Chutney Indian Restaurant — Restaurant in Columbia

We were meeting family in Columbia over dinner and randomly checked Google for a good restaurant. Chutney Indian caught my eye with reviews, photos, etc. We were all quite hungry and immediately got to the business of ordering food. The restaurant staff were very helpful, courteous and willing to walk us through the options. Being Indians, we were very comfortable with the items on the menu and did not need any explanation. However they helped size and pair our portions for a vegetarian and non-vegetarians - a feature usually expected in larger very expensive restaurants.

For appetizers we ordered Lamb Sheek Kabob and Alu Tikki Chat. For the main course we ordered Chicken Tikka Masala, Alu Gobi, Baigan Bharta, and Shrimp Curry with Naan, and Chappati. Rice was served with the entrees. We finished up with Gulab Jamun and Rasamalai.

Unfortunately, as I usually do, we were too hungry to take pictures and post them here. The appetizers were good fresh and tasty. The main course was very good as well. Usually I can tell if the food has been made relatively fresh or just microwave heated up. We were happy to note that the food was all fresh and the vegetables had the spices from the gravy well integrated. The prices were reasonable and items were served in a very timely manner with very friendly staff support.

In summary, we will certainly visit this restaurant again. It's a good one hour from where we live but in my mind it's worth the drive.

I hope this review helps. If it does, please click on the...

A great local spot for Indian Food. I've never been disappointed in approximately 10 visits.

Chutney doesn't really re-invent the mold for an Indian Restaurant that does buffet lunch and menu items for dinner, but they sure do a great job of making sure the customer service is exemplary and they execute the concept perfectly.

Buffet lunch at Chutney is a really nice treat in the middle of the work week. You really can't beat the value and their selection is usually comprised of the most-popular menu items. You will always find an attentive wait staff checking to make sure you have enough Naan and topping your drinks off. One time my girlfriend went by herself and the wait staff just gave her a free Mango Lassi because she was eating by herself and they felt bad she was by herself (even though she loves doing this). She loves telling this story because the Mango Lassi is her drink-equivalent of comfort food and that little bit of thought made her day when she was running errands. It just lets you know they really are making sure every table is being taken care of properly.

For dinner, their prices are a little more real-world, with a substantial dinner for two usually costing north of $50-$60 before tip with no drinks. This is normal though, and you should be able to find some time to hit the spot when they are doing buffet service for lunch. Just don't be surprised if you go there for dinner and it isn't the lunch service...

The staff made us feel as though we were part of the family. The restaurant was extremely clean and had a fantastic ambiance. I started out with the Daal Soup and my wife ordered Paneer Pakora for an appetizer. Both were fantastic. For dinner my wife had the Lamb Shahi Korma. The lamb was tender and succulent but my wife was even more impressed by the Butter Lamb Gravy it came with. She said I could just give her a spoon and she'll just eat it by itself.

I had the Chicken Vindaloo. I've had this dish several times before and at first thought it was very delicious....and then I got a bit of the fresh, shredded ginger root. That was a brilliant addition. The ginger took the spiciness in the curry to an entirely different level. While I was feasting on the vindaloo, the owner came out with some Dal Shorva (Lentil soup). He said that, while the Daal soup is good, in India they never eat it just as a soup so he wanted me to try it the way it really was meant to be tasted. Hats off to him, it was fantastic.

As I said in the beginning, the staff was incredibly friendly. I truly felt like I was part of the family. It's the type of treatment we typically only ever find at Korean restaurants and I was highly impressed. This will definitely be our go to for Indian food in the future. I only regret that I didn't take...