I never really liked chai growing up (shocking, I know!) but lately, I've developed an appreciation for a well-brewed, kadak masala chai. I was excited to try this embodiment of India's beloved beverage in pie form. They have a few different hot beverages on their menu, and I'm not sure which one they used for this dessert, but the spices became muddled and overwhelmed by the cold, creamy fat that coated your tongue upon eating a forkful. Their crust was made of cookies, but unidentifiable (my personal wish is for it to have been made of Parle-G, but I'm biased). The toasted, spiced cashews added a nice salty crunch, pairing nicely with the sweet, custardy pie. Overall, we were underwhelmed by what is arguably one of their signature desserts. ... LMAO at all the hipsters who'll spend $4 on a turmeric drink. It's me. I'm hipsters. ⁣ ⁣ Not sure what American society has done to me, but I'm now willing to hand over stacks of cash in exchange for the same god-awful spice beverages that my mom had to force down my gullet as a child. ⁣ ⁣ Haldi doodh, more commonly known as GoLdEn MiLk LaTtE is the stuff of nightmares. It tastes like you're drinking milk mixed with dirt. Don't get me wrong, I know how beneficial turmeric is for you and use it in my cooking all the time, but having it raw is a completely different story. ⁣ ⁣ This golden lemonade plays with my emotions, letting me think that maybe I'll enjoy this rendition of "toomeric" (if you pronounce it that way, slap yourself) but alas, I did not. It was yet another glass of disappointment to add to my autobiography. ⁣ read more

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Excellent service, excellent location, excellent flavor, excellent ambiance. One of our favorite date night spots! Food is consistently full of flavor, clean, fresh and delicious! I can eat here everyday! 10 out of 10! read more

Pondicheri - Thali-Vishnu - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

I've heard about pondicheri for the longest time so I decided to give it a try. My friends have told me it is a more expensive, non-authentic Indian food so I already knew that coming in. First off, the interior design is beautiful and certainly a good social atmosphere. You are paying more for the ambience and location. Got seated at a small table for 2. Overall, the tables are pretty small and the restaurant was pretty crowded inside. Not very much space. I ordered the vegetarian thali and the lamb keema. The vegetarian thali was pretty disappointing because everything was SO incredibly salty. Is it supposed to be this salty? The cauliflower, eggplant, fried patty, and the sautéed greens were so salty I could barely eat it. Also, I'm used to authentic thali from restaurants in hillcroft so this was just not good in comparison. I will say the cauliflower had good flavor and texture, but was too salty. The lamb keema was pretty good but the portion was tiny, it was in like a small bowl I would use to heat up leftovers. Overall, the food is pretty expensive with okay flavors and smaller portions. I wouldn't recommend the vegetarian thali but you can give the lamb keema a try. read more

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Pondi has never let me down. Flavors are undeniable. This morning we tried masala eggs, shrimp curry, coconut pancakes and veggie samosa. For drinks, mimosa and sangria. Mimosa was great with the fresh squeeze oj. Sangria was strong. Coconut pancakes had texture and depth, I maybe would have preferred a warmed syrup Vs the caramel but I ate it up just the same. I liked the counter service approach, made for less fuss and little to no wait- unheard of for sat brunch. Eat at pondicheri, ppl. read more

Pondicheri - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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I've been wanting to try this place out for a while and finally did......... I was sadly very disappointed. The food is more Indian fusion than actual Indian food. I ordered the Texas Thali and the wagyu nihari was bitter,sai bahji was too oily, the garlic naan had too many extra spices that were unnecessary and was a very small portion and finally there was no rice for the thali which I found strange. I was glad I did not order a dosa item because it's definitely not one. It's more uttupham than dosa from what I saw. Everything was over priced for their portion sizes but I suppose you have to pay for the location. So if you're looking for authentic Indian food(especially South Indian) I wouldn't suggest this place. read more

I walk in and already love the scents! My daughter and I enjoyed the butter chicken! My sangria was refreshing. The Naan perfect. read more

The appetizers are really nice would rate them 5/5. I tried dahi papdi and chilling lettuce wraps with paneer. Both exceeded expectations. Dahi papdi had some dahi bhala too which was a surprise element. For entrees we had ordered the Vishnu thali and Earth thali. Earth thali was generic with good taste whereas the fusion for Vishnu thali didn't seem like matching the taste. The red sauce gravy didn't go well with whatever was inside it. The samosa on side was pretty nice with spinach and other fillings unlike traditional ones. I'd give 3.5/5 on Thalis. Chai is nice to try. PS: if you are the owner and reading this, you are using the wrong map of India. It shows Pakistan as part of India. We haven't yet conquered it. read more

