LUCKNOW by Simmering Tava — Restaurant in Bellingham

Where do I even start...my impressions of this restaurant are mixed. We had a difficult time understanding the menu. The way meals were organized was strange as there didn't seem to be a base price for anything, only a final price associated with a list of adds ons (naan, rice, etc). When we placed an order the employee was difficult to understand and ended up placing an order for something different than I expected, which led to a lot of confusion. She was also the only one working at that time which I think made things challenging. In general I felt like they were not adjusting well to covid. I ended up getting the butter chicken. It was good. The rice and naan were pretty flavorless though. For the price I would not come back here, at least not during covid.

After response from the owner I wanted to update this. I appreciate the info about the online menu. It is clearer there. We also came with the expectation that dine in was an option and didn't even consider online ordering, but that was a bad assumption on our part. Your offer is generous and kind, but not necessary. I'm glad to hear you're doing good online business during these times. I've added a star to the review with this...

After a long hike today, my boyfriend and I were craving something fresh, but filling. Our friend suggested Simmering Tava and I am pleased to say we will be lifelong customers. The food was absolutely INCREDIBLE. I have tried Indian food from all over the US and abroad and this was by far some of the best I have had (definitely top 2)! Anyone saying the food is flavorless does not have taste buds. Also, the owner Raj is one of the kindest people that we have encountered both over the phone and in person. We couldn't be happier with our meals or the prices (each plate is about 3 servings of food). I also love that y'all are promoting sustainability through Sustainable Connections zero waste cutlery add-ons for free! Such a cool offering.

If you go, and you seriously should, we highly recommend the Chana Masala, Saag Paneer, and Butter Chicken. The fritters are OUTSTANDING and you need to have the raita and the cilantro chile sauce. The oat milk chai is also out of this world, but I seriously don't think there is anything on the menu that isn't delicious. Thank you so much for offering gluten free and dairy free options and for the tremendous...

How do I describe the soul-warming happiness that is Simmering Tava? I absolutely can't do it justice. Naan tacos?! Incredible. Veggie fritters?! Perfection! Butter chicken?!?! Possibly my favorite food in the entire world, and that's not an exaggeration. I swear you can taste the love in every dish. And I firmly believe that's one reason their food is so fantastic. Another reason is the fact that they use quality ingredients. It's so easy for restaurants to shave a few dollars by cutting back on the quality of their ingredients. Simmering Tava could easily do this and their food would still be great, but that's not their style. Every ingredient they use is the best of the best. The flavors and quality alone would be enough reason to visit, but the owner, his mother, and their other employees also happen to be some of the nicest, friendliest staff around.

Bellingham has a lot of great restaurants, but Simmering Tava is in a class of its own. Highly, highly...