Karavalli Regional Cuisine — Restaurant in City of Saratoga Springs

Firstly, I must admit I am from Kerala, the Malayalam speaking region which this restaurant represents. Hence the restaurant is owned and/or operated by Malayalees. My wife is also Indian, albeit American born. I will cover food quality first and then service. Before that, some general comments.

Being that this place is in the heart of downtown Saratoga Springs, let's face it, it caters to a 30s and up white American crowd. Indians, let alone, those from Kerala are rarely a demographic here. Pro tip for white Americans that are deciding on an Indian restaurant: Look at how many Indian folks dine there. This should be a general rule for any ethnic restaurant I guess. Additionally, white Americans can generally be very forgiving towards Indian restaurants as they do not have an expansive enough palate and knowledge to compare such food against others.

I ordered the Alleppey Fish Curry (AFC) and my wife ordered the Chicken Biryani. I ordered the AFC intentionally as I was born in the Alleppey district and grew up eating this dish. My mother still makes it probably in the best way possible. So I know how it should taste. I will be honest. Karavalli's version was very bland. The flavor of the mangoes which is supposed to give this dish a tangy flavor was practically nonexistent. The mangoes were low quality and as I bit into them, realized that they lacked flavor. The coconut flavor was, however fine. The quality of the fish was also flakey. The dish may pass muster for Non-Indians especially the patrons they cater to, but I will not lie. This isn't cooked authentically. The Biryani was just okay. For reference, keep in mind that Biryani is a North Indian dish and the restaurant is obviously South Indian. So my expectations were low. For comparison, look for Hyderabadi or Pakistani Biryani. These are usually the best in my opinion. Overall, I believe that since the restaurant does not obtain enough constructive criticism from patrons and does not have a customer base in tune with the cuisine, they cut corners and realize it does not affect them. To me, this is disingenuous. As a fellow Keralite, I would ask management to consider the fact that they are exclusively representing this cuisine in the capital district (South Indian Non-Veg restaurants, let alone Kerala cuisine is extremely rare in the states). By this token, management needs to do a better job in food preparation and quality.

Now the service. The restaurant is small. Again, we noticed every patron was a middle aged white American. I guess this demographic covers about 95% of the people in the Saratoga area. Probably even more as I did not even spot a black person in the area. We were greeted by a young white female hostess who was just clearing the table. We were served jointly by another young white male waiter as well as a older Indian waiter (possibly Manager). We realized we were seated but never given menus. We had to ask for them as they totally neglected it. A middle age white couple walked in after us and they were greeted directly by the Indian Manager and seated with menus immediately and also got their water glasses filled. Ours were filled shortly afterwards. Our order was taken soon but the other couple got dibs. Their food also came first. The manager walked by that table and asked the couple how the food was and had a nice conversation. He walked over to us as well and simply asked "food ok?" as he was stepping away. Not stopped and looking us in the eye like he did with our fellow patrons. I realized they also didn't check on us enough to notice that my water glass was nearly empty. I had to ask for more water. That to me is one star service. Last straw was when we got the final bill to sign, which the female hostess brought, a pen was forgotten. Again, I had to call them over and ask. By the way, at this point, the white couple were already gone.

Sad to be treated in a substandard way by your own people. There were a few moments where I wished I were in an American restaurant nearby where we would be treated more...

Having visited many 'Indian restaurants' across USA , I am of the firm opinion that most of them serve a cuisine that does not cater to either Indians or Indian food lovers of USA. Over-usage of spices, brick-re colored curry to make it look authentic,cherry-picked menu from the lengths and breadths of the large Indian geography and very less regard for the local sensitivities like spice levels, vegan demands - I can go on.

And then, in a small town 180 miles north of New York city, I walk into a rather small restaurant with my kids, and we all come out saying "Wah!" .

Karavalli, located at Saratoga Springs in upstate NY is the best Indian restaurant that I have been to, there is no doubt to it.

Except the customary Chicken Tikka Masala, Karavalli's cuisine offerings focuses on the southern side of India. India being a vast country, 'Indian cuisine' is a very broad concept to serve to. But they have set their priorities and have paid justice to their decision.

The level to detail and personalization is very commendable. Spice and oil levels are maintained to fulfill the local aspirations, and usage of coconut base as an alternative to cream not just add a wonderful flavor to food, it makes vegans happy as well. There is no wonder in the fact that of the 40+ customers that we met while there, hardly 5 were Indians. yes, Karavalli is the right Indian restaurant for non-Indians.! :)

Very highly...

Crafted to perfection! Tried their Karavalli Martini, Chickpea Salad, Crispy Eggplant and Aviyal the first time, and was blown away! Every dish and the cocktail was OUT Of The WORLD! Fresh ingredients, in the right proportion. Had to go there again, and go I did. Tried the Aviyal again, their cocktail Namaste and a plain dosa, and was at a loss of words!

These are dishes I've had all my life at home and outside, and I am a pretty good cook myself. Yet, Karavalli beat them all hands down. The vegetables in the Aviyal were cooked just right, the gravy was flavourful and of the right consistency, and the colors too, were a treat to the eyes. The plain dosa tasted better than I've known, and the coconut and tomato chutneys (that are normally disappointing at most restaurants) were simply finger licking good! The fresh coconut oil tempering in all the dishes made it all the more delectable! Scooping out the last bit of every dish was very satisfying. To top it all, was great service!

Move to New Jersey, Karavalli! I would pay twice the money, and even be a...