Pondicheri - Paneer lettuce wrap, dahi papdi - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

Pretty good, could be 5 stars if they can get back to how things used to be. Not sure what changed, but the food has become oilier and spicier in the last several months, plus a few items seem to have been modified for the worse, unnecessarily: - Beet soup no longer has a delicious kofta in it - Egg dosa with spinach, tomato sauce, and sesame crust was perfection (toppings have been changed now) - Daal is a completely different recipe than a couple years ago, and does not taste good anymore - Kichadi and the portabella dish were removed from the menu - Naan is now a different shape and thicker, does not taste the same - Seemed that more vegetarian curries were available Overall, great selection of dishes for a variety of diets, fresh and seasonal ingredients, knowledgable servers, but not as good as it was just a couple years back. read more

Second time trying indian food and I'm glad this didn't disappoint. I ordered the morning thali, and it was freaking awesome even the spread was a delight to look at. I'm very open-minded to all types of dishes, and this one, in particular, is one I highly implore anyone to try. My drink was hibiscus tea btw. The ambiance and the decor alone give this establishment a leg up on the other breakfast spots in the city. read more

Pondicheri - Morning Thali - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Very solid Indian restaurant a nice man variety of the options. Food was definitely above average. (B).

We ordered: Sunday thali (dhal, vegetable curry, paneer paratha): Very good. Would definitely order that again. Stuffed mushroom curry: Good flavors but very, very oily. Ended up just eating the mushroom pieces. Chickpea tofu curry: Good flavor and lighter than the mushroom curry but salty--please, restaurants, we can add salt if we need to but we can't take it out. Dosa: Pretty standard but good. Chocolate cake: Good. Very good if you don't mind the pink peppercorns. Mawa cake: Pretty standard cake but nice. They never brought our drinks. They were only water so we didn't bother to go back in for them, but I was surprised that a restaurant in this part of town would miss that. We ate outside since the weather was nice and it's pretty noisy indoors. read more

Definitely a cute place to try with tasty Indian dishes, it has a great aesthetic. I got the veg thali and so did my friend. The lentil samosa was an amazing appetizer. The umma (grits) really yummy. I loved everything except the saag paneer, it was creamed spinach, but just not my thing. Mimosas tasted like straight juice lol, I need 80% champagne 20% juice. Also loved the chikfu (I'm a chickpea fanatic and the spin on it was so good). Overall try it:)! Sit outside if the weather is nice, inside is a vibe at night though. read more

Pondicheri - My friend and I got the veg thali and each a samosa. I loved everything except the saag paneer. Mimosas needed 10 x more champagne. - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

I saw in a magazine they had won 'best pie in Texas' for their chai pie , and I love Indian food, so I was really excited to try this place. It's beautifully decorated inside and outside. I started with a lush lassi, we also ordered samosa and pakora, neither won was anything amazing or even as good as I normally have at other places. The pakora was lacking the crunch you expect from a dish like this. We ordered the rancher dinner, and I was just really disappointed in the food. The flavors were lacking and it really was just lackluster. We of course finished off with the chai pie that felt a bit gritty . Not impressed and for sure won't be back. read more

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Unsatisfied customer! Appetizers were good. Then... we waited 30 min for our main course only to be told that our food was accidentally given to another table. They offered us a complimentary pani puri, which we didn't want or ask for! When you spend over 300 dollars (minus gratituity) you expect better. read more

Cute cafe, but food was subpar and overpriced. Had heard the chai was good, so was excited to try it. We got the chai cheesecake as well. The chai was a bit watered down and lacked complexity in flavor. The taste of the chai cheesecake was off putting, could taste a lot of cardamom. Loved the ambience, but would not come back for the food. read more

Loved this place. The ambiance was cool , the fabric India map at the entrance with a charpoi set the mood. I hear the menu changes frequently which makes it a good retrun place. they have short menus with some exclusive and innovative items, or maybe I can say with items not so commonly found. The first complimentary round is popcorn on a brown paper. We ordered a punch, I like to say it was raspberry, and mango lassi for beverages. Mango pani puri , and chilli lettuce wraps with cauliflower. Mango pani poori was a great twist to the pani. the wrap was infused with Indo-Chinese Sichuan pepper, very interesting and flavorful. The entree was Vishnu thali, spinach parata and the simple dosa, which was not so simple yet delicious. The thali was not a traditional thali, it had a dosa lookalike for the center, which tasted like it had beetroot in it, never thought could do that before....it was good. They also had Indian spiced curty fries, have to come back to taste that and the ParleG pie. They have an open bar for drinks too. Definitely will return. read more

