Karam Restaurant — Restaurant in City of Schenectady

If I could give this place 6 stars, I would. Get ready for a long review...

It may be that since I expanded my palate into Indian subcontinental cuisine at Sitar in Colonie close to two decades ago, that's the way I think that food is supposed to taste. Sure, Shalimar, Karavalli, Aashiana, Lazeez, etc. all have tasty dishes, but they're not quite at the level of what Sitar offered. Ok, why am I discussing Sitar? Well, Munna and Raj run the Karam Restaurant. Those guys were the chefs at Sitar (and later at Zaika). If you were in distress like I was about never being able to taste those amazing dishes once Sitar (and earlier Zaika) closed, you can relax. It's just as good as it was at Sitar! Better yet, since you're ordering directly from the chefs, you can get things customized to your taste. Like spicy (or not)? You can get spicy (or not). Don't like something in an otherwise awesome dish? They'll happily modify an ingredient for you.

The restaurant entrance is on the side of the building on Willow, not the grocery store entrance on State. Look for the red awning with handwriting on it. Street parking was readily available on Willow.

It is primarily a takeout place, but there are a few tables and chairs for those who wish to eat there. A group of 4 would fit comfortably. A group of 8 would need to use every chair in the place and possibly sit in two groups on either side of a doorway.

The prices are so low compared to those at Sitar and Zaika that everything seems to be a la carte. If you want sauces with samosas, you'll have to ask for them. If you want rice with your entree, you'll have to ask for it. I really don't mind doing this since I end up paying for exactly what I want rather than overpaying for a dish to have things come with it that I may not want to eat.

Don't limit yourself to the printed menu. Many things that were offered at Sitar and Zaika are available. Just ask for them. For instance, some of my favorites like Malai Kofta, Palak Panner, Mattar Panner, and Reshmi Masala are absolutely available.

Regardless of what the posted hours say, they're closed every Tuesday and don't expect them to stay open right up until 10pm if it isn't busy on other days. Also expect them to close by 8pm during Ramadan (April/May).

Shout out to Sonny, the former Sitar manager and Zaika owner, who is a manager at Delmonico's these days. Go visit him there when you're in the mood for steak and whatever else they offer and thank him for recommending that people try Karam if they miss the Sitar and...

Location is average. Small shop on the side.

5 Stars before change in management 2019

Before 2019: Food was of the highest quality and best in the Capital Region for Middle Eastern culture. Price was reflective, and price was equal to value. Chicken Tikka Masala was top notch, authentic, high volume and well made. Special Naan is original and full of taste. All items are fresh and made with experience and knowledge of industry.

Staff was friendly and courteous. If you do anything in the Capital Region, go here for a taste of true authentic food.

(Updated fall of 2019) This review has been changed from 5 star to 3 star due to change in ownership and cooks. I now receive half the size of portions for food orders and customer service is not equal to prior management. I have stopped going here since it’s price to value ratio...

I put in an order for food for 300 people and paid in advance $1,600. I checked in on the order several times to make sure they knew there needed to be enough for 300 people. On the night of the event, they delivered only a few trays, barely enough for 25 people. We tried to contact them at the time but there was no answer. As a result, 30 pizzas had to be ordered. This was extremely embarrassing and inconvenient as this food was for people breaking their Ramadan fast. When contacted the next day, Karam said they provided enough food for 300 people! They have lost our trust and please think twice before...