All Slice is my go to restaurant for date nights. There's a good reason why it has a Michelin star, it is absolutely delicious! I've tried almost everything on the menu, and it's hard to say what's my favorite... Just try everything, and don't forget to leave room for dessert! read more

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Ok, we got the short straw waiter but the food was fantastic!!! Carrot soup and lamb was our favorite tonight. This place never disappoints with an excellent rotating menu. read more

I've traveled a little and "All Spice" reminds me of the "Casa Particulars" in Cuba. A family home that transforms into a decadent restaurant at night. Our server Rennan, was great. Super chill and treated us like family. The starters were good, but what really caught my attention was the Chef's pre appetizer offering of a puree potato mousse. I ordered the ribeye, the short rib, the sea bass, but what stole the show was the lamb...it was soooo good I ordered it twice. In short... I'll be back... read more

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We visited All Spice last night and it was absolutely wonderful. The food was beyond perfect and the service was impeccable. We loved the atmosphere and will most certainly be coming back again and again. read more

Came here for my birthday. It was very nice cozy place with good ambiance. Only complaint was that the group next to our table was extremely loud, but I can't really put that on the restaurant. We started with Pork Belly appetizer. It was absolutely fantastic. Pork belly was very tender and juicy and all the garnishes added different flavors. As for main dish, we ordered Aab-e-gosht (boar dish) and squid ink risotto. Boar meat was so tender, it melted in my mouth. Spices in the sauce was little strong, but overall flavor was very amazing. Squid ink risotto was very creamy and all the seafood was cooked to perfection. I must say the risotto was little on the salty side. There were little flaws to the dishes, but that's very minor and I'm being quite nitpicky. All the dishes were quite delicious and I would love to come again and try other dishes. read more

All Spice - Indian Near Me - San Mateo, California

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I seriously love every aspect of All Spice. I've been 3x now, had the same impeccable waiter and service. I've had a table in each of the three rooms and I can honestly say there isn't a bad room in the house :) Tonight we shared the following: Ode to my wife Aab-e-gosht (Wild Boar - 2nd time) Chervil and Arugula Spaetzle Snow globe sundae The Wild Boar is phenomenal, it was so tender and melt in your mouth delicious. The Spaetzle had this mushroom goat cream sauce and it was somehow light and airy. It was a very unusual combination and definitely worth ordering. read more

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Well.. My first time in a Michelin Star restaurant! So I should admit I didn't know what to expect. The food was edible, unique, but definitely not Indian. The appetizer was a stuffed Nan with a garnish of about 6 rajma beans! My entree was a sea bass which came with about 2 spoons of sambar rice. (Tasted almost South Indian) with fried shiitake mushrooms and 1 Bog Choi! My son ordered a lamb dish. Surprisingly the closest to Indian food and good quantity. Tasted real good as well! There was absolutely no chicken n the menu, but there was octopus, pork belly ... Probably remove it from Indian category... Call it some international stuff I suppose. read more

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Dining at All Spice feels like you're dining at someone's house - the restaurant is in a cute little house, and you walk in to the "dining room" with some art pieces hanging on the wall. The whole place feels cosy and welcoming. My party of 3 and I scanned the wine list and were intrigued by the homemade Zinfandel. How would a restaurant-produced wine taste like? Upon tasting a little, the answer is unfortunately... Not very well. The wine was a little too earthy and acidic for my liking. Thankfully, the food saved our experience. Our appetizers were delicious, with the Ma Mare bread fritter (rich, and basically carbs on carbs stuffed with cheese), octopus (tender and well grilled) and Mille-feuille (flaky, interesting textures of crunch and soft). I also loved my short rib entree, which was tender and well seasoned. But the true star of the meal was the desserts. We shared the pandan cake (the cake was forgettable but coconut sorbet was amazing and very coconut-y), chocolate terrarium (rich and the passion fruit curd was tangy) and dark chocolate and kulfi (the kulfi tastes like Indian spices and was so interesting). Overall, it was a good experience. It was solid food and the desserts stood out. read more