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Didn't like the pomegranate in the pani puri but apart from the little twists, I would say the people are sincere and understanding. I was able to change my order and the wrap was good :) read more

Pondicheri - Chili Lettuce Wraps - Paneer - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Chicfu curry was really good just not as hot as I was hoping for. Food was Luke warm. Samosa was decent. Chocolate cake was ok. Too much ganache not enough cake. Not to mention it was freezing cold. Service was a little weird, had to ask for the chocolate slice we had paid for. Not best service. Not the best Indian food. read more

Pondicheri - Chicfu Curry - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

Authentic Indian street food with flavors that deliver served in a lively atmosphere. We ordered the Breakfast Frankie, morning thali (with lamb), and a chicken black bean samosa. The Frankie is what I'd called an Indian take on a breakfast burrito. I washed it down with their traditional chai tea (1 free refill). The lamb morning thali was a good brunch option for someone new to Indian food flavors. We wish we had snagged one of the delicious baked goods on display...next time. read more

Pondicheri - Breakfast Frankie - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Nice looking place. Food sucked. Tasted like when I tried to make Indian food and I didn't really allow the spices to bloom or whatever. I don't know how to describe it just like uncooked raw spices. I'm honestly shocked at how bad the saag and paneer was I feel like a major component was missing and it was a one off mistake. There's no way that's what that was supposed to taste like. I would eat the butter chicken again if someone gave it to me for free. Best I could say. I was really looking forward to putting this place into my rotation that's how certain I was this place was going to be really good. read more

I had been here many years ago for dinner but visited again today for breakfast. I really appreciated that reservations weren't required for breakfast, because the atmosphere was more casual for a weekend morning. Pondicheri does a great job of blending South-Asian flavors with American favorites. I had the dosa waffle (aka Dwaffle) with Masala Scrambled Eggs, which were delicious but not AS good as regular dosa better (in my opinion). My favorite dish was the Uppma & Eggs, which was a savory grit hash with cooked-to-order eggs (I chose over-easy). The iced almond chai was delicious - spice-forward and not too sweet. The Blueberry Sparkle (like blueberry French 75) was also a great brunch cocktail! After breakfast, we enjoyed walking upstairs to look at the bake lab and buy some pastries! I can't believe it had been so long since I visited, and I'll definitely be back soon! read more

Pondicheri - Left: Uppma & Eggs with Masala Chai Right: Dwaffle & Masala Scramble - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

Three stars because our waitress was very nice and the chaimisu was good. Other than that the tables are too close together so I wouldn't recommend a large group, maybe a dinner date or even just eating by yourself. The food portions are way too pricey for what's given. We ordered the Texan thali, the butter chicken, and the pani puri appetizer. I appreciate the fusion sentiment and introducing Indian spices in these dishes but the serving size is so small I can't justify the price per dish. read more

I have been dining at Pondicheri since I moved to Houston in late 2012. It's the most unique fusion Indian restaurant I've ever come across. If you're Indian and looking for classic Indian food that you're used to back home (like in the Mahatma Gandhi District of the Hillcroft area of Houston), this is not the place for you. It's located in the West Ave luxury apartment complex, and there's a private parking garage nearby with free parking. They have indoor seating and a large outdoor patio seating area if you're trying to socially distance. If coming for food, the first floor provides full meals, but if you're looking to chill and grab a coffee, the Pondicheri Bake Lab on the second floor is the place to go with a completely different vibe. I love to get a thali platter when going to Pondicheri since you can eat the most variety within one plate. I usually order the Morning Thali Platter for $15 which comes with uppma, sambar, saag, potato cake, fried egg, carrot paratha, and lamb keema. This is all very delicious. Most Indian people will say Pondicheri is too expensive and doesn't taste "authentic." Like I mentioned, go to the Mahatma Gandhi District if you're looking for classic Indian food. Pondicheri is upscale Indian food and catered to all demographics to enjoy. I highly recommend this place! read more

Pondicheri - Morning Thali Platter for $15 - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

Very impressed with our experience at Pondicheri! The menu had so many unique dishes to offer, blending both American and Indian cuisine in a new and innovative way. We got to enjoy our meal on the outdoor patio which had plenty of seating. You order at the counter and they bring the meal out to you. Each dish was so flavorful and fresh and featured such a wide array of colors. We started off with the samosa which had a unique sweet potato filling and the pani poori which came with pomegranate flavored water. For main dishes, the earth thali was our favorite. It had a sampling of paneer, okra, tadka dal, and saag! The green dosa provides a healthy twist on the classic dish with a nutritious filling of sautéed greens and avocado. Last but not least, do yourself a favor and try out the rose and mango lassi! Only regret is not leaving enough room for dessert, they had a bournvita ice cream sandwich and rose laddu which both looked amazing!! read more

