I've dined three times at Swad recently and really love their food. I've craved a good Indian…read moretakeout option in the East Bay for some time, but Swad is a good restaurant, period. Tucked away in a plaza on Route 103 in Riverside, Swad has a nice decor and every time I visit there are at least a few tables full. Swad features a Himalayan dumpling called a Momo that is pretty incredible - lovely spices and so much fun to eat. There is a vegetarian Momo in addition to one with lamb. The butter chicken is apparently well loved and I tried it twice - once takeout, and once in the restaurant; my eleven year old told me it is her favorite chicken dish ever, FWIW. I also tried the chicken Madras and a few of the apps. Everything was very well made. Really thrilled that Swad is in Riverside!

Phenomenal - all of it!! I love that Riverside has this little gem. We had the vegetable pakora…read more(gluten free!) & many, many margaritas. For my main, I ordered the chicken korma. It was definitely one of the best I've ever had. Totally balanced & rich & delicious. The whole stuff was so kind & gracious - we were a loud-laughing group but never felt out of place. They sent out a special rice pudding dish for us at the end & we felt like celebrities. Also, what a treat to meet Raj, the owner! Wishing them the best of success for the future. Riverside is lucky to have them.

High quality, very tasty food that they keep pretty warm. There was a very large variety of…read moredifferent foods so if you can eat a lot of one sitting, it's awesome to try a little bit of everything - which I did. I liked most of the dishes, but a couple standouts were the Andhra Goat Curry and Moong Dal Payasam (dessert). Atmosphere is basic and the staff is not engaging. They barely acknowledge you and just keep to themselves. The staff at Godavari is much more friendly.

Tried Kinnera for the first time tonight and it was overall fine. The restaurant itself is nicely…read moredecorated. Pretty standard for an Indian restaurant but nothing to be amazed over. There was a larger party that came for the last part of our meal who were on the louder side and let their children run around the restaurant. While not Kinnera's fault it did lead to a lease than pleasant meal. For dinner we had the mango lassi, onion pakora, chicken korma, and paneer masala. I always appreciate when restaurants bring out papadums and chutneys as well which Kinnera did. However, I wasn't a huge fan of the pakora. I didn't get a lot of onion flavor in them and found the dish to be very dry. A sauce would have been a welcome addition. My chicken in the korma was cooked very well as it was nice and tender. For $16 the portions were huge and the meal comes with plenty of rice. I wasn't as impressed with my korma sauce though as I'm used to a creamier base. My significant other said there wasn't a lot of paneer in his masala either. Our service was standard but pleasant. The waiters didn't come over as we were eating and took a while to ask if we wanted the bill. However, they were prompt once we said we were ready for the check. I love Indian food and have had it around the world but I am glad this place is up and running. One day I'd like to try the lunch buffet.

Such an awesome night. The food was amazing and the staff was so friendly! The pesto naan pizza and…read morechicken kabobs were delicious.

I attended a Yelp dinner event at India Restaurant and was impressed from start to finish. The…read morelocation is convenient and the spacious back room comfortably hosted around 75 guests without feeling crowded. The food was flavorful, delicious and plentiful, with so many options that there was truly something for everyone. The staff was friendly, informative and kept everything moving smoothly throughout the evening. I had visited one of India's previous locations before, so I was excited to return and try this one. Thank you for providing such a great event space and an enjoyable dinner. I will definitely be back soon!