All Spice - Short rib entree - Indian Near Me - San Mateo, California

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All time favorite restaurant in the Bay!! The atmosphere, creative spin on Indian food and all time thoughtfulness put into each creative detail is such a delight for the senses! read more

This is absolutely delightful food. The combinations of spices were nicely done. Nothing out of balance. Given the constraints of Covid a small 15 patio outside. Quite safe the entire time. Great service, portion sizes, staff and food. So happy we came and we plan to come again. read more

I ate here about a month ago and LOVED it. We had: Walnut bread with herb butter Parsnip apple soup amuse bouche Venison with romanesco and mushrooms Sturgeon with "intense" kale, asparagus, pimento sauce Everything was prepared beautifully, and even as a somewhat picky eater I enjoyed it all. The venison in particular was so tender, prepared perfectly. As other reviewers have mentioned, it does seem that the servings are not that big, but I found the quantity of food to be perfect and appropriate. Also great service - we arrived about 30 minutes early for our reservation and were seated right away. The servers were knowledgeable and friendly. We ended up being the last table in the restaurant and didn't feel rushed. read more

Decided to come here for my husbands 40th birthday based on all the great reviews (even though they seemed to have lost thier michelin star). But unfortunately we were both dissapointed in the food that was served. For appetizers we started with the scallops and octopus. The scallops were cooked perfectly and came with a lobster bisque sauce with a hint of spice. This was the best dish of the night and the only dish where i could taste any indian influence - 5 stars. The octopus was overcooked and rubbery and came with eggplant which was like babaganoush so it tasted greek - 2 stars. For entrees we had the ribeye and seabass. The ribeye which we requested to be cooked medium came out well done and cold. That was extremely dissapointing. If my husband wasn't so paranoid about sending things back to the kitchen, i would have sent this back. The flavors were decent but the texture and temperature of the meat just totally ruined the dish - 2 stars. The seabass was cooked well and the vegetables on the plate were well seasoned. However the fish itself needed salt - 4 stars. The service was also odd. Our waiter seriously had a staring problem and couldn't explain our dishes. He would just stand next to our table and stare at us. Super uncomfortable. The bussers on the other hand was friendly. Oh another odd thing was how they would charge an extra $2/person if you wanted an additional slice of bread. You're spending over 100/person and they want to charge for bread? It just seems so petty. Overall i was extremely dissapointed in my experience as this was an important night for my husband. read more

It looked very interesting to me when I booked the dinner with my friend, set menu 3.4.5 courses. Thought I'd try it out. Big mistake. The food was not worth $80 for 3 courses. I had the mushroom soup and it was bitter tasting. Then the duck confit which was very hard, not falling off the bone like it should be. The taste was okay and I had the cheesecake which was okay but didn't have the creamy texture of a good cheesecake. I'd rather go to the Cheesecake Factory for cheesecake. My friend did better with 2 starters and the entree and she said the salad was good and the Thai chicken wings were tasty. They definitely looked more appetizing than my dishes. She then had the fish for her main entree and said it was on par with good American restaurant fish. So for my friend's dinner, I'd pay the $80 bucks although it wasn't extraordinary. But for my total failure of a dinner, I decided to give All Spice a 3 star. I'd probably not go there again. But I at least gave it a try. read more

Outstanding dinning experience. Not easy to find, tucked in the back, but worth the search. We got the five course option for dinner and each serving was delicious, unusual and exciting to eat. The staff are very attentive. This is an expensive dinner, so be prepared to sit back, take your time and enjoy the experience! read more

I've waited far too long to write this review since we were there probably a month ago. However, I very much want to alert folks to what a jewel this place is! First off, my wife is gluten free, neither of us eat red meat and I have acid reflux which limits me to foods that aren't too spicy. No worries, we had a fantastic meal with all of our dietary needs met. My best memory of the meal is an absolutely amazing mushroom soup, truly a food for the gods! We had a great sauvignon blanc with our meal and enjoyed the outdoor seating in a large covered space. Service was friendly and efficient. We would go there more often if we lived closer, it's a bit of a drive from where we live. read more

