Neelam E Punjab — Restaurant in Vasai-Virar

I recently visited Neelam E Punjab, located near the Vasai West railway station, on August 24th, 2024. My experience was mixed, leaning more towards the negative side, especially considering it is advertised as a family bar and restaurant.

Ambiance: The ambiance was average at best. There was water dripping from the AC onto a nearby dining table, which further flowed onto the floor where we were sitting. This made the environment uncomfortable and hazardous. Despite being labeled as a family bar and restaurant, the presence of individual male customers drinking next to family tables made the setting feel less family-friendly.

Food: We ordered Thread Chicken Crispy as a starter, followed by Butter Chicken Gravy, Dhaba Chicken Gravy with Tandoori Roti for the main course, and Chicken Fried Rice along with Chicken Schezwan Fried Rice. The food was the highlight of the evening. Every dish we tried was delicious, and the kitchen team deserves full marks for their efforts. The portions were generous, and the pricing was reasonable, making it good value for money.

Service: The service, however, left much to be desired. The restaurant has a different, higher-priced menu for bookings made via the Zomato app, which felt misleading. While the staff was polite, they lacked proper training. We had to request water glasses, which were provided in fewer numbers than needed. The table was also short on forks and spoons.

Incident: A major downside of our visit was an unpleasant incident involving an individual male customer who had consumed too much alcohol. He became loud and aggressive, shouting at us for no apparent reason. Although the staff intervened, the damage was done, and the mood of our family gathering was ruined. It was unsettling, and the situation could have escalated if not for the staff's intervention, albeit late.

Cleanliness: The cleanliness was average, and the dining plates had noticeable scratches, which need to be replaced. This added to the overall sense of neglect in the restaurant's upkeep.

Overall Experience: Despite the tasty food, the negative aspects of our visit overshadowed the positives. I would not recommend this restaurant for family outings, as the environment does not align with what one would expect from a family bar and restaurant. Allowing customers without families into the family section poses a risk and detracts from the family-friendly atmosphere they claim to offer.

Final Thoughts: Neelam E Punjab has potential, particularly with its excellent kitchen team. However, they need to address the issues I’ve highlighted to truly become a reliable family restaurant...

We had visited this place for a family lunch and bheja masala.... Bheja masala was removed from the menu and the family lunch was a bad experience here . The waiters were in a rush to close down for the day and one fellow even mentioned that they were getting late . The food served was average and not so great ...the worst part was in the midst of serving us the staff vanished and later when we asked they said we took a break for lunch . Definetly a no no for a family lunch and for any future...

Yesterday order Tandoori from Neelam E Punjab through SWIGGY & was surprised to see the condition in which the food was delivered. Tandoori was given in paper plate rapper with foil paper. It was like order keya hai ke free mein aaya hai. If this is the quality of delivery, guys it’s better not to order from...