Was in the mood for Indian food. Since I've seen quite a few reviews on social media, my husband and I decided to try this place out. We started with an order on samosas which were really good and they had a nice kick. We did chicken biryani and the nalan special curry and naan bread. Everything was really good and packed with flavor. Will definitely return! Tara was our waitress a d was really nice! read more

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It's been awhile since we had Indian, so I made reservations for a Saturday night... Immediately, I liked how the place had a nice, comfy vibe with good A/C and great, relaxing overhead music. The hostess was also on top of things, in that she read the reservation notes, and led us to a choice seat by the wall. The waiter assigned to us was very attentive and courteous. So all around, I felt the ambiance and service was very good. Now the food! We decided to share everything and ordered various items: Garlic Naan, Pakora Brussels Sprouts, Chicken Biryani and Nalan Chicken Curry, which came with white rice. Of everything ordered, my favorite was the Biryani. First of all, the portion was HUGE...enough to feed 4. I liked the long grain rice, and the flavor was good. I was a bit puzzled by the presentation though. All the chicken was buried underneath. Also, way too much onion garnishing on top...which I didn't find appetizing or aesthetically pleasing either. Think I would have liked this better if some veggies were included (not just the onions...possibly my least favorite veggie?). This has been my running criticism with Indian foods... I appreciate the flavors, but I don't like how the tasty veggies are rarely included (or barely visible!) in the entrees. We both enjoyed the Garlic Naan (just wished there were a bit more?), and Brussels Sprouts had a good flavor, but the batter was so hard and thick, it was hard to eat (could barely use the fork for this). So frankly, I didn't love the texture of this fried veggie appetizer. As for the Chicken Curry, I just didn't love the flavor. It was very different though. In the past, I always opted for Chicken Tikala...and I definitely prefer the more buttery flavor of that over this special curry. Guess I liked some of the foods...but not all. Despite being underwhelmed with some of the foods, we still enjoyed the overall dining experience here...and would likely return. I think I'll be trying other items on the menu though. read more

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Loved this restaurant! First off, location is great - I feel like Indian food was missing on the map in this area and Nalan is a great addition. We tried a couple of their appetizers (chicken was recommended by the staff), and we loved it. Flavorful and well cooked. They custom made fried rice for my kids (if you've been following my reviews you'd know my kids love their rice at the restaurants), and fried rice was so tasty - my husband and I couldn't help ourselves from eating their rice. Chicken curry was delicious too - well balanced spices. My husband asked for high spice level on Dal and they delivered, it was yummy! My toddler loved the garlic naan and downed a good portion of it - yay! Their tamarind whisky sour was yum yum! My only complain is the service of appetizers. We requested papad for a quick bite and they didn't deliver until the brought rest of the appetizers. On our second order of papad again, they came so late we had to turn it down. But manager at duty took note of it and acknowledged the delay (that's a sign of a great service, hence a 5 star). Overall a good find for us - we will be back. read more

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The BEST INDIAN FOOD I've ever eaten in Charlotte! I had a taste for Indian and saw that Nalan had great reviews, so I took myself on a dinner date. I tried the Chicken Tikka Masala which came with white rice & added an order of garlic naan. Now, I don't know whose grandmother they have back in that kitchen but the food tasted like a big warm hug. Love. The chicken was so tender and flavorful, the portions were plentiful and the sauce was silky and perfectly balanced. The garlic naan was exactly how you'd imagine it to be; flavorful, crispy around the edges and warm and soft in the center. The service was also amazing. The hostess/waitress was very polite and attentive. I didn't even have to ask for a box or the check, she was right there before I could fully form the thought. When I thought it couldn't possibly get any better, as I was headed out the door the hostess/waitress offered me some "refreshments" which happened to be a delightful assortment of bite sized mints and candies that was the perfect post meal treat, and instantly got rid of that lingering garlic smell from the naan. They've thought of everything! I highly recommend this place. I'm already planning my next trip back! read more

Nalan Indian Cuisine - Chicken Tikka Masala 10/10 - Indian Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

if only I could rate something even higher than 5. This place has my heart. Every time I go to an indian restaurant I order the paneer tikka masala hoping for the authentic perfect creamy taste, and FINALLY, the dream paneer curry is here. Loved it so much that I ordered a to go paneer just to have it again. Everything else we had was also great, the Nalan old fashioned; samosa, vegetable biryani, pepper paneer; Kerala porotta and egg curry; everything was top notch. And exceptional customer service also. This place has my heart. read more