Amazing and fast customer service! They brought our food to our car right when we arrived, and assured us that the dishes we ordered had no nuts (nut allergy). The food was also delicious! I've never seen such nice plating in a to-go box too. read more

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This was a somewhat disappointing 5 star experience. What a terrible way to start off my review, I know, but I'll explain. On a rainy Friday night, I made a last minute reservation to All Spice. I was so hungry and when we arrived to the restaurant, which is actually a house tucked away off the street, it so happened that our table was not ready for 30 minutes past the reservation time (due to guests not leaving and this being a fairly small space). The hostess offered my husband and I some very delicious bread and I ate both slices because I was "hangry" and hangry means food is mine. When we finally sat and were offered delicious toasted flatbread with olives on top, I ate more bread. I filled myself up by the time I finished my appetizer. I can't remember what I had as an appetizer, but I remember liking it. So, as you can see, I was greatly disappointed by the time my absolutely amazing lamb entree came because I was carb stuffed and had very little room left for the lamb which I really wanted to eat. The good thing about all this, is that I was able to take the lamb home and it was a delicious left over. This isn't your typical curry/chicken tikka masala Indian joint, it's so much more than that. Do not make the mistake of saying, "Indian?!" with a flabbergasted face like my husband did. All Spice is beyond delicious, all the spices/flavors mixtures etc etc are phenomenally put together to create excellent dishes that are so far apart from regular Indian. My husband, who is a meat and potatoes kind of guy somehow managed to love this place as much as I did. All Spice, we will be back. No late seating next time please and I'll take half of that delicious bread to make room for the appetizers/entrees. read more

Flavors are amazing. Pretty amazing price for Michelin star service, food and dining.

Indian flavor all over the menu ( if you like strong spices and aromatic that remind India Resturant maybe because chef sachin is cooking) In general not bad If I want to eat this type of food I'll go to Indian Cusin and pay 100 time less Good food not worth the bill read more

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This was a favorite of ours pre-COVID, with consistently creative & delicious food, solid wine pairings and perfect service. We just went back to try our first outdoor dining experience, and they did everything right! They've set up an outdoor patio with open air above, plenty of space between tables (6-8ft) but somehow feels intimate at the same time. Very careful safety considerations made us feel comfortable, and the food, wine and service was amazing. Thank you, All Spice! We'll try their upscale takeout next, and definitely be back for another date night. read more

Just fabulous dinner The environment is quite cozy and clean. The service is nice. The waiter had a hard time to connect to customer but just minor. Most important is the food... just perfect every single course. Well I want to come back read more

We have gone here twice and we love it. The food is delicious and innovative! If you are a foodie don't miss this restaurant. I can't believe they don't have a Michelin Star. read more

