India Palace

After having frustratingly bad Indian meals at restaurants in the East Bay, I asked my Indian cooking teacher where SHE ate when she wanted to go out. She recommended this place. I have been eating here regularly for about 7 years. I am a vegetarian so I have only sampled the veg dishes but they were fresh, spiced well, but not overly hot for the American palate. They use fresh, not frozen vegetables in their dishes for the most part. I can not be sure with the spinach. The menu tends to the typical American Indian restaurant offerings, nothing new or unusual here: Saag Paneer, Aloo Gobhi, Dal Makhani, Channa Masala, Bhindi Masala etc. etc.
For the meat eaters, they probably have the dishes you are used to and also make Tandoori dishes. The in the past has been overly salted but recently it has been just right consistently. Not too oily as some Indian can be.
To my amusement they put a sliced marischino cherry on top of the rice! Cute touch. Not a gourmet place but
very tasty and satisfying food. The lunch buffet is great, too. For organic vegetables and a more unusual selection of dishes, try Breads of India in Berkeley or downtown Oakland.

Pros: easy access from 880 fwy, ample parking, well-prepared food, complete menu, fresh breads, quick lunch buffet

Cons: service uneven, sometimes slow, menu a bit boring

I've only ever had their buffet, which I enjoy at least one a week. The selection is wide and doesn't taste like warmed up left-overs, like other Indian joints. Their chicken Masala curry and Tandoori chicken are to die for. The only negative is their waitress, who's cute but has the personality of a dead ant. She hardly ever greets customers and never says "You welcome" Good food nevertheless.

Pros: food quality, selection, price

Cons: service

This truly is a gem in Alameda. All of the dishes that I have tried here have been really wonderful. From the Dahl Makani to the Lamb Vindaloo to all the Tikka Masala and Samosa inbetween.

The location is a bit odd, in a house on a quiet street. They have recently renovated the foyer, however, the turqoise and white booths still remain as do the aqua-marine beaded curtains.

Everything that I have eaten at India Palace tastes so fresh. I highly recommend the Chicken Korma and Lamb Vindaloo. I have recently tried the Lamb Paneer and that was heavenly as well (and I'm usually not a big fan of lamb!). The Tandoori Chicken comes to your table sizzling on a bed of carmelizing sweet onions.

You can tell an ethnic restaurant is good when you see the native ethnicity eating there. This is the case with India Palace.

Pros: Ample Parking, Delicious, Satisfying

Cons: Busy on Weekends, Slow Service

A selection of different curries is present, each one more than palatable. The lunch buffet is absolutely excellent, as the container freshly made flatbread is constantly being refilled. Satiation is easily attained. I recommend Chicken Vindaloo (spicy!)

The interior of India Palace is a little odd: blue and white booths and tiled walls in one section make it seem like 50's style diner. But the food is good and they don't make you wait for it. The staff are charming and smile broadly when they see us come in (we're regulars), for which we forgive them when a water glass goes unfilled or a check takes a while to appear. For quality Indian food in a casual atmosphere, I recommend a visit to India Palace.

Pros: Friendly staff, Good food, Good value

Lunchtime buffet is the best value you can get. It offers a great selection, great tasting food, and good service. I would also recommend an Indian beer (HB) with your meal.

Pros: food, inexpensive

Cons: remote location