The BEST INDIAN FOOD I've ever eaten in Charlotte! I had a taste for Indian and saw that Nalan had great reviews, so I took myself on a dinner date. I tried the Chicken Tikka Masala which came with white rice & added an order of garlic naan. Now, I don't know whose grandmother they have back in that kitchen but the food tasted like a big warm hug. Love. The chicken was so tender and flavorful, the portions were plentiful and the sauce was silky and perfectly balanced. The garlic naan was exactly how you'd imagine it to be; flavorful, crispy around the edges and warm and soft in the center. The service was also amazing. The hostess/waitress was very polite and attentive. I didn't even have to ask for a box or the check, she was right there before I could fully form the thought. When I thought it couldn't possibly get any better, as I was headed out the door the hostess/waitress offered me some "refreshments" which happened to be a delightful assortment of bite sized mints and candies that was the perfect post meal treat, and instantly got rid of that lingering garlic smell from the naan. They've thought of everything! I highly recommend this place. I'm already planning my next trip back! read more

Nalan Indian Cuisine - Chicken Tikka Masala 10/10! - Indian Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Incredible Indian food! Would absolutely recommend and return! Every part was excellent- the butter chicken, rice, naan, and samosa!! Very good!! read more

My husband and I visited Nalan Indian Cuisine when shopping one Saturday evening in the Woodlawn area. We started with Chilli Paneer. This appetizer was a hefty portion, filled with large chunks of paneer that seemed to be coated in a flour (chickpea?) and lightly fried, and then sauced. It was delicious! For our entrees, we shared the Paneer Masala with Butter sauce and Shrimp Tikka Masala. We also had one order of Tandoori Roti and Raita. All entrees are served with a generous portion of rice. We tried different spice levels for each of the dishes, and decided that a 6 or 7 was best for us. The portions were sufficient for one meal, but not enough to bring anything home, as is typical with most Indian restaurants. We enjoyed everything, but will likely get naan the next time, as the roti was a bit too thin and cracker-like for our taste. The butter paneer was also both of our favorites, as we slightly preferred the butter sauce over the tikka masala sauce (even though they looked similar), and the paneer was again cut into large chunks and was so soft and delicious. All of our meals were served very quickly, and our server--and the other staff--were friendly. We can't wait to return! read more

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This restaurant is in a somewhat hidden lower level of a complex shopping center. People didn't have any trouble finding it, and for a regional Indian restaurant is was reasonably busy for a weekend lunch, but not so much that I couldn't get a seat. I suspect the ownership is from Kerala, both by the fact that they label their bread a Kerala parotta (and this ludicrously flaky creation tracks with other restaurants where I've ordered it), but also because there is some distinctive herbal spice note I've found in Kerala cuisine and their channa masala made me think of it. I couldn't tell you what it is, but I like it. I asked for it spicy and it was a slow burn, but it hit eventually. They had a weekend special on sambar vada. It was good and it had some whole curry leaves in it. However, it was on the small side, and overall I got maybe a meal and a half for $40 before tip. Quality food, though. read more

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Came here with 2 friends for lunch. They are only open 11:30am until 2:30pm for lunch then reopen for dinner at 5pm. I got a mango lassi to drink and it was served in a tall glass and very good ! You can order to your desired spice level. I ordered a 7 and it was perfect for me, even though the waitress tried to warn that it was spicy. My friends got a 5, and to me it was mild. To start, we got the gobi manchurian and it was good. We got their lunch combo. They offer a protein with various sauces. We tried the shrimp with curry sauce. It was good. The combo came with dal... but it was very runny and lacked flavor. There is an additional $1 charge for a different dal and I highly recommend you spend the additional. It's thicker and much more flavorful. Then you get 1 sweet ball (forget the name) as a dessert. I did come back the following week This time I ordered the chicken korma and it was very good. This is when I tried the upgraded dal... which was great. It has a nice atmosphere and pleasant waitstaff. I'll be back. read more

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My friend said we were going to get Indian food and I think I might've made a face. Then I walked in and smelled this place and decided that I think Indian food is probably my favorite food. I was completely blown out of the water very delicious. read more

Great food! Plus for new customers they have a discount if you sign up for their rewards. read more

Nalan Indian Cuisine - Masala Dosa - Indian Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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I can't say enough good things about Nalan Indian Cuisine! From the moment you walk in, the aroma of fresh spices hits you -- and you instantly know you're in for something special. The food is absolutely phenomenal. Every dish bursts with authentic flavor and feels freshly made with care. The chicken biryani was fragrant and perfectly spiced, the salmon curry was rich and flavorful, and the dosa was crispy perfection. You can really tell the chefs take pride in what they do. The staff is warm, welcoming, and genuinely attentive -- they make you feel right at home. The ambiance is cozy yet modern, and the bar adds a nice upscale touch with great cocktail and wine options. read more

