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Pakvaan Desi Spice

3.9 (43 reviews)
InexpensiveIndian
Open • 10:00 am - 10:00 pm

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PAKVAAN DESI SPICE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Quiet
Good for groups
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - Pakvaan Desi Spice

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Pav bhaji
Shwetha C.

Pav Bhaji is a must-get. We got the wada pav too. Both very good. My husband is from Pune and he said the taste was extremely close to what he used to get back home.

Inside
Raj S.

First timer . Was recommended by one of our friends . Actually I liked it . We had spicy vada pav and they really made it well..... different from other places selling vada pavs. Masala chai was good and some gujarati snacks and quick eats were good . Nice and quick service . They also had casatta and other ice creams .. Parking is crazy within this plaza .. . Overall a good place for some really good Gujarati delicacies....

Kathiyawadi thali
Jeffrey B.

Small strip-mall spot on the famed Oak Tree Road. Pakvaan is a Vegetarian Gujarati restaurant, which sets itself apart by the sheer quality of their dishes. Recently took a trip for breakfast/lunch for just the kathiyawadi thali, and it was a rare time where every single item on the thali was very high-quality, excellently prepared and delicious. Excellent rice texture, very good rotis, the vegetable options were varied and had strong, bold flavors. Even the kadhi was wonderful. Highly recommended to try their Gujarati dishes.

Thali

I'm not well-versed in Indian food and all of our first choices were closed on Monday but this place was open. I had seen it in the YouTube video and it looked interesting so we decided to give it a try. This place is vegetarian which is fine because the food is so flavorful you really don't miss the meat. We ordered a couple of thali plates because it was easier to not have to make up our minds and just get a couple of meals that had a nice variety of flavors and we were not disappointed. Everything came in one meal. Rice, bread and even dessert. It was all quite tasty. It comes with buttermilk which to be honest I am not fond of but it definitely cools the spiciness. It was inexpensive and the food was tasty and the service was good. What more could you ask for when going out to a restaurant?

Methi Methi Gota (8 pc)
Trusha P.

One of the best methi gota place in the town. It offers very delicious Gujarati street food. It offer Decent customer service. Food cost is cheap. It's very conveniently located next to indian grocery. We also have tried Gujarati fix thali.

Pakavaan

Ordered butter pav bhajji.. excellent choice . They provide awesome food at reasonable price

Bhel chaat

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9 years ago

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9 years ago

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10 years ago

Try their pavbhaji, pulao, as well as sev khamani.

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Kesar’s-An Indian Thali

Kesar’s-An Indian Thali

3.9
(47 reviews)
0.1 mi
•$$

Having been here before and trying the gigantic Maharaja Thali with my cousins, I was excited to…read morebring my wife to get a smaller thali. Pani Poori- 6 pcs - these were tasty though the chutney was more like syrup. The water used came out in a small bottle which was cool. Crispy Baby Corn- great indochinese appetizer, the baby corn is lightly battered and fried then tossed in a sauce Soya Masala Curry- this was a flop. The tomato onion based curry lacked salt and spice and the actual soya pieces were too soft and mushy in texture. Wish these were a bit more dense as experienced in other restaurants. Roomali Roti- drown in ghee and it must have sat over a gas flame because it tasted of bad chemicals. Basically like eating the ghee-soaked cotton swabs from the candles at the local temple. Kathiyawadi Thali- the wife's dish- she enjoyed two if the items but this was not a great experience either. I was disappointed in the vast difference in quality between two visits. Service, however was great as servers were attentive and quick.

Imagine visiting a BestBuy and buying a duffel bag and no electronics? I visited this Thali place…read morefor the first time only to not have any of their speciality Thali meals instead have biryani and puris. The person who services us was very kind and helpful with the selections. I went here for lunch with some of our friends and family and after having had a heavy home breakfast and hence didn't have an appetite for the Thali meals. That's the same reason I didn't click a lot of pics like I would usually do. The vegetable biryani, SPDP chaat and puris with aloo subzi came in no time from the time we ordered. As much as the food was tasty I found them bit salty and the subzi little oily - this coming from a salt lover who tends to add salt to anything he eats, you can trust me. Overall a good restaurant serving quality food and with ample parking space (weekend parking story could be little different).

