Honest Restaurant Surrey — Restaurant in Surrey

We visited Honest Restaurant after a gap of 4 months . The last time we went there in September 2024, our pleasant experience there was marred by a group bringing a Dog ( that too in a Gujerati Veg Restaurant).

We noticed that inspite of previous incident , the Management had not posted any notice stating " No Dogs or Pets Allowed" -which I believe they should do -as Indian Vegetarians are very fastidious about this.

The place was fairly light at Lunch Time on a weekday . We had the Standard Thali , Veg Fried Rice, Channa Bhatura Set, Manchow Soup & a Coffee. The Manchow Soup was excellent in taste & was served piping hot. The Veg Fried Rice seemed a bit oily & quantity reduced since our previous visits. The Channa Bhatura too had the Channa Masala reduced in quantity & Bhatura's were oily & Soggy. The Thali was disappointing as it again had NO VEGETABLES , NO Raita or Chaas offered & gave the impression of Indian Street food Snacks. The Coffee was good. Service was efficient . The Toilets were clean.

Overall Honest continues to be a good restaurant but it seems lately it is slipping in quality & quantity of food served & we trust the Management takes note of this point

Previous Review

We went to Honest this last Saturday & had 1 x Maharaja Thali , 1 x Veg Fried Rice , 1x Bahubali Sandwich & we tried the Channa Bhatura Set for the first time. Once again the Veg Fried Rice, Bahubali Sandwich were excellent . However I was surprised to see that the Channa Bhatura Set (2 x Bhatura, 1 Bowl of Channa, Raita in a small dish, Gulab Jamun , Onions & Carrots (North Indian Salad) had all these items & was very good in taste. (Infact the best in Lower Mainland). Maharaja Thali was again disappointing in lack of " real vegetables" like Okra, Eggplant, Cauliflower, Beans etc & we informed the same to the Staff to convey same to Owners.

However there was " one disturbing issue "we observed & that was some persons brought a dog to sit with them on the sofa's ! (I have never seen Dogs being allowed into a restaurant & that too a Veg Restaurant !) This should be stopped -if Honest Restaurant does not want to loose customers. All Restaurants normally place a board stating "NO PETS or DOGS ALLOWED"

Overall the food at Honest is otherwise good , even though prices are about 15 % higher than other restaurants serving similar food.

We re-visited Honest Restaurant after a few weeks again. We had two Maharaja Gujerati/Rajasthan Thali's, Bahubali Sandwich , Veg Fried Rice, Vada Pav, Lime Soda Spicy , Falooda's. The Maharaj Thali's cost $30 each & have free refills. Unfortunately though the Thali has Puris, Chappati, Parotta etc etc ,all the accompaniments are bean , lentil based Dhals & there were NO VEGETABLES -like Okra, Cauliflower, Eggplant , Potatoes etc. Further there was No Raita, Dahi or Yoghurt based dishes other than a Curd Yoghurt which appeared dry. The Crackers were not fried Papad but cheap fryums. There was Shrikhand & other Sweets, a Samosa & some kachori. Due to the lack of the items mentioned, the Thali left one with an Unsatisfied feeling. Thali's should have vegetables , yoghurt , raita & other standard items found in Gujerati Thali's -but with a " sweetish taste". The Fried Rice was excellent however & very well made & unlike many restaurants in lower mainland (which do not have condiments to accompany) Honest Restaurant served it with Cut Green Chilli's in Soya Sauce, Tomato & Chilli sauces. The Vada Pav was satisfactory but Falooda's were average. Previous occassion we had Masala Dosa , but the Coconut chutney was watery & tasteless - not spicy . The Dahi Vada we had earlier was too sweet & not made with spicy chillis. The Bahubali Sandwich was excellent . Overall the food at Honest is good .

Restaurant is very clean , spacious, airy with nice ambience. The Service was excellent & Mr.Sahej & Ms. Anjali gave great service.