I always like trying new Indian restaurants and when I saw the nearly perfect reviews for Empire I…read moreknew I had to stop by. The parking situation is tight. Maybe there's another lot I didn't see in the back? But the restaurant itself is beautiful. Lots of wooden features that don't necessarily give off "Indian restaurant" but was still nice to look at all the same. There's a decent amount of seating and a large bar where they also keep games. I really liked the music they were playing as well. I constantly found myself dancing along to it. For food I had the chili baby corn for an appetizer, chicken saag, and cheese naan. Also had a Limca to drink which are always wonderful. The baby corn was amazing! The portion was generous and I loved the chili sauce. It was appropriately dressed and fried to perfection. Chicken saag was also excellent. I prefer mine a little creamier but I loved the fresh taste and generous pieces of chicken. The saag itself was properly spiced and came with a generous portion of basmati rice. Finally, the cheese naan was appropriately priced and crispy with a generous portion of cheese. Was it some of the best Indian food I've ever had? Absolutely! It was right up there and I hope to stop by their lunch buffer sometime soon. I will say that the service was a little slow and the waiters didn't check in as much as I'm used to. But that didn't hinder the exceptional quality of the restaurant.

We got a new Indian restaurant in town! Decided to give it a shot and came here with one of my…read morefriends and it did not disappoint. We enjoyed everything from the samosas to the curry. The staff was extremely nice and attentive, it was a Friday night and the place was full with many families dining in which was cool to see. With that, service was a bit slower but we were checked on consistently which was appreciated. For apps we got samosas and the fried onion dish. Both delicious. The green (mint-yogurt?) sauce that came with the samosas was delicious. The fried onion dish was good, I enjoyed the curry leaves and spices in them, they essentially felt like the Indian street food version of onion rings. The curry: I got Goat Chettinad and my friend got Lamb Rogan Josh. Both delicious. Goat Chettinad has a thick curry with coconut milk in the base with turmeric, ginger and all the other great spices that come along. The goat pieces were a little lackluster, not as much meat and a lot of bone. I would get a different meat next time, though, I'm sure this is variable from order to order as goat usually is. The lamb rogan Josh, which I was able to try, was delicious. Bright flavor, tangy, deep ruby red curry and the lamb pieces were plentiful and tender. A slight smokiness from black cardamom, packed with Kashmiri chili, it had such great depth of flavor. Eaten along with some garlic naan which was light, fluffy and had some slight charring around the edges which is exactly how I like it. Also, the parathas. If you haven't had these before, order them. Flakey, buttery and delicious. I've made them at home before and these are better than anything i can muster up! (Probably on account of more butter.. Makes everything better). The curry was quite heavy on the oil/ghee, so be mindful if you're sensitive to that. Also, I enjoy spice, but for rogan Josh which has a kashmiri chili paste base, be careful ordering "spicy". Or if you're a medium person, you may want to go mild. I liked their "medium" for rogan Josh and the "spicy" for the Chettinad but I enjoy spice. I'd recommend trying this spot out, I'll definitely be back.

I had to change my review to a 3. This place is not hospitable. You are on your own from the minute…read moreyou arrive. The food runs out quickly and some of it isn't very warm. Finally it's really run down and not very clean. I wish I had a better option closer to us.

Oh man! I've missed this buffet. It's been 1 year and 3 months since I was here last, but I won't…read morewait that long again. The weekend buffet at Godavari in Cumberland is the best Indian buffet I've ever been to! Tons of variety, high quality, authentic and they keep the food fresh. I could not get enough of their Double ka meetha dessert! It's like an Indian bread pudding with bread soaked in hot milk, spices, sugar and nuts on top. Their samosas were so damn good, and same with the fried red-colored cauliflower.

Love the food here! This is our third or fourth time eating here and it always impresses. The food…read moreis rich and flavorful. There's so much to choose from and you can tell each dish is bringing a unique experience to your taste buds. The service is also very good. Everyone is attentive and makes sure you're have a great experience. The only knock I have is that it is loud and makes it difficult to hear/converse with people. Otherwise, I love the food and will continue to eat here!