A restaurant in a Victorian house, I'M SO THERE!! Wait, there's more? Indian fusion?? DOUBLE, I'M SO THERE!! Gosh trying to find this place was a little frustrating, the GPS went crazy and looking for the address by eye did no good. Thank God, Cherylynn N. got there first because me and my GPS would have been going in circles for another 10 minutes. This place is so freakin' cute. The waiting area, a patio. The dining rooms, again so cute. Each room was decorated differently and I believe there were 4 dining rooms. For our FIRST APPETIZER: OYSTER MUSHROOM SALAD- don't let the word salad led you to believe that it was an actual salad (it was one piece of mushroom). Aside from that, it was good. SECOND APPETIZER: ODE TO MY WIFE - Roasted red and golden beets served with lollo rosso lettuce and fresh dill goat cheese ice cream. I am NOT a fan of beets, it's too earthy tasting and tastes like eating dirt (I was a child once so yes, I have eaten dirt before). The goat cheese ice cream on the other hand was probably one of the best tasting things I've had. I will admit that I was a little skeptical, beets and goat cheese ice cream..WTH! I tried the beets with the ice cream and the ice cream made beets taste good but Cherylynn N. and I ended up leaving the beets and eating the ice cream. =) ENTREE NUMBER ONE: TAMARIND EGGPLANT DOSA - Crisp rice and lentil crepe with smoky eggplant, peanuts and goat cheese, roasted garlic tomato chutney. OMG this thing was HUGE (that's what she said)!! Crispy crepe, smoked eggplants and goat cheese? I don't see how it could get any better than that. =) The crepe was super crispy, the eggplants nice and smokey and flavorful. The goat cheese, well I just LOVE goat cheese and All Spice has proven to me that it goes well with just about everything (the goat cheese ice cream). ENTREE NUMBER TWO: BACON-WRAPPED RACK OF LAMB- Sundried tomato red chili sauce and mushroom marmalade. *DROOLS* Anything wrapped in bacon has to be good, the lamb was very tender and a little gamey but gaminess is expected. The bacon was crispy and went very well with the lamb. I found myself avoiding the marmalade sauce because I felt like it didn't do the lamb any good, in fact I felt like it took away from the lamb if anything. VANILLA SCENTED ROTI- Um, either I have a bad sense of smell or there was NO vanilla scent. I stuck this thing in right in front of my nose more than a couple of times and did not smell a trace of vanilla. THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM FOR DESSERT!! Selection of house-made ice creams which change daily. Flavors we had: 1) WHITE CHOCOLATE- which I believe was just vanilla and a little bit of chocolate ice cream. 2) ALMOND CARDAMOM- nice almond flavor and bits of almonds sitting at the bottom, too bad they were soggy by the time we got down to them. 3) PRESERVED ROSE- The BEST out of the three! It tasted like how you would expect a rose to taste, just like how it smells like. The aroma and the taste = heaven! =) The SERVICE: Our watier was polite and attentive but a little too serious. =X Before we left we heard two of the employees talk/ complaining about a customer she was helping which was a complete turn off, at least make sure all the customers have left before doing that! 4 STARS! read more

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I came here for a last minute dinner after work, and it was very pleasant. I loved the intimate atmosphere inside the little Victorian house. The food was absolutely amazing, though a little pricey. It wasn't busy when we were there, so parking wasn't an issue, but the lot isn't big so plan ahead. read more

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Great food and atmosphere. I didn't see much of Indian influence as I was expecting to experience and taste. But great overall :) read more

My wife and I moved from SF to the peninsula about a year ago to be closer to my work, and after discovering it on Yelp, we were hoping All Spice could pass as a suitable substitute for the unique dining adventures we have had in SF. More than a substitute, All Spice is in a class by itself. Inventive. Flavorful. A feast for every sense. None of these clichés come close to describing Chef Chopra's food. Being Indian- having grown up on home cooked food made lovingly by my mom- I've always held Indian food to a higher standard. Chef Chopra makes food that my mom would make if she was a five-star chef. It's warm and comforting, full of flavor (and yes- spice), and surprising at every turn. The menu changes with the season, and at first I thought going once a season was enough. But with nightly specials and creative and flavorful amuses that are different every time we dine, I find myself wanting to go back whenever there is an occasion to celebrate over a special meal. I think what sets All Spice apart from other dining experiences for me is the genuine sense of love and family that fills the restaurant. The menu is colored with personal stories about Chef Chopra and his wife/hostess Shoshanna. It's almost as fun learning about the inspiration for a dish as it is eating it. All in the comfort of a classic Victorian home (with emphasis on 'home'). My wife and I feel so fortunate to have found All Spice. As it happens, we are moving back to SF next month, but I know All Spice will be our go to special dining destination for many years to come. I can't wait to go back. read more

When I first heard about this place and saw the price range, I was taken aback. I mean, how much does chicken tikka masala cost? After getting a little more educated, I wanted to give the place a try. It's tucked away in the back along El Camino (but fortunately for me, is within walking distance of my home) but was very quaint and cozy inside. My wife and I were in the "butterfly and sea urchin" room. (I'm pretty sure that's not what they call it but look at what's on the walls.) Our waiter was super friendly and helpful. The food was all unique and exquisite. We got an amuse-bouche of carrot soup which was delicious. Our appetizers were the Ode to My Wife part III (probably the best dish of the night for me) and the chicken confit kebab, which was also good but maybe a tad salty from the anchovies. The sea bass that we got for our entree was amazing, tender on the inside and crisp on the outside. I also enjoyed the sauce that the short rib came in. We got the Banana pecan cake which came with an interesting lychee panna cotta. I can't wait to go back to try more dishes! read more

