Sankalp Restaurant - The Taste of India — Restaurant in Waitematā

What a terrible experience at this place, in fact the worst one in years in all of New Zealand.

Firstly, the food was tasteless and I don't understand how a simple raita that is ordered separately (since it is not served with basic dishes it should be) taste so bad. I'm pleased I did not order South Indian since they don't even bother to spell it correctly on their menu, considering they have so many of it.

Secondly, the plates and cutlery looked and felt so cheap, but prices were way too much for such bad food and quality of utensils used and ambience.

Those things were still okay I would say. The worst part was the professionalism and communication of staff. Good communication is way beyond just asking how the food is. I had a few things remaining that I said I would like to take away with me. The lady there told me initially that she would put everything together in one box (Eww!) How can someone treat customers like that! When I said I needed them separately she was reluctant to even provide take away containers and then thought for a bit and told me that she would give one for free and charge for the rest. Seriously? I agreed and she did charge me on the bill for that. I was quite taken aback, as I haven't seen or experienced such cheap attitude and poor professionalism in any of the restaurants anywhere in the country and I have been to places in every nook and corner and have always experienced wonderful service and hospitality. This kind of behaviour really spoils your whole experience of dining outside. I was planning to order some take away as well, but decided against it after all this. I would give a negative rating if possible and not recommend this place at all if you're looking to have a good time; I sure won't consider going there again. There are many many other really good restaurants in Auckland serving amazing Indian food and with lovely service.

Overall, appalling attitude of staff, terrible food served in cheap tableware for an...

Squeaky clean place. All crockery, spoons and glasses were clean too. None of those oily fingerprints which I usually find in indian restaurants. Falooda was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. Ginger tea needed a wee bit of more milk. We ordered chicken tandoori uttapam and chiken chettinand dosa. The meal came with exactly the same filling 🙄. Before I ordered I had asked the waiter if she could explain and describe the meal. But strangely she missed to mention that both fillings are the same 🤦🏻‍♀️. Pav bhaji was way too spicy 🥵 even though we "specifically requested" for kiwi mild ... like ZERO spice for my son. He couldn't eat it. We had asked for some plain yogurt later thinking it would help, but the waiter said it will be $3. After I explained to her that the meal was extra spicy even though we had a special request after which she waived off the $3 for the yogurt. The female waiter needs more training in my opinion. When paying I expressed my disappointment for the extra spicy pav bhaji and how the 2 meals had same fillings and how she missed to mention that. She blatantly said, "O' I don't know. I am a vegetarian and that's what I'm being told by the chef. I don't actually know what's tandoori chicken". No apologies or empathy. Then when we asked for container for takeaway. She said it will be $1 for small and $2 for big. 🙄 . I don't want to get this lady fired, but management please help her do the job better. The pricing of meal is not cheap. It is what you expect to pay in Newmarket. Comparable to other eateries there. For the 3 of us we spent more than $100 with chaats, mains, falooda and tea. Whereas in Botany the bill would not be more than $65 for the same. But I honestly will not complain about the flavour. Chef you have great talents. If the waiter had passed on our request, I am sure you would've adhered. Would love to come again but hope the same lady is...

This restaurant offers a truly exceptional dining experience with high-quality food and great service. I was impressed by the attention to detail and flavor in every dish, from the filled naan to the main curries.

Food The quality of the food is a step above many other Indian restaurants. The lamb and chicken dishes stood out for their tender, high-quality cuts of meat. I particularly enjoyed the lentil lamb dish, while others at my table were very pleased with their Chicken Tikka and Madras curries. The biryani was a highlight, served in an impressive pot sealed with roti that was ceremonially cut open at our table to release the steam.

The menu is extensive but very well laid out with color-coded pages that make it easy to find what you're looking for, whether it's an appetizer, a traditional curry, or an Indo-Chinese dish.

Service The service was excellent and accommodating. We had a First Table booking for four, and the manager was flexible and happily upgraded us to a larger banquet table when a fifth person joined our group. Our server was quick to take our orders and confirmed all dishes correctly, expertly handling the separate order for the additional (non-Frist Table) person. A helpful suggestion for improvement would be to ask customers if they wish to order rice for the table, as it's not included with the curries.

Parking Street parking is available in parallel spaces right in front of the restaurant. It would be helpful if the owner could reply with additional information about parking options for customers.

Overall, this was a fantastic 5-star experience, and I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for elevated...