn't afford a proper remodel. I don't ordinarily think a decor miss is all that big of a deal, but this is kind of horrible to the point that I think it may really hinder the business from catching on.

Pros: Wide variety and various dish disciplines…read moreLarge selection of naans Kababs Cons: Canned beverages No music If you're looking for a hole in the wall place for Indian food where you will get the spice and all that's nice, this is the place. The man who served us was attentive and wanted to give us a great experience as we were the only table seated in the restaurant on a Saturday evening. Wish we got some photos on this visit, but we will be back to enjoy the food again. They have an extensive menu where you can have various spice levels and a lot of different curry types. Drinks are in cans and bottles, so if you're a fountain drink feen, this may be a bit challenging for you. As for ambiance, there was only one thing that I would wish for and that is music. There was none playing in the restaurant, Their desserts included homemade baklava that had the perfect mix of honey, nuts and spice. One person in our party got a wrap and they are huge. They are made with naan bread and had a traditional style of fillings. It was warm, but she did have a bit of difficulty eating it as it was packed full of meat! (I would love this anyway) Our bill for 4 people was $100 and we had leftovers for two days. Next visit, I'm going to try their Biryani and will post photos next time!

Was visiting Albany and stayed in downtown . I was craving for any kind of food but nothing was…read moreopen in downtown . It was only 8.30 pm and almost everything was closed !!!! Saw some restaurant bars , but they were selling beers but no food ! Thanks to Google , I found this place - curry leaf restaurant. I quickly called them up and was happy that they had food to pick up :) parking was a bit sketchy but since it was slate night I got something outside the restaurant! Lots of space inside the restaurant to sit and eat , but I had to go . Price was not too high. Average price . Ordered food and it was ready in 15-20 mins .. naan was fresh and tasted great . Curry was super duper good ! Wow . Nice and spicy and had so much flavor ! In a place that didn't have any food, I think this restaurant is a blessing ! Thought oh that of giving a 4 star , but for the TIMELY food which tasted great - gave it a 5 star .. it's surely a hidden gem in Albany .

Just went for lunch, tried their lamb sandwich. Came w/white…read moresauce- tasted great. Nicely seasoned. Didn't try other items But enjoyed the food enough to want to go back & try more. Very reasonable prices.

Solid restaurant. It's situated within a tiny store plaza building. Friendly staff, and clean…read moreinterior. I ordered dolma, which is rice wrapped in banana leaves and covered in a sour sauce of sorts. Very well priced, and tasted great. I also ordered chicken kebab, which the taste of the meat blew me out of the water. It was crisp, well heated, and deep in flavor. I noticed a lot of take-outs and delivery. I sat in, and I had to buy bottled water since they supposedly don't give tap. My dishes were served in paper plates and plastic utensils. I recommend doing delivery here.