Okay, so we finally scheduled my much belated birthday dinner. Those of you who have December birthdays probably understand some of my birthday brattiness. There's just never a good time for your birthday celebration - with shopping and prepping for holidays, parties, holidays themselves, restaurants being booked up with company parties. I've pretty much resigned myself to alway celebrating in January. Oh poor me, and all that. All right, I got it out of my system. We had three places we were picking from, but by the time we finallly settled on a date, only one, All Spice, was left. Oh I forgot, I was supposed to stop complaining now. All Spice is a little tricky to get into, because it's set back from the street between two larger buildings, but I'd been by here on walks previously, so I knew to keep a keen eye. It's an old victorian house that was converted some time ago into a restaurant, I think originally The Dining Room, and it suits the quirky sort of personal cuisine offered here. I think they could benefit from making some minor changes in door and wall configurations to make it feel less tight, but the original architecture is kind of fun. They have a good selection of wines by the glass which was great for us, since we wanted more than one variety, but not more than one bottle. I started with a glass of the cava and T. had a sauvignon blanc (sorry don't remember what kind) to go with our first course. Mine was the lavendar and cumin scallops. The little mollusks were perfectly cooked, but a bit too much salt seemed to overpower both of the advertised spices. I will confess, though, that I sopped up all the extra bits and sauce, so it couldn't have been too bad. T. originally planned to get the Indian bread fritter, which sounded great, but we saw the table next to us getting naan, and he thought it might be bread and more bread, so opted for the warm winter vegetable salad instead. It wasn't until the server had taken our order that she mentioned that we might want to order the vanilla scented naan as well. it was an additional ordered item, which is often the case in traditional Indian restaurants, but since it wasn't listed on the menu, we had no way of knowing. The salad turned out to be good, if a bit boring and it included roasted root veggies (turnips, carrot, potatoes) on lentils, pretty starchy. The vegetables looked perfectly fresh; if there had been a little less of an overall brown color, it might have felt lighter. There are several good entree options, two different lamb preps, and I love lamb. I opted for the roasted lamb loin. It was perfectly roasted, a little more pink than red, just as I'd requested. When it arrived, I thought the portion seemed a bit small, but as I tucked my way through it, it turned out to be the perfect amount. I was a little disappointed with the wild mushroom polenta. The texture was off and for a fungiphile like me, it was barely reminiscent of anything mushroomy. The chutney, however made up for it with great mushroom presence and dried cherries which were a surprise I bristled at at first, but ended up liking. T. got the goat cheese short rib everyone seems to rave about, and really enjoyed it. I'm not a big goat cheese fan. It's... well... too goaty for me, but I tasted his, and it was subtle enough with the rest of the slow-cooked savoriness to bring just the right tang, if a tad rich. I'm not usually dessert person, but thought I really must have some to fit in with my birthday brattiness, and surprise- it was great! I got the dark chocolate kulfi which included nut brittle which our server pointed out was topped with some silver foil "for the energy". Well I can alway use more energy. The kulfi is kind of like a slightly denser version of gelatto, which we were told works well in the heat of India because it melts more slowly. Wonderful texture, great chocolate intensity, and the brittle was cinnamon, ummmmmm. Oh and I forgot to mention I got a glass of pinot noir with my entree which lasted through dessert. They do a very generous pour. 2 appetizers, naan, 2 entrees, 1 dessert and 3 glasses of wine and the bill came in at around $140. Seemed very reasonable to us. I liked it and would like to go back and try some of the other options. Food: 36/40 Service: 18/20 atmosphere/intangibles: 17/20 value: 18/20 89=B+=4 stars (very nearly 5) read more