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An overall great experience! The food was all great and the friendliness of the staff would bring me back here time and time again. We tried the Garlic, Chili and Cheese and Cheese Naans (all phenomenal), Pakora Brussels Sprouts, Chicken Tikka Masala and Kochi Curry with salmon and have zero complaints. I chose level 2 spice for the chicken dish and honestly could have doubled it with no problems and ordered the salmon at a 7 which was also very tasty. We felt the prices and portion sizes were appropriate as we ended up taking a fair amount of our lunch home with us. Again, I'd return to this place in a heartbeat! read more

If you've ever wanted to eat Indian food while simultaneously getting a light cardio workout, welcome to Nalan Indian Cuisine in the Parktowne Village Shopping Center (yep, across from Park Road Shopping Center in the former IndiGrille space). The downward journey starts with a bunch of steep steps, once you conquer those stairs and reach the same level as Easy Like Sunday, your prize is some top-tier Indian food that I've had in Charlotte. Nalan took what used to be a fast-casual Indian spot and flipped it into a full-service restaurant. They've got a couple of other locations in Pennsylvania, but this Charlotte one is brand new to the Queen City. The space is classy without being pretentious, with a marble-front check-in counter glowing under a neon sign that reads "The Secret Ingredient is Love," and walls splashed with a vibrant mural of Charlotte's skyline and a huge yellow word cloud declaring things like "zestful" and "magical." I was hosted by the owner, Balaji, who clearly knows what he's doing. Here's how you know the food is legit: the whole time I was there, the place had a steady flow of Indian families and groups eating and chatting. Honestly, my dining partner and I were probably the only non-Indian folks in the room, which in the world of restaurants is basically the foodie bat signal that you're about to eat something special. They're using real tandoori ovens and traditional Indian equipment, and the menu hits every direction of the subcontinent: North, South, East, and West. Some items rotate based on what's seasonal & popular, but don't worry, your classic Indian staples aren't going anywhere. They've got a full bar and mango lassi drinks, vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes, tandoori specialties, biryanis, and a rotating weekend specials menu. The staff couldn't have been more accommodating, and since I'm sensitive to heat, I stuck with mild spice level across the board and the spice level was perfect. Next time, I might even risk my delicate taste buds and go medium. We started with the Brussel Sprout Pakora. Imagine brussel sprout leaves coated in a spiced chickpea batter, fried golden, and piled high like crispy little flavor clusters. It came with a cool dipping sauce that wasn't my favorite but balanced the pakora. If you ask for tamarind chutney instead, this dish might just level up. For entrées, we split the Chicken Korma (mild spice, comes with rice). The curry arrived creamy and rich with tender chunks of chicken, not just a couple of questionable dried chicken pieces drowning in a pool of sauce (photo above). Portion size was just right, great for one person or perfect for two to share with an additional entree. From the tandoor section, we were recommended to order the Zafrani Mali Kabab. The menu says "tender chicken with saffron, cream, and mild spices," and they nailed it. The chicken tenders (yes, actual tenders) were juicy, flavorful, and served with a cooling green sauce. If you set these next to fried chicken tenders, I'd pick this dish, and I am a fried chicken tender connoisseur. We also had naan, because obviously. The Garlic Naan was buttery, soft, and loaded with garlic and herbs. The Cheese Naan? Cheesy in every bite, melty and glorious. No naan went to waste, and both worked overtime as edible spoons to scoop up the Korma sauce. For dessert, I caved when I saw a nearby table digging into cake. The Death by Chocolate arrived as a rich, layered monster of fudge, frosting, ganache, and chocolate shavings with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. Not made in-house, but sourced from a French bakery, which means no sad frozen Sysco cake here. The only thing I regret not ordering? The Dosa. These giant crispy crepes with chutneys were flying out of the kitchen to every table around me. I'll fix that on my next visit. By the end of the meal, I was stuffed, happy, and already planning my return trip. You can tell they put love into every dish, and it shows. Nalan is a great addition to the Charlotte food scene, and it's about to be one of my go-to's. _____ Want more legit Charlotte food spots without the fluff? I made a guide. It's called http://evansfoodguide.com Follow me on IG instagram.com/charlottefoodieguy Go eat something good!Subscribe to my Substack Newsletter to be notified of my newest restaurant reviews and what's happening in the Charlotte food community! https://substack.com/@charlottefoodieguy read more

