Cilantro Indian Cafe | Indian Restaurant in Cary NC — Restaurant in Cary

My wife and I moved to North Carolina with our family from New York, where we loved the cuisine experiences we had there, specifically Indian Cuisine. We had one favorite restaurant that was so far above the normal date night it was sad to leave. Upon moving here to NC about 18 months ago, we started looking for another Indian restaurant. We've been to many places; checking menus, noting interiors, checking cleanliness, observing staff interactions etc. We're weird people, yes, it's true. But that's what makes our reviews more fun, I guess!

Tonight we finally chose Cilantro in Cary as the first full dinner experience we would try. We stepped out of our car and immediately the fragrance of the restaurant met us 50 yards from the door. My wife glanced at me with the "This is promising" look. Cilantro is decorated beautifully and impeccably clean. We didn't know whether to be seated or what to do and asked the friendly young man at the counter. He let us know you order and then they bring out the food to you. Not a problem. They have a Gluten Free / Vegan Menu and a Regular one (Fantastic!) I have an auto immune disease and need to be careful what I eat. So even though tonight for me was a bit of a cheat night I've been saving up for, I was very glad to know that Cilantro offers a menu that I could order from on a non- cheat day and still have the same experience.

The back wall of the counter is covered with Indian Cuisine Awards. It looks like Cilantro has won an award every year for the last 12 years running. WOW... My wife made her selection and I asked the young gentlemen how confident he felt with thier cuisine. He stated he probably would bleed curry if cut (I liked him immediately). Thus, I gave him a challenge. I told him I felt like having something with Lamb and to pick something for me that would impress us. Dinner was astounding... It was artful, it was flavorful, it was by far one of the best meals we've ever had. The Cilantro Chutney with the Naan and Lamb bite was outside my wheelhouse and so delightful I had to find the manager and thank him.

Thats how we met Mustafa and learned that Cilantro started once upon a time when he ran a convenience store and customers asked what smelled so good (his lunch packed by Tabassum, his wife). At first he shared his lunch free with patrons. Then they made extra lunch and sold to-go containers. Now, her finesse in the kitchen is an entire restaurant that is more than a date night hot spot, more than an elegant dinner night, it's like being invited to thier personal space for a home cooked family meal with friends. Mustafa greeted us and told us we ought to try their tea. Ok... I love good tea and only use loose leaf and have my special kettle and brewing set up and... yeah back to me being an eccentric weird person again. I know.

Anyway, We agreed to try the Masala Chai Tea and some sort of whipped slice of cake heaven that I don't honestly remember the name of. Now, I love tea and have tried various varieties from all over the world. I don't care for Chai. Never have. And then Mustafa served his family's version... Apparently I've never had Indian Masala Tea. I'm writing this review unable to describe it. Yes, it's that good. And that's coming from an eccentric weird person who researches and tries tea way more than you do.

Cilantro is impressive in every category. It is family run and they go out of thier way to make sure you feel their genuine hospitality. My wife and I have 4 very young children and cannot get out as often as we'd like. However, we will keep Cilantro as one of our favorites for as long as they keep opening their doors. If you don't have 4 young children and have more time than I currently do, I advise you to try Cilantro. If you are drowning in diapers and can only get out once or twice a year... I also encourage you to go to Cilantro, as it's an experience that is worth it as frequently or infrequently as you are able. My wife and I will be back as...

I don't leave reviews to often any more and I sure with Google would let me do a score from 1-10. I am giving Cilantro Indian Cafe 5 stars...if it were out of 10 I would give them a 9 because nobody is perfect.

That said, Cilantro Indian Cafe provided just about the perfect experience for my wife and I. First, I loved the simple order experience. The gentleman taking orders was friendly and warm and was willing to answer any and all questions and make accommodations. That was also true of the rest of the staff. All of them were very friendly and welcoming. Next, the restaurant was clean and bright and comfortable. Then the food came out. Seriously...this was the best Butter Chicken I've ever had. I am one of those folks that hates the taste of cilantro so that kinda messed up the side dishes for me but the Butter Chicken....I will dream about that Butter Chicken. My wife had Lamb Curry and loved it as well. She loves cilantro so she also really enjoyed the chickpea salad and the cilantro sauce that was on the side.

The only cons... I wish the dinner portions were just a tad bigger. I did feel like, for the price, the entree should have just been little bigger. I wish I had thought to ask to swap out the chickpea salad for something without cilantro. However, that's not on them. I should have asked. Finally, I wish they had a location closer to me. Open a spot either in the 40/42 area or over on 70 in Clayton. There are currently 0 Indian restaurants over this way. My wife and I would probably keep you in business if you opened a location over here.

Overall, great experience I would highly recommend stopping in. I can't wait to make another trip to have the Butter Chicken again...the next time with hummus instead of the cilantro-laced...

We love this place!! The family is a delight, they're extremely kind and caring about your personal experience and meal. I've been going here for a while now as my in-laws introduced me to it, and they've been regulars here! Tonight I brought my sister and noice for the first time, and they both loved it. My noice, L, got the Saag Shrimp and loved it! It was too spicy for their palate (and they were told it was spicy by the staff, they were not left in the dark!) and they switched places with my sister, Beth. Beth loved both the butter chicken and the shrimp dishes, and found the spice level of both dishes amazing! It meshed with with the taste of the chickpea salad and rice, and the naan was her favorite part! (She went into her own world of cloud nine on first bite, haha!)

We become full faster than we anticipated but we are all excited to have leftovers! There wasn't any issue of the spice or flavoring of our meals, it was beautifully made and sat well on the tongue. The soft, slow burn of the heat was pleasant! The chicken was moist and cooked thoroughly and they were great sizes too. (Not too little or big!)

Thank you all again for a great dinner and fun experience. And thank you for checking in on us and making sure our dinner was going well - we appreciated the offer to change the spice level! Your staff and family is a bright spot these days, and I'm grateful for all opportunities to eat your...