Yelp knows me pretty well by now. It knows I like Indian food, so Vande Bharat kept popping up in…read moremy recommendations. It's been sitting there for a while, so the wifey and I finally decided to drive down to Milpitas and give this Thali place a try. I'm glad we did because their Thali is probably one of the best we've had, if not the best. FYI Thali is LUNCH only. Here is my take. Food (4.5 stars) +The Combo Thali for around $18 is the way to go. Don't overthink it and don't order anything else. You get a little bit of everything, which is exactly why we like Thali. If there's something you don't like, just give it to your partner. My wife doesn't like lamb, so I ended up with double lamb. Bonus for me! + Lamb curry was probably my favorite. Tender meat with a flavorful curry and it went perfectly with the rice. Since my wife donated hers to me, I had plenty! + Fried fish is also very good. You don't get a huge piece, but with so many other things on the plate, it's enough. That's the beauty of Thali--you get a few bites of everything instead of committing to one giant dish. + Chicken curry was also good. Nothing on the plate really needs to be eaten by itself because everything complements each other. You get savory, spicy, sour and even a little sweet throughout the meal. + There are also the usual Thali sides like dal, sumbar, yogurt, dessert and another sour/soupy dish. Rice sits right in the middle and you basically mix and match your way through the entire plate. + I also really like the papadum. It's that thin crispy Indian cracker that gives you a nice crunchy break between all the curries and softer foods. ~ PRO TIP: The only thing to consider is whether you prefer a Thali or an Indian buffet. At a buffet, you can essentially get many of these same types of dishes and eat as much as you want. With a Thali, you're getting smaller portions of everything. Personally, I like the variety and having everything served together, especially when the combo is only around $18. Service/Ambiance (4.5 stars) + We came during lunch and there was only one other customer while we were there, so service was good and the food came out rather quickly. + The restaurant has some really nice paintings along the walls. Some of the scenery almost looked Mediterranean to me, although I'm assuming they're depicting places somewhere in India. Either way, they add some character to the restaurant. + It's a comfortable, casual place to sit down and enjoy a Thali without much fuss. GET THE COMBO! You get fish, lamb, chicken, rice, dal, sides, dessert and all the little extras that make eating Thali fun. Between the two of us, if one person doesn't like something, the other person probably will. In my case, that strategy resulted in double lamb, so I definitely wasn't complaining. Wifey gives Vande Bharat 4.5 stars and I'm right there with her. For the price, variety and flavors, this is easily one of our favorite Thali meals we've had. Yelp got this recommendation right!

Visiting from Orange County, would recommend for great South Indian food. Ordered: Fish fry…read moreTandoori chicken Kereal partotta (OUTSTANDING) Garlic tandoori roti Chetinad chicken (EXCELLENT) Chai Key lime soda Collators garlic naan Aloo gobi Everything tasted phenomenal and could taste the spices in each dish. Hospitality was very welcoming and service was quick.

Fav spot for South Indian food. It is such a beautiful restaurant and it has a ton of character…read more The decor has the airs of a street market. You can tell they really put so much work into the wall art as well as the installation of a decorative power line, to make it feel like you are dining outside on a nice, balmy day even if it's actually the middle of winter. The pani puri station is so fun and whimsical, the server prepares each bite for you while you pick which sauce you want to go with it. I felt like I was at a night market. We also ordered the pav bhaji which was hot, buttery and delicious. Tied together with an order of garlic naan and chicken tikka masala, our meal was sumptuous and so satisfying. This is our fourth time coming here and we will definitely be back with our friends and family.

Have been to their spot in Santa Clara and keep DoorDashing them from time to time…read more This time gave them a visit for dinner with friends. There were 11 of us. The folks here quickly arranged a table for us. We were meeting to celebrate a birthday in the group. The staff helped stash the cake for us too. The live pani puri is the spotlight. This is something that takeout cant give full justice. They have a variety of pani flavors some of which my kids really liked. All our food was brought out in time and the staff was helpful throughout the dinner. Also, the ambience of this place brings out the 90's nostalgia which is a bonus.

Great food - super tasty!…read more But the location is terrible. Kind of depressing. They are located in what appears to be some sort of a warehouse in an industrial area. Low ceilings, bad lighting, zero decor. Zero ambiance. A shady vibe.

The food has good taste. However at $50 per person for lunch is way way too much. It is too much…read morefor even dinner per person. This was aloo gobhi, naan, and tamarind drink my friend ordered butter chicken, and dal. Total : $101.

We usually come for weekend lunch buffet then tried their dinner menu for the first time…read more The food is delicious and well seasoned. Our veg favorites include gobi manchurian, malai kofta, and the paneer "sizzler" type of dish. Service is great as well. Saturday afternoons get busy so expect a buzzing atmosphere. Raunak has become a go to for us.

3.5*s rounding up for now…read more **USP: Indian North Indian style buffet. Buffet available all seven days, weekend buffet is slightly more expensive but has a larger spread. **AMBIANCE: large floor to ceiling height but the place is small, it felt real cramped during the weekend buffet when it was packed with people. Their service area is also tight. They had to put two dishes in each chaffing dish to optimize. Weekday buffet was not as packed and i infact saw a huge corporate team gathered for lunch. ***FOOD: doesn't feel like a luxurious buffet due to lack of space but they did have a decent spread with 3-4 veggie appetizers, 3-4 non veg appetizers, 4-5 desserts, Pani puri, fresh table side naan (which was done very beautifully), two varieties of biryani, fried rice, indo Chinese items, 3-4 varieties of non veg curries, 3-4 varieties of veg curries, salad, drinks etc. As with any buffet there will be hits and misses, I for one enjoyed the varied options and the unlimited Pani puri though it was on the sweeter side. The weekend buffet was definitely worth the price tag of $23, the weekday buffet on the other day felt expensive at $20 as the number of items were significantly lower.

