08/08/07

Great traditional Indian cuisine

by mjseik

I have frequented India Oven for years. The food remains consistent at this family-owned neighborhood restaurant, and the service has been good overall.

• Pros: Great food, family-owned, consistent quality
• Cons: Service can be spotty at times, though not often.

01/21/07

Is it possible to score below a zero?

by blissful_kaos

There are good restaurants and there are bad restaurants. And there are restaurants that defy description. There are no words for how *awful* India Oven's service and food quality are. Upon entering, our server (a frighteningly cheery guy, vaguely reminiscent of Elijah Wood's Kevin from Sin City ) pointed us in the direction of a miniscule corner table. We waited ten or fifteen minutes for him to take our order, and then we waited for the food. Normally, when one orders bread with dinner, one expects it to come before the entree, or at least have the option presented. Our waited did neither, and seemed utterly inept when it came to serving. He was obviously a child and very new to the position, as I could hear him being lectured to in the back. I ordered a mild shahi paneer and my boyfriend ordered a hot beef tikka masala. I got a spicy shahi paneer (that tasted fairly foul) and he got a very mild beef tikka masala. Also, rice does not come with your meal as tends to be customary in other Indian (as well as Asian) restaurants. No one came to inquire about our meal, and when someone did come by... I was nearly finished, and hesitated when asked if everything was fine. When I complained toward the end of the meal about the spiciness of my food, I was told that I should have "grabbed someone sooner" and that there was nothing I could do.. and after all, I "did eat the food." Also, we found a bit of plastic in my boyfriend's dish. This was a manager I spoke with, I believe... who implied that I would try to scam the restaurant into free food. I'm appalled at the treatment I received, and left a scant one-dollar tip, (I should have left none, but well...I just can't do that) with consolation in the fact that I could write this review when I got home. DO NOT go to India Oven if you want good service or good food. It's not worth the effort. Go to Gandhi or Sher-E-Punjab or McDonald's for better service and better food.

• Pros: Quick seating
• Cons: Anything else that involved the waistaff, the cooks, or the ambience

09/12/02

be prepared to wait

by ddrqueen

The food's great but it may take up to 1.5 hours for your food to arrive once you are seated. Go when you're not hungry because by the time you actually get the food you'll be starving.