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Kesar’s-An Indian Thali
Kesar's Special Thali
Kesar's Special Thali
Kesar’s-An Indian Thali

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Dhaba Edison

Dhaba Edison

3.4
(29 reviews)
0.2 mi

We were traveling to New Jersey and though of trying Dhaba in Edison. Everything we ordered was…read morefull of taste and felt freshly prepared. The sarson Ka saag was outstanding -- earthy, well seasoned, and perfectly paired with makki di roti. The rajma chawal was comforting and homestyle, with soft beans and a rich gravy that tasted just like a classic North Indian meal. We also tried the tandoori chaap, which was flavorful, tender, and beautifully grilled with a smoky aroma. The chana bhatura was another highlight--spicy, hearty chana with fluffy, perfectly fried bhaturas that weren't greasy at all. Portions were generous and the overall experience felt very authentic. If you're looking for real dhaba-style food in New Jersey, this place is definitely worth a visit.

We went in for dinner on a Friday night, but most of the menu items were unavailable. Drinks like…read moreSharbet, Mocktails, and Gur Chai were out of stock. Nearly half the menu was unavailable by 10:30 pm, even though the listed closing time was 1 am. Starting at 11:15 pm, the waitress began denying entry to new guests and told us that on weekends, they actually close at 11:30 pm. Service was slow, but the food was good. We had planned to try several items but ended up ordering only Sarson ka Saag - Makki ki Roti and Dahi Puri due to limited availability. The saag was flavorful, though the roti seemed to be a mix of besan and makki (cannot confirm this though). The Dahi Puri was okayish, but little bit too dry. Hence, won't recommend this dish. Many guests were turned away because of the inaccurate closing time listed online. I recommend calling ahead to confirm before visiting.

Photos
Dhaba Edison
Sarson Ka Saag & Makki Ki Roti
Sarson Ka Saag & Makki Ki Roti
Guava juice

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Guava juice
Mejwaani

Mejwaani

4.4
(309 reviews)
1.8 mi
•$$

It wan on my food bucket list to sometime. I was very happy to make this trip. We started with vada…read morepav for starters and reminded me of being back in Bombay. We then ordered Thecha paneer and Jhanjanit prawns. The paneer was so soft and flavourful. The texture was just like back home, not frozen. The Jhanjit prawn was the best I had in longest time. We also ordered the kharad chicken but did not update the spice level so it was ok. Had with rice bhakri and plain rice. For the main course we ordered Malvani chicken with plain rice. It's just fabulous. Asked Sandip our server to get us lemon, squeeze some lemon juice on malwani chicken with rice ,; it's delicious. Throughout our dinner Sandip took great care of us &had good su

My girl and I decided on a whim to come here for dinner after walking around Menlo Park Mall for a…read morelittle bit in the afternoon. When entering from Grove Ave, it's easy to be a little bit confused because the restaurant is stuck in the corner behind what used to be Stop n Shop and such. The shopping center is certainly very empty without the anchor grocery store, so it's often quite easy to miss this. Knowing that the restaurant opens dinner service around 6, we got here just before then and realized that the staff was already accepting people beforehand. That was great. As my girl is from Goa, this was a place that was on her mind for some time to try. Likewise, I wanted to try some authentic Maharastrian food too. To start, we ordered a mango lassi & a Kaira Panha. I stuck with the former, which was great. My girl enjoyed her drink too, though def not my first preference. For an appetizer, we ordered the Kothimbir Wadi. This was quite tasty and well enjoyed with the chutney. Certainly authentic. For the main meal, my girl enjoyed her fish fry. I got the Veg. Kohlapuri along with Garlic Naan. The Kohlapuri was good and was easily able to finish it. The only small gripe we had was that the tomato-based curry kinda reminded me of a North Indian korma that you'd get from other establishments. My girl noted this and do wonder whether this is truly the proper way of making and enjoying a Vegetarian Kohlapuri. She noted it was meant to not have a tomato base and was supposed to be a bit more flavorful. As this was my first time, I'm not sure if I can fully validate this, but it's worth a question. Nonetheless, I can't complain about the food. Just simply a curiosity on my end.