We went here to celebrate a special occasion and were pleasantly surprised with the good food and…read morecourteous, prompt service. They have a bright and airy space, although the fake plants at the entrance make you wonder if this really is an upscale place. They also have an outdoor patio where we saw a group dining with one of their furry friends. For appetizers, we ordered the Kerala chicken fry - well seasoned and crispy with a delicious dipping sauce. For the entrees, we got a potlam goat biryani - a delicious biryani wrapped in a banana leaf served table side. We also got the Fish Pollichathu, a fish grilled with a tomato based topping that was wrapped in a banana leaf and served with a tapioca mash and rice. All the dishes were delicious. The portions are generous and we ended up with leftovers to take back home. We also received a complimentary gulab jamun creme brulee since I was part of their mailing list and a pistachio tiramisu to celebrate our special occasion. A truly wonderful experience that made our evening special. We will look forward to returning to sample more of their offerings.

We tried the Onam Sadhya at Anantara Fremont, featuring around 30 vegetarian dishes served as part…read moreof the traditional festive spread. There was a great variety, and it was a nice way to experience the flavors and spirit of Onam. Service was quick , and despite not having a reservation, they were able to accommodate us. The ambiance is very pleasant too. That said, we enjoyed our meal but my folks found most of the dishes to be spicy which may not suit everyone--especially young kids. We asked for yogurt which the restaurant provided without hesitation. My toddler found almost everything too spicy, but happily enjoyed the sweets, banana chips, payasam, which was definitely a highlight! At around $60 per person, it is on the pricier side for a vegetarian meal, but for a special treat and to celebrate Onam, it may be worth experiencing. Overall, a festive and generous spread, though we would have preferred a little more balance in the spice level.

Excellent food and service! Love that they have weekend special thali…read more We loved the Paliyapalam Chicken appetizer stir fried with coconut and shallots. It had mild spice which elevated the other flavors. Non-veg Thaali was truly exceptional with an eclectic mix of chicken and goat curries, sambar rice based Biryani, an omelette and Manchow soup. Chocolate Mousse was an interesting desert choice. The only downer was a single roti was included, wish there were a few considering there were lot of curries. My friend tried the Veg Thaali in which he liked the Vada. He found the curries a bit underwhelming. I enjoyed the Chikoo milkshake, reminded me of childhood. Definitely plan to visit again soon :)

Stopped by for Friday lunch. Tried their Fish thali. Fish was tender and yummy but Fish gravy was…read moreso sour, I felt acidity while eating it. Same story with Rasam. Never tasted so sour Rasam in my life. I am yet to try other dishes so giving the benefit of doubt to the restaurant by giving neutral 3/5 rating. Perhaps other dishes are not as sour as what I experienced. The waiter however was very nice and the ambience good. This looks like mostly a takeout place near Walmart and Big Al's. I will be back to try their biryani and give a final review.

Great food Great service…read moreCasual Indian restaurant ambience Not bad if you wanna try decent Indian food

This was our go to Indian to go spot but we don't come here as much anymore! I like the flavor but…read morethe value is just not there for me. They give you maybe 5-7 small pieces of chicken in the curry. Service is okay. It's much more of a pickup and DoorDash place. There are a couple of tables for people to sit inside.

This is my second time visiting and eating this Saatvik food / Prasadam. Their Menu changes every…read moreday and it's such a pious food, they make and serve you with so much love !! They even make eggless cakes on order. They sell Lassi, ice cream too. A must visit for absolutely amazing simple khaana.... HARE KRISHNA

Satvik vegetarian food with a menu that changes every day. When we visited the buffet had run out…read moreof lemon idiyappam, but rest of the items were available. Paneer biryani, paneer makhni, dal, gobi burjee, spinach pakodas, pickled cucumber, beetroot salad, raita, jamun, rice kheer and apple suji halwa. It is all prepared according to Hare Krishna beliefs and the food was tasty. They also had pizza and samosa sold seperately and we did not order that. Simple and tasty.

Very good food, yummy and great customer service. Daljit is great in his job here and takes great…read morecare of everything. Must try for everybody.

I've been going to Naan n Masala for 10+ years and the food is consistently good! Staff is super…read morefriendly whether I eat in or do take out. I always order the butter chicken, palak paneer, malai kofta, and goat biryani. Their chicken 65, goat curry, lamb curry, and samosas are also absolutely delicious.

One of the excellent authentic Indian food I ever had in Bay area. Great ambience and everything…read morewas fresh and flavorful. The mutton Biryani and Amritsari and ajwaini fish is a must try. The staff Dinesh and Sadhna were very friendly and welcoming. Highly recommended

Ridiculously flavorful, with some of the best naan I think I've ever had -- which is not usually…read morethe highlight of an Indian meal, and is certainly not a critique of the other fantastic items I enjoyed. But there was something about that bread. Mine had cheese and garlic, and while decadent on paper, it provided a great balance to the protein, veg and sauces I was exploring. High quality, friendly staff, a slightly odd-ball atmosphere, and a silly name. All of it is ever so slightly dinged by the fact that the food is surprisingly expensive for the quantity -- but on quality alone, I don't feel comfortable lodging a formal complaint. If I lived in town, I would be a regular.