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Finally made it over to Pondicheri and I can't believe it took me this long to visit. I am a huge fan of Indian food, but have never indulged in trying Pondicheri's brunch before. I was a little nervous- I like 'traditional American' breakfast food and I want sure if I would like all the flavors of an Indian breakfast. Turns out I was worried for no reason- I asked the waiter what he recommended the morning thali, which I went with, and it was SO good! It was flavorful, filling, and so delightful that I can't wait to come back and try something else. Breakfast/brunch on the weekends is counter service, but they'll bring the food to your table. It does get busy, so come early and be prepared for a long brunch if there's a lot of people in front of you. read more

5/5 stars! This casual dining spot ticks all the boxes - excellent ambiance, delicious food, and great service. Plus, its convenient location makes it a must-visit!" read more

Food- Coming from a global traveller and an Indian, the quality of food was sub-par to say the least. We had come in with high expectations and while we expected the Indian cuisine to be highly westernized, but what we got was something devoid of any taste or flavor- The Masala Dosa was as bland as it can get, the butter chicken was very ordinary . Indian cuisine is all about flavors (spice levels can vary) and lack of flavor leads to utter disappointment and disillusion. Service- In addition the poor server who seemed to have the best interests at heart was stretched way too thin. The drinks took forever to appear and a in case people dont realize, bread (Naan/Roti) is usually eaten first with the curry followed by rice. To add to the disappointment , the Naan came in just as we were about to leave. All this made up for a highly disappointing evening which promised much but delivered little. I cannot think of any reason why I would be back. read more

I'm not Indian, but as someone who's canvassed New York City looking for the best vegan Indian food, I was NOT expecting to have my mind blown by Pondicheri. Their menu is about 40% vegan, with everything clearly labeled for containing meat, nuts, gluten, etc. Hugely appreciated. They are also fully vegetarian/vegan on Mondays, which is awesome. But what makes them really stand out is the quality and creativity of the cooking. They are not trying to make traditional Indian food; instead, they're assembled a modern interpretation of Indian flavors with fresh, seasonal, healthful ingredients. We LOVED the cauliflower chaat, the vegan thali (omg that beet curry! and the spinach with pomegranate seeds!), the chickpea tofu frankie sandwich, and the daily dal. The rye roti was incredible. The drinks were also great. The iced almond milk chai was good, but the hot golden milk latte was even better. Great cocktail list too. The dessert lineup also looked great although could've had a couple more vegan options. The only option was a ginger cookie or rose laddu, because they'd just sold out of the vegan chocolate pistachio loaf. The ice cream sandwiches (non-vegan) also looked fantastic. Basically, I was blown away by almost every item at Pondicheri and cannot wait to return. read more

I haven't been here in years and I was so impressed with the decor, presentation, and flavor. So many veggie options and comprehensive drink menu. The thali was an excellent sampler of several veggie dishes. The best in my opinion was smoked eggplant. Coconut crab dosa was FANTASTIC! So much flavor. If you like crab, you must get this. The pomegranate pani puri was so creative and delicious. I loved the fall flavors incorporated into this dish. This is not your typical Indian cuisine, but more of a fusion with fresh ingredients and carefully curated flavors. Can't wait to come back! And to everyone saying it's expensive and small portions, I thought it was very reasonable and we were beyond stuffed when we left. These items shared between 2 people. read more

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I'm giving this a solid 4 for ambiance. If you're wanting fully spiced South Indian food with hearty portions I would point you somewhere else. Over the years I've been here several times for special occasions and to meet up w my non "Desi" friends who want to try South Indian food for the first time. While the prices for a dosa here would scandalize my amachi (grandma) it's exciting to see the way they breathe new life into the dishes w their fusion concepts. On our last visit this last MLK day my husband and I took our 6 year old to try some fusion brunch. I had the Mumbai toast which was a perfectly textured but rather bland grilled egg/cheese sandwich with a mild green chutney. Also tried their almond chai iced latte which has very little sweetness to it and was really more like slightly caffeinated almond milk. My husband had a breakfast Frankie which was a roti wrap w a nice hearty portion of kebab inside which was also very mildly flavored. My son of course enjoyed his French toast with Nutella and almost licked his plate. Restaurant is vibrantly decorated in a nice nook in Uptown. I'm happy to see such a diverse clientele enjoy this South Indian fusion food because there's so much great food from the region to be had. Service was perfectly courteous downstairs as well. Don't forget to try their bake lab upstairs for some unique takes on fusion desserts--if you're a fan of not super sweet desserts w some unique flavors it's the place to go. read more

