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Thursday Restaurant Review Haikus: Eating Indian Food in SF
today in Thursday Restaurant Review Haikus:
Eating INDIAN FOOD in SF
Because who doesn't love a dosa, a naan, a korma, or a curry?!?
The Indian Food Pyramid - courtesy of the Southeastern Michigan Dietetic Association. Are you getting your 2-3 servings of lassi per day?
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Dosa
995 Valencia St. @ 21st St. - website
no res; time it right.
nice ambiance, a GREAT place.
try the uttapams
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Naan N Curry
642 Irving St. @ 7th Ave. - website
(other locations: 533 Jackson St. @ Columbus Ave., 336 O'Farrell St @ Taylor St., 690 Van Ness @ Turk St.)
the good thing: it's cheap.
pretty spicy, big portions
but only OK.
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Pakwan
3180 16th St. @ Valencia - website
(other location: 501 O'Farrell St. @ Jones St.; N.B. The O'Farrell location is in a cracky/janky area so if you're not into that, hit up the 16th St. one.)
spicy, open late.
seems dirty-ish, but isn't.
Indians eat there.
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Gaylord India Restaurant
900 N. Point St. - website
(other locations: 1 Embarcadero Center in SF, 201 Bridgeway in Sausalito, 1706 El Camino Real in Menlo Park; N.B. Sausalito location has great bay views.)
FANCY Indian.
good food, but it's pricier.
great for a large group.
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Roti Bistro
53 West Portal Avenue - website
(other location: 209 Park Rd. in Burlingame)
hard to get a res,
food is great, in a nice spot.
sometimes they serve goat!
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Shalimar
532 Jones St. @ O'Farrell - website
(other location: 1409 Polk St. @ California St.; N.B. the Jones location is pretty skanky neighborhood but I think the food is better there.)
kinda like Pakwan
in being authentic, good,
but not all that nice.
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Indian Oven
233 Fillmore St. @ Haight St. - website
people love it, but
for me it's only OK.
just the usual.
************************
Masala
1220 9th Ave. @ Lincoln - website
Was I drunk? I SWEAR
I cried tears of joy for their
korma. Ask Sasha.
************************
Here's why I do them in haikus.
Previous Haiku Reviews:
Eating INDIAN FOOD in SF
Because who doesn't love a dosa, a naan, a korma, or a curry?!?
The Indian Food Pyramid - courtesy of the Southeastern Michigan Dietetic Association. Are you getting your 2-3 servings of lassi per day?
************************
Dosa
995 Valencia St. @ 21st St. - website
no res; time it right.
nice ambiance, a GREAT place.
try the uttapams
************************
Naan N Curry
642 Irving St. @ 7th Ave. - website
(other locations: 533 Jackson St. @ Columbus Ave., 336 O'Farrell St @ Taylor St., 690 Van Ness @ Turk St.)
the good thing: it's cheap.
pretty spicy, big portions
but only OK.
************************
Pakwan
3180 16th St. @ Valencia - website
(other location: 501 O'Farrell St. @ Jones St.; N.B. The O'Farrell location is in a cracky/janky area so if you're not into that, hit up the 16th St. one.)
spicy, open late.
seems dirty-ish, but isn't.
Indians eat there.
************************
Gaylord India Restaurant
900 N. Point St. - website
(other locations: 1 Embarcadero Center in SF, 201 Bridgeway in Sausalito, 1706 El Camino Real in Menlo Park; N.B. Sausalito location has great bay views.)
FANCY Indian.
good food, but it's pricier.
great for a large group.
************************
Roti Bistro
53 West Portal Avenue - website
(other location: 209 Park Rd. in Burlingame)
hard to get a res,
food is great, in a nice spot.
sometimes they serve goat!
************************
Shalimar
532 Jones St. @ O'Farrell - website
(other location: 1409 Polk St. @ California St.; N.B. the Jones location is pretty skanky neighborhood but I think the food is better there.)
kinda like Pakwan
in being authentic, good,
but not all that nice.
************************
Indian Oven
233 Fillmore St. @ Haight St. - website
people love it, but
for me it's only OK.
just the usual.
************************
Masala
1220 9th Ave. @ Lincoln - website
Was I drunk? I SWEAR
I cried tears of joy for their
korma. Ask Sasha.
************************
Here's why I do them in haikus.
Previous Haiku Reviews:
Eating and Drinking OUTSIDE in SF
Omnivorous in Oaktown- Eating in Oakland, CA
Where I Tell People To Eat When They're Visiting SF
Pleasing the Palate in Palo Alto
Cole Valley's Culinary Delights
Cafe Gratitude
7 Spots in SF's Outer Richmond District
SF's Bernal Heights Haunts
Pizzas of SF's Mission District
5 Stunning Sandwiches of San Francisco
Romantic Restaurants of the Bay Area
Omnivorous in Oaktown- Eating in Oakland, CA
Where I Tell People To Eat When They're Visiting SF
Pleasing the Palate in Palo Alto
Cole Valley's Culinary Delights
Cafe Gratitude
7 Spots in SF's Outer Richmond District
SF's Bernal Heights Haunts
Pizzas of SF's Mission District
5 Stunning Sandwiches of San Francisco
Romantic Restaurants of the Bay Area
Out of all those - Shalimar is the closest you could get to authentic Indian/Pakistani food (I know they are all located in such shady places). Theres one in Berkeley called "Kabana" - they got the best lamb biryani. Again, plan to get that food 'to-go'.
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Awesome! Thanks for the insider tips, Akbar. And by "insider" I mean one who is from the inside of India.
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Ok, I know Fremont is not in SF, but the Shalimar in Fremont is wayyyyyy better than the one in SF.
Other places which we think are not bad (of course nothing compares to stuff in India, so not bad = just acceptable)
Chutney (Jones and O'Farrell)
Tasty Curry (Irving and 9th, between Judah and Irving) - their food is Sindhi style. Ask them to make it really spicy since their spicy was beyond mild for me
Mehfil (2nd and folsom): Ok they put dollops of cream in the food, but they'll make it really spicy if you want. I hate baingan-bharta, but somehow I eat it at Mehfil... Must be the butter...
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And all this coming from a guy who's married to one of the best Indian cooks in the whole world... so I'm going to say this is probably some great advice!
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Re: Masala. It's totally true. I tasted the Korma after Karen got her serving and it was slightly diluted with her salty, salty tears.
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I have been living in Philippines for the last 20 years. Once i visited India along with my parents and the food culture there was really amazing and very diversified. Each and every state there has it's own speciality in especially in food (language cloths, and tradition would be other terms). I enjoyed many recepies their, some of them i remember Chola bhatoora, shahi paneer, matar paner i like most. If in future i will get a chance to visit India, I would not like to miss it, exclusively for Indian Food
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