Gateway to India — Restaurant in Anaheim

Twas the night before Christmas, just after Disneyland, famished from a day of waiting, a 60+ minute sham. No Fantasmic light show, no fireworks, no parking lot shuttles, or is that another perk. Disappointed? Indeed! But all was not lost, just 5 minutes away was the Gateway to India. It was a wondrous dining experience my family loved. Not wonderous at first glance, located in a tiny strip mall with 20 parking spaces, shared with a liquor store, a cafe and a pizza parlor. The magic happened when we walked through the doors. An alluring aroma was the first thing we experienced. Not at all what we were expecting. We were courteously greeted and shown to our table, amidst a mixture of ethnicities enjoying their dinners to the soft sounds of India played overhead. Being this was the first time we were to indulge in the cuisine of India, we were delighted by their attentiveness. The manager/owner explained the many types of curries and sauces and made us comfortable with our ignorance. He explained too that they prepare each dish from scratch, made to order, so it takes a bit longer, but worth the wait. The presentation made us wonder, is this a fine dining restaurant? OUTSTANDING! When we were done the manager/owner asked if weʻd like sample some deserts and even made us a glass of mango lassi to taste.

I donʻt have much to say about Disneyland, but if youʻre looking for a magical dining experience head over to the...

Beware they charged me for someone else's order. I handed them MY check and SOMEHOW they charged me for a different table's order, a check twice the cost. While I was at the restaurant I attempted to get them to refund me. They then charged me for my actual meal (I would expect this). In my rush to leave I failed to notice that they in fact did NOT refund me for the incorrect check, but only reprinted the receipt. That was at the beginning of November. I called them 4 times trying to get them to refund me, each time they said that they would call me back, they never did. After 3 weeks of trying to resolve the issue myself I reported them to my credit card company. Now nearly 2 months has passed and they still have not refunded the erroneous charge.

The food was just okay that night. The next day, silly me took some coworkers there for the lunch buffet. We were at a conference and the restaurant was nearby. The lunch buffet was tiny and obviously not fresh. We ordered naan without butter and they managed to first not bring the naan, then bring out naan with butter twice, yes twice after all of us clearly saying NO BUTTER and the waiter repeated that to us. Also there is a waterfall wall that is super loud and if you sit near it you get sprinkled with chlorinated water.

Save yourself the trouble, go somewhere else. I really do dislike leaving negative reviews, but this place warrants...

I l-o-o-o-ve Indian food, and this is only the second review I’ve felt compelled to post. I try new restaurants whenever possible while traveling from town-to-town, and my recommendation is this: when in Anaheim and if you l-o-o-o-ve Indian food, find your way to Gandhi Palace near Disneyland, California Adventure and Anaheim Convention Center; you will be glad you did.

So why the four stars. Simply put, the decor needs an update. It remains the same, a bit outdated as it was 5 years ago when I first found this gem. The food, however, is why you want to go.

The curries are very well-flavored and unique to each each dish. Korma, slightly sweet and creamy is one of my favorites, as is the Butter Chicken - just tangy enough, but still rich - just delicious. For me, however, the paneer is worth the trip alone. It is tender, but perfect firmness to bite, and the mildness is well-paired with the peas in Matter Paneer.

Dessert is great, too. Gulab Jamun was delectable, and the Kheer - a little less thick than I like, but still - also very good. Chai is also highly recommended.

So yeah, I’m a fan of Gandhi...