I've been talking about this restaurant all year since it was Michelin rated, had fantastic reviews, and was right in our neighborhood.. My husband surprised me with a reservation here for our overdue date night! Yay- he does listen! It's a bit confusing to find since the restaurant is not right on El Camino, it's tucked away in the back and the sign is subtly placed on it's yellow house frame! Very cute! The place is small but can probably hold a group of 8-10 if you have a reservation in advance. We started with the Indian Bread Fritter and the Crispy Fried Chicken. The fried chicken was good, but not something that I would get again - the accompanying lamb tongue didn't really agree with my taste buds. However, I did love the Indian Bread Fritter! It was filled with amazing flavors and even the accompanying beans were spiced perfectly. For entrees, we ordered the aab-a-ghost (wild boar curry) and the coconut lemongrass seabass. We never had wild boar curry, but the flavor was good and the meat was tender. The seabass came on a bed of onions, clams ,and vegetables. After I told the waiter that I loved the broth that came with the seabass, he brought me more broth. It was delicious. I tried not to drink it straight since I was in a fancy place. :) For dessert, we ordered the snowglobe ice cream sundae. It was blondie a la mode, in a fancy glass with a wafer on top (my elementary interpretation). When they bring it to your table, they pour sauce over the wafer and dissolves it into the ice cream. Should not have eaten all of it, but I did. Overall, my favorite item of the night was the Indian Bread Fritter - hands down! Make sure you order it! read more

Delicious food. Added a French touch to Indian cuisine. Liked soup Appetizer of panipuri was good. Nihari mutton could have been better if halal meat is used instead of frozen meat. read more

I went to dinner at All Spice tonight (October 11th, 2011). The first thing that struck me was the tiny two-room dining area. This appears to have previously been a home, perhaps, and the dining area was formerly a living room and dining room. Fighting the urge to stuff as many tables as they could, the proprietors actually made it so that the space felt intimate and cozy, but not at all cramped -- it was easy to forget there were other tables and diners around us. The wait staff was super-friendly, yet unobtrusive. It was the sort of environment where it was clear they were happy to carry a conversation with you, but nobody was going to start talking about that time they went on vacation with their husband, blah, blah, blah while you waited to order your food. As for the food ... breathtaking. A new interpretation of Indian food. Portions were reasonably-sized (so not cheap-Indian-huge, but not froofy-tiny). I had the Indian Bread Fritter "Ma Mere," which was slightly crunchy with perfectly cooked chickpeas, and then the Lamb Sona Chandi. The lamb .. look, I've had OK lamb, and I've had good lamb, but fantastic lamb? That's rare. They said it had a little bit of spice and I asked for it extra spicy. Here's a hint: This is the rare place that takes your request for extra spicy seriously. It was far from inedible -- I'd say it was really wonderful, but quite delightfully spicy. It made me sweat. I loved it. My dinner mate and I were full and took a look at the dessert menu mostly out of curiosity. This was a terrible idea, as we ended up being seduced by the Dark Chocolate Kufti -- a very dense ice cream with tandoori-spiced macadamia nut brittle. The ice cream had some ground nuts in it, leading to a really great, interesting, nutty taste and unusual texture. Total bill was about $135 for two people including tax and tip and one alcoholic drink. That can be a little expensive, of course, but I've got to say I've had many meals at pretty much every price point, and this place was deeply, deeply satisfying and really really wonderful. Saying "I'd come here again" is an understatement -- I can't wait to go here again with my wife. read more

Five stars for their outstanding, innovative cuisine and for the restaurant's intimate, charming feel. The chef, sommalier, and staff are trying very, very hard and it shows. The mushroom custard amuse bouche was superior. The chef nailed it. The first time I went, he was just trying out a custard dish as an amuse and it was also excellent. I've had two fish dishes - one a special, one the cod on the current menu - and the special far surpassed the cod in terms of flavor and presentation. Don't know why, but the flavor palate in the cod dish was underwhelming; the fish was bland, the puree was sweet, and the wilted greens were a weird, bitter-salty flavor. The special dish I had earlier this year melded better. My husband's comment about his dish (a beef stew served in a beautiful pot) which he ordered with a side of rice, was that it was delicious, but tasted similar to other Indian food. My thinking is that the most successful dishes are those elevated to fusion status, not those that most closely ascribe to traditional recipes. Dessert was a lovely homemade ice cream with bits of chocolate and strawberry served over a fruit compote. I wanted to bottle the compote and take it home - delicious! The wine list is well-chosen, both by the glass and per bottle. I don't know if they're still not charging corkage fees, given that they have their liquor license now. It's something to check. I have one gripe and that is that the place is expensive. I know they use the highest quality ingredients, but some of the dishes are great value, and others are not, depending on size. For example, the Ode to My Wife salad? Delicious but not worth it. But the fritter appetizer served over chickpeas? Small, but it's so tasty I'd pay any price for it. read more