Pondicheri - 3 in 1 pic: breakfast Frankie far left, up front Mumbai toast, and French toast w nutella far right. - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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I've been to Pondicheri three times so far and have had very different experiences each time. The first time I went to Pondicheri for brunch. This was at least two years ago. I remember wanting to try Pondicheri because it seemed like a upscale indian fusion place yet very unique to Houston and had good reviews. I ordered the Paratha and thought it was average. This is a bit overpriced for their food. The second time I went back for a dinner. At nighttime, Pondicheri turns into an almost romantic restaurant with the dimmed lights, candle on the table, and centerpieces of roses. I ordered the Vegetable Frankie which is almost like an indian burrito and did not enjoy it at all. It fell apart as I was holding it and I ended up eating the insides with a fork. The third time I came here at night for dessert. I heard their dessert is amazing. I also tried their Indian Fries which were a bit too spicy for my liking but the taste overall was pleasant. They give a masala ketchup with the fries. The dessert I ordered was the Bournvita Ice Cream Sandwich and it was delightful! As a Indian who has grown up drinking Bournvita in milk, I was excited to try this out. They came in a set of four so perfect for sharing. The ice cream is a good amount of sweetness and paired with Parle-G cookies, it was amazing! I would 100% come here just for dessert again. On my way out of the restaurant I noticed their cookies are 1/2 off after 8pm. So I decided to get a Ginger Cloud cookie which I liked! It was almost like a gingersnap with a bit of indian flavor. Their cookies are normally $3 but getting it for $1.50 was so worth it. The waiter explained they crumble up the rest of the cookies that don't get selled at night, add ghee and make it into pie crust. I liked the idea of not wasting food and being environmentally friendly. Something else I learned about Pondicheri is they have a Bake Lab upstairs that is more casual and more of a cafe/bakery style. I definitely would like to go back and try something at their Bake Lab. I also like the area is there is a huge free parking garage in this complex. It is a upscale area with Christmas lights on palm trees and stores that you can walk around in. read more

Pondicheri - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Loud, chaotic environment with, at best, average food. Tried samosas and thalis. Service is basic and pretty much hands off. Pretty disappointing. read more

This place is hugely hyped. The water glass had lipstick marks. The servers were totally disinterested. The food taste was below average read more

the butter chicken 'kolache' was pretty good and flavorful but looked way bigger and had a huge air puff. the other dessert thing was pretty dry and not very tasty. kinda overpriced considering portion sizes. also closed mondays. read more

Pondicheri - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Not sure my review went through. Yesterday after flying in to Houston we stopped at Pondicheri Restaurant for a light lunch. We enjoyed the eclectic meal, atmosphere at restaurant and friendly service. Walked upstairs and enjoyed the bake shop read more

Very disappointed! This place is recommended by Chris Shepherd and I have high expectations walking in. It's in a good location with good vibes. I really wanted to try their lamb/goat items but the girl who took the order was either unfamiliar with the menu or have that 'don't care' attitude and just flat told me they don't serve lamb. Instead of helping and making recommendations, she walked off and did something else. I went when the lunch crowd was over and there was no one else in line and she could not spare me the time to help. I ended up with butter chicken with an order of naan. The truth was I was aiming for a great food experience and everything was just so underwhelming. I think my $30 could be much better spent somewhere else. read more

A Houston favorite. Very eclectic take on South Asian foods; appreciate them being very Indian-forward and unapologetic in their flavorful menu offerings. read more

Pondicheri - Mushroom momos, masala dosa, crispy okra, and mushroom lamb keema. - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

Delicious food with a well-rounded menu, fun and engaging vibe, there's something for everyone here.

Carnivore thali: a lot of flavors, small portions. Butter chicken was good but again small portions about 2 pieces of 1 inch cubed chicken, saag paneer (just okay), lamb keema (very good), and carrot and carrot roti. Butter chicken: the plate was mainly rice. Mango lassi: yogurt drink. I prefer Maharaja Bhog read more

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I love Pondicheri. It has been one of my all time favorite restaurants since they opened. The flavors are almost always impeccable. The execution is usually perfect. I really love that I can enjoy Indian inspired food here without all the oil and salt at most of the more traditional restaurants on Hillcroft. The bakery upstairs is really where Anita's team shines, though. I can't think of a single thing I've had at bake lab that I didn't enjoy. read more