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We come to Charlotte 5 or 6 times a year. We've been to Nalan Indian Cuisine twice and both times have been excellent: once about 2 months after their opening last year and just now. Outstanding authentic Indian cuisine, nice attentive staff and reasonably priced. Will definitely go back again. read more

The food is good but for the price, No. Over $30 for the lunch special and the small quantity. I feel ripped off. There were 4 nuggets of chicken in that container. Absolutely not read more

Nalan Indian Cuisine - Butter Chicken Masala - Indian Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

I am so excited to have a restaurant nearby that sells dosa! We ordered chicken biriyani, salmon curry, eggplant curry, and dosa to go. Everything was delicious! My only complaint is it took longer than estimated for it to be ready. read more

Went for lunch and really liked the lunch combo. I got lam korma w/ dal tadka, naan & rice. Definitely will be going back. read more

Nalan Indian Cuisine - Indian Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

This was not crowded which was nice. Portions are very large. Food and service were great. The Chicken Tikka and Gobi were our favorites. The goat biriyani was a bit dry. I think next time I'd try the chicken Biriyani instead since the chicken in the tikka was just so good. We will definitely come back. read more

Food was good Pick up was easy once I figured out their location Really enjoyed the Naan

Excellent authentic food (especially the bread), great service and speed. You will not regret trying it!

Of the half dozen Indian restaurants we've tried in the metro area this is our favorite. Consistently excellent food and service. We really enjoy the Malai Kofta. read more

Beautiful restaurant, cozy tables. Friendly service. The food....just yum! We tried the special biracial, the dal, samosas, papad, garlic naan and chicken korma (my personal favorite of the night!) Love that you can make reservations. Definitely coming back! read more

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This place has seriously great tasting food. My g-friend who is from India & resides in the area has been wanting to try this place & I've been wanting to try Indian cuisine for so long so we tried this place out & it did not disappoint! We ordered the Kerala coconut lamb, chili paneer & dosa & for entrees we ordered the chicken biryani & balance special chicken curry. The portions are big & we couldn't finish half of it! Happily ended up taking it home & ate it the next day & it was still amazing! I will definitely eat here when I visit & I'm so jealous that my g-friend will be able to frequent whenever she wants. The place is clean & the prices aren't bad. The staff is very pleasant & professional. read more

Great food and great experience. Very excited they have come to this area, we will be going back again and again!

I eat Indian food quite a bit. This place is clean, and nice ambiance with thankfully quiet background music. The service is excellent. I thought the Food was mediocre though. I had a chicken curry for which the curry sauce had basil leaf perhaps Thai influence and anise flavor not traditional Indian style to which I am accustomed. The roti was too tough in texture. Mango lassi was decent. I'd give it overall a 6-7 out of 10. Not a place I'd be looking forward to revisit. They have received better reviews from other customers so maybe you can try it and see. read more

Excellent food, service and ambience. I was surprised to see the quality of food and finally a good Indian restaurant in the area.

We did a pick up order and were very impressed. The order was ready quickly and was completed correctly. We got the shrimp kadai, goat fry biriyani, chicken tikka masala, and an order of the garlic naan. The curry sauces were delicious. What we were most impressed with was the portions - they did not skimp at all on all the proteins. Many Indian restaurants give you lots of good sauce but just a few small pieces of meat. There was ample goat, chicken, and even shrimp. I hope they will keep up this level of service and food quality. This seems like a more traditional Indian restaurant than the one that was in this location before (which was good but perhaps was trying to be a little more "modern/trendy"). This physical location has struggled to keep anything long term - a mystery bc Bonchon next door has been around for many years now. We hope Nalan makes it and is successful. We will be back! read more