First I have to say that I am not a fan of Indian food at all. I was hoping that this place will change my mind, but unfortunately, that did not happen. We were greeted by a very friendly hostess who seated us straight away. Our server was also great, friendly, always there when we needed him. For sure, 5 stars for ambiance and service. Unfortunately, food really didn't work for me. As the name said all spice, well, simply too many spices on all dishes. It is like an explosion in your mouth with every bite, but you can't really figure it out is it spicy, salty, or sweet. Lamb dish- sauce really spicy, bread that comes with it, sweet and couscous kind of salty. Fish totally covered in a ton of spices and nothing to compliment it with... Perfect scallops, but everything else on the plate, simply didn't make a good dish. Even all deserts tasted odd. We did have a great time and great service, and the place is absolutely adorable, but unfortunately, I don't think that we will be back here anytime soon. read more

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I came here last week as an alternative to Avatar's in Sausalito. Granted, these two places are nothing alike, I still had a phenomenal meal here. First off, this place is located inside a tiny house off of El Camino, which lends itself perfectly to a laid back but still sophisticated dining experience. Our server (blanking on the name) was one of the most attentive waiters I have ever seen and he really heightened an already great dinner. On to the food! Amuse bouche- broccolini + goat cheese concoction = mediocre, could have done without it. Appetizers: Scallops with butternut squash puree (in lieu of the bacon)- Perfection! seared with just the right amount of spice (lavender and cumin) Ode to My Wife, Part II (complimentary)- a terrine of beets and ricotta cheesecake, this was also stellar and tasted lovely with the accompanying goat cheese mouse (sweetened with vanilla, I could eat bowls of this!) Main course: Popeye's Dream- a new take on saag paneer, this spinach custard was somewhat heavy and one-noted in flavor. Not as spiced or seasoned as its indian food inspiration, but pleasant nonetheless. I tried a bit of the shrimp mousse from the poached seabass dish and that was also delicious. We ended the dinner with snowglobe ice cream sundae, which was a perfect decadent end to a lovely meal. I really recommend this place to anyone curious about elevated indian-inspired cuisine; it's delicious and not just chicken tikka masala and naan. read more

My favorite dish of the night was the Seabass which was fantastic (5 Stars!). My piece was almost 2 inches thick and cooked perfectly . The walnut on top gave it a great crunch. I also had the Ma Mere which felt like comfort food to me which is odd since I grew up in the mid-west where Indian food was not common. I thought the Ahi Tuna (with pesto, pickled watermelon and bacon) was good and interesting but didn't think the flavors complemented each other like they should. The Vindaloo shortribs weren't quite a spicy as I expect from Vindaloo. It was a fine dish but it didn't wow me. We'll be back to try the other dishes. The menu is really interesting and the restaurant is cozy and friendly. Plus you can bring your own wine which is always fun. read more

Tonight, my emotions turned to spices. Specifically, All Spice in San Mateo. Perhaps the most profoundly delicious, detailed, and maniacally explosive combination of subtle and boisterous flavors one can encounter west of New York. You think I'm kidding? Chef Sachin Chopra - your "Slow roasted venison" paired with Director of Wine, Shoshana's Pinot (and later a deep Syrah) brought me to tears, laughter and joy. I whispered to my wife, "This is the most delicious dish I've...ever...had." The thought of finishing my plate deepened within me a sense of sadness and euphoria. I was (most thankfully) warmly consoled by the perfectly paired Pinot, and later, the trilogy of homemade ice cream huddled with a most pleasing coffee (french press style with a long-spout ceramic glass). As we left, the maître d' couldn't help but say, "You are both glowing." He was right. We were absentmindedly in shock. Genuinely bursting with a delight that turned, methinks, to glow. Not bad. :) read more