My partner and I stopped in around lunch for a cocktail and a quick bite, settling in at the bar…read more The space is visually striking; large, expressive portraits hang on the walls, colorful throw pillows line the banquettes, and shelves of labeled spice jars sit in the corner like a little apothecary. The bar itself is dramatic, a wall of bottles backed by bold red shelves. It all adds up to a room that feels like someone put real thought into every corner. We ordered the Ginger Turmeric Martini, which is made with Citron Vodka on the menu but we swapped in ISCO Gin; a substitution the bartender handled without hesitation. He mentioned he adds a tiny pinch of salt to some cocktails to brighten them up, a small detail, but the kind that tells you they actually think about what they're making. The drinks were served in cut crystal coupe glasses with a small edible flower floating on top, and they tasted as good as they looked. For food, we went with the Chili Cauliflower and the Dal Makhani. The cauliflower came out crispy in all the right ways, each floret holding its texture under a sticky, lightly sweet heat with a bit of tamarind that shines right through; tangy, a little smoky, deeply savory. The Dal Makhani was exceptional. The lentils were cooked with real intention, not reduced to mush but offering just a slight pop, and the overall flavor was rich and complex in a way that made it hard to put the naan down. Speaking of which, the garlic naan (sans cilantro, seeing as my partner has the gene where it tastes like soap) arrives charred and pillowy in equal measure, loaded with bits of fresh garlic. The service matched everything else. We were greeted warmly, and the staff genuinely seemed interested in getting to know us rather than just moving us through. That kind of rapport is rare and, when you find it, you notice. A spot we love to visit whenever we are in the area, and for good reason.

Really tasty entrees. Great for take out. Super affordable too. I wish the samosas and pakoras were…read morea little fresher though. They heat them up when you eat there but when you get it for takeout it is cold and I just wish they were fresh from the oven. But otherwise great. I like that you can do a side of rice or a side of naan so if I get two entrees I get the best of both worlds.

A friend of mine introduced my partner and I to Not Just Snacks a few summers ago and we've been…read moremaking this mom and pop restaurant our spot for Indian food. The prices are reasonable, so are the portions and the flavors always kick in the best ways! If you're looking for a no-frills, cozy and delicious place to try, I say don't skip out on Not Just Snacks. Our favorite appetizers are hands down the pani puri, honey and ginger naan, tandoori and beef kebab. The pani puri is an interactive experience, where you hollow out the shells and fill them up with ground chickpeas and spicy sauce - very flavorful and fun! The honey and ginger naan is great to cut down on spicy dishes but eating it alone is dangerous - it's too dang good! I loved the tandoori chicken, a super flavorful thigh w/crispy skin. The beef kebab was just as tasty, packed with all kinds of spices that make it a winner in my book. Now, that was just the apps! Quite consistently, I always always always order the lamb (or beef) vindaloo. I have to warn you that this dish is certainly not for the weak - spice lovers only! The tender chunks of meat pair quite well in the pool of spice, potatoes and my favorite, chilis. There is an option to pair the vindaloo with rice or naan, with my heart devoted to the former. To put in perspective how spicy the lamb vindaloo is, you'll likely need refills upon refills of water. Nonetheless, if you can REALLY handle heat, the vindaloo is made for you. I alter between lamb and beef, depending on the mood. This time around I tried the shrimp dopiaza and wheat roti. The shrimp entree was quite sweet, with 5 shrimps total. Unfortunately, I am not a fan of anything wheat, hence the roti ranked lower on my scale. Overall, Not Just Snacks holds a special place in my heart (and stomach). The family that serves us is always friendly, especially the younger gentleman. The chef often comes out to check up on us and I believe that's a very kind gesture. The woman as well always greets us with a smile.

Got takeout for the first time from Chennai for a meeting and I was shook with how good it was!…read moreTheir portions are extremely generous. I got the lamb biryani and goat curry. The flavors are deep and the spices are divine. Their medium spice is spicy because they don't play here. Honestly, some of the best Indian food I've had in the state. I look forward to having it again when I'm in town!

This place is the real deal. I spent a summer in South India several years ago and this is the best…read moreIndian/South Indian food I've had outside of there. The poori masala is fantastic, as is the Chennai Special goat curry. Even more typical dishes like butter chicken, tikka masala, and palak paneer are outstanding. Can't recommend this place enough for authentic, flavorful Indian food.