We decided to check this place out somewhat late on a Saturday evening, after a friend of mine tipped me off that it is a great new Indian restaurant. This location in Park Towne Village has changed hands many times over the last 20 years or so. For anybody familiar with this area around Park Road, this was the original Duckworths location. Hard to believe that! The interior layout is the same, but recent renovations make this a very casual but still elegant dining room. The bar is out front, with a few tables. The rather small dining room runs down the left side toward the back of the space. They've done an excellent job with remodeling. As soon as we entered, the staff was very friendly and welcoming. It appears Nalan originated in Pennsylvania, as the two other locations are in Downingtown and Lemoyne. I'm not exactly certain, but I have a feeling that Nalan is regionally south Indian. South India dishes tend to have a certain spice combination, and you'll usually see goat on the menu... which they did have here. There will also be some creative and unusual seafood entrees... which they also had here. The top of Nalan's menu will include a couple of specials, and a family at the table next to us got the wedding biryani. It looked amazing. The other thing they have on the menu that got us excited was several Dosa options. The entree section of the menu is very interesting, as they list a protein choice with multiple sauce types to pick from. For example you can pick chicken and then choose curry, saag, tikka, butter, etc. The one I was looking for is the kadai, which I have really grown to love as one of my favorite Indian dishes. It was on the online menu, but I didn't see it on the printed restaurant menu. They did, of course, happily make it for me. My wife ordered the butter chicken. We also got an order of the garlic naan. The Kadai Chicken was spectacular. Probably one of the very best I've ever had in any Indian restaurant. Kadai is very similar to Rogan Josh, if you've had that before. It is a thick and very fresh tomato based sauce with a lot of spices (both flavorful and hot). It has big chunks of onion and green or red peppers, and nice chunks of chicken. It'll usually be a very dark red. I got mine "medium" spicy, and it was absolutely perfect. My wife loved her Butter Chicken, too. I even have to say the garlic naan was unique... it had been oven toasted to create a little crispiness in it. Our waitress was fantastic, and so were our servers. Toward the end of the meal, the Manager (or owner) stopped by to chat with us. What a great experience! We will be back again, very soon. read more

Great food, incredible service and perfect ambiance. The curry and garlic naan were on point. read more

The Best ambiance, the staff was so kind & welcoming. Very attentive & quick! The food was hearty, robust & Flavorful! 10/10!!!

Great food, cool ambiance, awesome service. If you are looking for an authentic Indian restaurant this is your go to place. read more

Nalan Indian Cuisine - Chicken kabab - Indian Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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Delicious! We order the food for delivery through Uber so it was a little expensive, more so than if we had just gone into the restaurant but it was so yummy. The samosas were crunchy on the outside like the should be and the naan had great flavor. The spicy was perfectly spicy and the flavors were bursting on your tongue. This place is a must try for anyone who wants a quick informal Indian Cuisine. Go try it for yourself. read more

The food and service deserve 5 stars. Some of the best Indian food I've ever had and I'm an afficionado of Indian cuisine. The 4 stars simply reflects the way I was greeted, or rather not greeted when I entered the open door of the restaurant a minute or two before opening time. One female server and a male server who were near the entrance both looked up at me quizzically, as though I'd stumbled upon the wrong place. Not a word to me. No hello, no welcome, nothing but blank curious stares and appeared as though they were just going to go back to whatever they were already doing. It was then up to me to greet them (should be the other way around, yes?). I said hello, and asked if they were open (if they weren't yet open for business the doors should have been locked). The woman slowly responded "yes" and walked over silently (no welcome or friendly greeting) to where the menus were kept to the left of the entrance. I'm pretty sure she heard my stage whisper to my husband that I was surprised and displeased by their reaction to my presence. After being seated, the woman's manner warmed up some. From there on, service was smooth and efficient but the initial reaction and treatment was a turn-off. People of African descent can never be absolutely sure that when we are treated in a cold and unfriendly manner that it's because of our race or whether someone is just in a bad mood or is naturally aloof. Maybe it has nothing to do with race but that's the thorny issue: you can never be totally sure. You just know that it feels hurtful. I'm not saying for certain that their reaction was due to racism but it's always a possibility. Could it be that she warmed up some because my husband, who followed close behind me , is white? As to whether we arrived too early, there was already a couple seated and enjoying their appetizers so that doesn't seem to explain their reaction to me. I'm torn about going back there. The food was exceptional and presented beautifully. Gotta think more about that. One last thing: there is one very cordial and friendly server there. A tall, thin young man who treated us warmly, as paying customers should be treated. At least he gets it. read more

Staff were very welcoming and accommodated for the kiddies that could not eat spicy food. Me and my family loved everything about this place ! All the food we ordered were delicious and their spice levels were all amazing. read more

Nalan Indian Cuisine - Butter chicken and chocolate dosa. - Indian Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

The service at Nalan is amazing! The servers are always so attentive and knowledgeable about food allergies. The Shrimp Tikka Masala is a personal favorite and is a slam dunk every time. Definitely try the cocktail menu - lots of creative takes on classic beverages with Indian flavors and twists. A great place for an anniversary or date night with an upscale yet intimate ambiance. read more

Our new favorite Indian restaurant!! The butter chicken is off the chart good as is everything else we tried!

Outstanding food and incredibly nice staff. It's great to finally have a really good Indian place in the neighborhood.

They seated us really fast and right away they asked for our drinks they were really fast on getting them asked for our appetizers we got those really fast same with the food came really fast I got the buttered chicken my other favorite food was buttered chicken was EVEN BETTER THAN THAT and for only being open for 3 months I would go there a lot more if you have a chance read more