WOW, this place is a great addition to San Mateo. I figured I should be adventurous and try out All Spice especially since it was noted by Michael Bauer of the SF Chronicle. I easily made reservations on Open Table via Yelp. If you're not familiar w/ the area, the restaurant can be hard to see from El Camino, but its a house located in what looks like a parking lot from ELR. As expected, since I briefly looked at the website before going, Shoshana (the chef's wife), greeted us upon arrival. I actually had mentioned how "Freaking cold" it was outside, and she sat us at a table for two right next to the fire place. So if you make reservations on the phone, request the spot next to the fireplace! This restaurant is so cool, b/c its in a house that's been converted into a restaurant. Anyways, the FOOD! Amuse Bouche - parsnip soup w/ creme fraiche. It was good, creamy, but didn't blow me away. it's just soup... Appetizer - lavender and cumin scallops w/ bacon and potato sauce. Didn't taste too much lavender, I know a lot of people get kind of freaked out about flowery tasting food, but it was really good, perfectly seared, but my favorite part was actually the sauce. BACON and POTATO = yum Entrees - Bergamot Halibut Infused with spring onion, with lemongrass-scented risotto and white asparagus. the risotto was cooked perfectly, halibut might have been SLIGHTLY more cooked that I usually want, but flavor wise, it was great. Coconut Pork Belly, Thai-inspired, with basil, peanut and kaffir lime jasmine rice and lemongrass-coconut jus. So this was probably the only dish I ate at this "indian/asian fusion" restaurant that i thought was "indian influenced" but its actually Thai inspired, so got me there... the pork belly was melt in your mouth good. nice and tender, cut it w/ a fork tender! It was covered in a curry, which I didn't expect b/c the menu had no mention of curry... as a person who doesn't like curry, it was still good. So i think that has to stand for something! Dessert - yuzu creme brulee. Favor is amazing. get it. Service - i have no complaints! Attentive, food was timed very very well, bathrooms were clean, parking is easy, I was toasty warm next to the fireplace, what more could i ask for? And your bill comes in this ornate cute little box and if you pay w/ a credit card, you get to sign w/ this mosaic pen. NICE TOUCH! All spice, i'm SO glad you're in San Mateo and I hope you're here to stay! read more

We had been meaning to eat here for quite awhile, and finally made it in about a month ago. Service was fantastic, waters were kept refilled, servers were knowledgeable about the food, and gave us some good recommendations. The restaurant has a bit of a fancy feel to it, but without the fancy prices. We shared the "tamarind Eggplant Dosa" it consisted of: Crisp rice and lentil crepe with smoky eggplant, peanuts and goat cheese, roasted garlic tomato chutney. Totally loved this dish. The flavors and textures were amazing. My guy had the much raved about shortrib vindaloo. Unfortunately, he had to send it back because it was so tough it couldn't be cut through. The server was nice about it, and the new one was brought out very quickly. It was good, but after all we'd heard about the bold flavors, it was pretty bland. I had the lobster tail entree, and although it was a bit salty, i enjoyed it. The presentation was beautiful, and even though it was a small portion, it was satisfying. The prices are reasonable, especially given the creativity and quality of ingredients. I'm not returning anytime soon, but I would recommend it, and will return at some point. read more

A bit expansive but surely a great restaurant !!! Every course was great and coupled with good wine and drinks, very recommended place ! read more

Had a gift certificate here for my birthday and went with my family and Mom. The raw scallops appetizer and raw shrimp appetizer had a unique recipe to it as the entree had much flavorful seasoning and sauces. The beef cheeks entree was tender and soft. The rock cod was a big hit and our favorite entree. The gnocchi was a smaller portion and the potato tasted sweet. Overall, good experience. Key lime dessert was brought out with a candle in it for our birthdays. Something nice to finish with. read more

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