We will continue to patronise Honest Restaurant & it is hoped the Owners modify their Thali's to include real vegetable dishes &...

My recent dining experience at Honest Restaurant left me utterly impressed with their Maharaja Thali. I am delighted to award it a full 5/5 stars. Here’s why:

Freshness Every component of the Maharaja Thali was incredibly fresh. From the vibrant vegetables to the perfectly cooked breads, each item tasted like it was prepared moments before being served. The freshness truly enhanced the flavors, making each bite a delight.

Authenticity The authenticity of the Gujarati cuisine at Honest Restaurant is second to none. The flavors and preparations adhered closely to traditional recipes, providing an authentic taste of Gujarat. The kadhi was tangy and creamy, the dhokla was light and fluffy, and the variety of vegetable curries were seasoned to perfection.

Tastefulness The thali was a celebration of flavors. Each dish offered a unique taste, from sweet and tangy to spicy and savory. The harmonious balance of spices and ingredients showcased the culinary expertise of the chefs. Every component, from the farsan to the sweets, was meticulously crafted to create a delightful symphony of tastes.

Variety The variety in the Maharaja Thali was impressive. With an assortment of breads (roti, bhakri, thepla), diverse curries, dals, farsan, and more, there was something to please every palate. The inclusion of refreshing chaas and delectable sweets like shrikhand rounded out the meal perfectly.

Portion Size The portion sizes were generous and satisfying. Each dish was ample, allowing me to fully enjoy the range of flavors and textures without feeling overwhelmed. The Maharaja Thali is truly a feast fit for royalty.

Entrepreneurial Spirit I must also commend the entrepreneurial spirit of the owners of Honest Restaurant. Creating such a wonderful and authentic Gujarati thali, especially when the restaurant had only one other customer at noon, is a remarkable achievement. It’s easy to prepare a Gujarati thali back home in India where hundreds dine daily, but delivering such quality and authenticity in Canada, with limited orders, is truly commendable. This speaks volumes about the dedication and passion of the owners and staff.

In summary, the Maharaja Thali at Honest Restaurant is a must-try. The freshness, authenticity, tastefulness, variety, and generous portions combined with the admirable entrepreneurial effort make it an outstanding dining experience. I highly recommend the Maharaja Thali to everyone—it will...

I hope they take this positively. I've been here a few times now. The kind of food they have on their menu is what I have been brought up with. Hence, those dishes are dear to me. Here is my review

Location: not the best, has ample parking, the Plaza itself isn't great.

Convenience & Ambience: the entry is on the main floor right off the parking stalls, doesn't seem to have wheelchair seating, place doesn't feel too crowded, I haven't actually seen it filled up, there is always space available, staff may not be available. They have 2 high chairs for babies, both of them look a pre-owned purchase or a junk purchase set, both broken. Washroom is decent, bar is empty. They do have some TV sets but no entertainment as such, every table has an advertisement display where you could find realtors, mortgage consultants ads poking themselves while you are trying to look up menu. Looks like they are trying to make money out of people coming and sitting there, kills away the feeling of a focussed dining space. There is more to be improved, I am leaving the list short at this point. Overall ambience is very average.

Food: their food doesn't feel fresh, I have been there different times of the day. Except of a few run of the mills items everything feels stale, their thali doesn't carry the reputation at all, food is mostly served cold, feels like heated after refrigeration. Taste is close but the overall edibility isn't upto the mark.

Service: the staff is very hard working and mostly take up the blame of the bad quality of food, i have seen them do a ratio of 1 server for more than 7 tables with almost 20 ish people each. Didn't peek into the kitchen yet, don't want to, the food doesn't say a good story anyways.

Price: they aren't expensive at all, I think they could raise their prices a little bit if they want to, but give good quality food and possibly relocate to a better place.

Overall: i don't feel the urge of going back again. But knowing the menu, I really want to see them improve, so maybe will try...