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Mejwaani
Mejwaani
Mejwaani

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Nagpuri Saoji

Nagpuri Saoji

4.2
(32 reviews)
0.9 mi

Saoji is a fiery, deeply spiced, mostly non-vegetarian cuisine said to have originated with the…read moreHalba Koshti weaver community of Madhya Pradesh. When the community migrated to Nagpur in 1877, their food followed -- spreading through the tradesfolk and mill workers who embraced its bold flavors. Today, Saoji is considered the signature cuisine of Nagpur: intensely spiced, unapologetically hot, and built around powerful, roasted masalas. Tonight we ate at Nagpuri Saoji in Voorhees (they also have a location in Iselin), and these two spots are reportedly the only places in the U.S. where you can experience this cuisine in its full, blazing glory. To Start We began with sabudana vada -- the classic Maharashtrian fritter made from tapioca pearls, mashed potatoes, peanuts, and spices. Served piping hot and impossibly crisp outside with a tender interior, they came with two chutneys and were absolutely sublime. Alongside that was goat sukka, a dry-style mutton preparation associated with the Mangalore and Udupi regions, with spice influences tracing back to Goa and even Arab and Turkish traders. Coriander, fennel, cumin, black peppercorns, and fenugreek give it depth and warmth. It was bold, savory, and incredibly flavorful. The Curries I ordered chicken kala masala curry, and it was deeply earthy, nutty, and robustly savory. "Kala" means "black" in Marathi -- referring both to the color and to the roasted spice blend itself. Cumin, coriander, cloves, cinnamon, stone flower, coconut, sesame seeds, and chillies are roasted and ground into a dark, complex masala that lingers beautifully on the palate. We also ordered Goat Handi, with tender meat in a velvety, aromatic gravy, and a Malwani goat curry, made with Malvani masala from the Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra -- a spice blend that balances heat with coastal warmth and depth. Rice, plain naan, and indulgent Amul cheese naan rounded out the meal. Dessert We finished with Sitafal Rasmalai (custard apple-infused rasmalai) and Jamun Rabdi -- both creamy, fragrant, and perfect against the lingering spice. A Few Notes Like much traditional Asian cooking, the meat dishes are cooked on the bone -- so eat mindfully. And if you request "hot," they mean hot. This is not toned-down spice; this is the real deal. I was thrilled to try dishes from India that I've never made before. Saoji cuisine is bold, unapologetic, and absolutely delicious -- and I'll definitely be adding some of these flavors to my home repertoire. If you have the opportunity to try this cuisine -- do it.

Kind of a letdown! I…read morefinally decided to try this place after hearing a lot about it. I know it's popular for the saoji chicken but being a vegetarian I had to stick to their veggie options. I visited this place for dinner and they were out of a lot of things. I got the shegaon kachori, Misaal Pav, Tarri Poha and Sol kadhi. Shegaon kachori was the best option amongst the lot. It was super crispy and the filling was nice as well. Tarri Poha was a let down. The tarri tasted weird so it ruined the entire dish. Same tarri was present in the misaal too, so this dish was ruined too. Sol kadhi was average. The service was fast and the ambience is okay-ish. Honestly, would not recommend this place for their vegetarian options!

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Interiors
Interiors
Chicken Kala Masala Curry
Chicken Kala Masala Curry
Kheema

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Kheema
Moghul Express

Moghul Express

3.4
(256 reviews)
0.2 mi
•$$

The best Hakka noodles! We loved going here as kids and…read morehaven't been in many years, but this past week we finally went back. The interior has been completely redone! What was once a food court vibe has been transformed into an almost upscale feeling. They have also expanded the seating area, so everyone isn't packed in that little room anymore. While the interior has changed, the food remains the same high quality it's always been. My absolute favorite is the Hakka noodles. I truly have never found any restaurant that compares. Our other favorites are the chili paneer, veg Manchurian and gobi Manchurian. All 3 are delicious, and we like to get them with gravy so it isn't super dry. None are too spicy, but they provide small sauces to add spice if you want that. We ordered on the phone and our food was ready on time when we got there (on a busy Friday night). Cant recommend enough!

Moghul Express serves really solid Indian food overall. I ordered the chicken tikka masala and…read morechicken biryani, and both hit the mark in terms of flavor and portion. The yogurt sauce was a bit of a miss for me, it felt too watered down and would be much better with a thicker consistency. The hot sauce was decent, but not nearly as spicy as I'd expect from an Indian spot. Service, unfortunately, was the weakest part of the experience. I was dining with one other person and there was only one other table of three, yet things moved pretty slowly. There were a few employees around, but the service just wasn't very attentive, and communication was a bit tough at times. They also offer Chinese dishes, which is interesting and something I'd consider trying next time. Overall, the food is definitely worth it, but the service could use some improvement.

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Moghul Express
Food and receipt pics
Food and receipt pics
Chicken Tikka Masala

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Chicken Tikka Masala

Pakvaan Desi Spice - indpak - Updated July 2026

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