Noor Indian Fusion Kitchen — Restaurant in Berkeley

I’m from India, and have high standards for Indian food. The food at this restaurant is really good. And the ambience is excellent too. But I’m still not that fond of it.

One, the menu is just too limited. They need a lot more variety. Two, the prices are really high compared to other Indian restaurants; I guess you pay for the ambience. Three, it’s absurd that -- unlike every other Indian restaurant I have ever eaten at -- vegetable dishes and daal are priced the same as the meat dishes. Four, they charge an absurdly large amount for the unconscionably small quantities they give of rice and raita.

The name includes the word fusion, but there’s nothing on the menu to justify that. The only thing I’ve ever had there that I could call a fusion dish was a dessert that was really good but doesn’t seem to be on the menu anymore.

Once we made the mistake of ordering Paneer Tikka Masala. Tikka Masala is a standard dish. What they served us was nothing like what Tikka Masala is supposed to be. It was a pale orange color, and the flavor did not resemble Tikka Masala in any way, shape, or form.

For my money, there are much better Indian restaurants close by. For example, try Breads of India on Sacramento St in Berkeley. A much better menu (much more variety, and many unique dishes), almost half the price after you factor in everything (lunch for 2 with chai, a glass of wine, and dessert was $51 after tax), an outstanding dessert that you won’t find anywhere else (Phirni, a traditional rice pudding made with ground rice), and...

We had a truly memorable experience dining at Noor Indian Fusion , a restaurant that beautifully blends warmth, tradition, and elevated culinary craft. From the moment we walked in, the ambiance struck the perfect balance—bright, welcoming, and thoughtfully decorated, creating a space that felt both cozy and refined. The food was exceptional in every way. Every dish reflected deep care and heritage, with family recipes and house-made spice blends that added a richness and authenticity hard to find elsewhere. The butter chicken was luxuriously creamy and perfectly spiced, the malai chicken tikka and seekh kebabs were charred just right and packed with flavor, and the saag paneer was comforting and well-balanced. The rice was aromatic and fluffy, and the garlic naan was fresh, pillowy, and full of flavor. And just when we thought it couldn’t get better, the desserts completely stole the show—the pistachio tres leches cake was unbelievably moist and delicately sweet, with a subtle nuttiness that elevated the traditional flavor profile, while the pistachio kulfi was smooth, creamy, and wonderfully fragrant, a perfect finish to an unforgettable meal. Nity Jaiswal the owner of the restaurant made sure every guest was taken care of each dish that came out of the kitchen was up to the mark. We are genuinely grateful we got to experience her food, her vision, and the heart she’s...

Food is superb .Service needs improvement. If you want food to go it’s tough. No one greets you or takes your order. They give you that “what are you doing here look”. Really wanted Indian food and the place I go to in Oakland was closed. Service was real bad . When I asked for water they just brought my food. There are lots of Indian places in Berkeley so I may try otherwise. I saw white people getting treated better . Server was very apologetic so I may try again. Food was very good. The experience was not. AMENDMENT TO PRIOR REVIEW Often times, the true test of a restaurant is how it responds when the customer does not get what they expected. This place responded wonderfully. I returned for lunch today 9/1/24. Since the food was so good I wanted to give it a chance to do better. I had a great talk with Sunicha (I may have spelled it wrong). She was managing during my last visit. I decided to get even more food and had a great experience. I am very glad I returned and upgraded the rating from 2 stars to 5 stars. She is very hard working and a quick learner . I took home a menu and will be back. Sometimes you need to give folks a chance to make things right. They did. I have many choices of Indian restaurants near me and this is now my go to Indian restaurant. I am very happy with how they responded to...