I-80 Dhaba — Restaurant in Grinnell

Last week, we drove down to I-80 Dhaba on a Sunday afternoon for lunch. We had heard a couple of positive reviews about this place, and wanted to try out. The restaurant is located in the small town of Grinnell off I-80. There is ample parking. Restaurant is clean and spacious. Nice simple ambience. It's more of a Self-Service restaurant, where you order at the counter, they give you a fob with a number, and when the order is ready, the fob vibrates and you pick up your order.

The staff member - Happy (Kushal) helped us out with the order. Nice person, nice attitude with a great smile. Initially, we ordered Garlic Naans, Bullet Naan, Kadai Paneer, I80 Dhaba Dal (Dal Makhani). The Naans were soft, delicious and hot. Both the Entrees were amazing. We hadn't experienced this kind of authentic North-Indian taste in a long while at a restaurant. It took us back to memories of Restaurant visits in Punjab and Delhi. The spice, taste, aroma and quantity - all were perfect. We also ordered Tawa Roti (Phulka). They were also amazing. Nice, soft and fluffy. Warm and neatly done.

The Masala Tea is also a must-try here. Really worth it.

Next, we ordered Veg. Biryani. This was little disappointing. It was more like a Veg Fried rice. It was missing the Biryani masala, which is the key ingredient. We also ordered Paneer Butter Masala for Take-Out. Back home, when we tasted Paneer Butter Masala, we were not disappointed. Awesome taste. Nice amount of spice and paneer cubes in it.

The chef - Yashpal - had prepared all these Entrees and naans exceptionally well - with great taste. They need to work on the Biryanis.

It's just been 1.5 months since it started. I'm sure they will improve. As we were having food, we could notice several take-out orders. So, they are busy.

Quantity is sufficient. Price is not as expensive as other Indian restaurants in the DSM Metro area. Taste is amazing. So, if you would like to eat authentic North-Indian food, this is the place to go. The only sad part is - it is a 1-Hr drive from Des Moines. So, you need to plan ahead for eating at this restaurant.

The Management (Vikas / Sushil) - please think of opening a branch in Des Moines / Waukee / West Des Moines / Urbandale / Johnston or...

I’m from Ankeny and I jump at the chance to try new Indian restaurants. And this was no exception — and it was fantastic! The service was fast, friendly , and the restaurant was clean and comfortable.

The samosa chaat was crunchy and flavorful, and the sauce perfectly oniony. The butter chicken was rich, and my personal favorite, the vegetable korma, was amazing. Rich, thick, flavorful, with plenty of vegetables. The lassi was a generous portion and the masala chai was a great way to end my meal.

Everything on the menu, as far as I can tell, is vegetarian. Not being a vegetarian myself I didn’t realize this at first, but their beyond meat selections are fantastic. There was no experience lost by not having animal protein.

I will mention: everything on this menu is a la carte. It does not come with rice or naan, so make sure to buy it alongside your meal.

For a starter, 2 entrees, 2 sides, and 2 speciality drinks, I paid $55. And had plenty to take home. I’ll be coming...

Amazing food. This truly is an amazing Indian restaurant. We live in Des Moines and drove an hour to Grinnell to dine here after hearing great reviews from friends who had visited before. The place is spacious, clean, and has a pleasant, cute ambiance. We had Samosa Chaat and Paneer Tikka for appetizers, and they were absolutely delicious. The Paneer Tikka had an authentic tandoor flavor, and the mint chutney and tamarind dipping sauce were very flavorful. For the main course, we ordered naan, tandoori roti, and vegetable makhani. The breads were super fresh and soft. We opted for medium spice on the curry, but it might have been even better with more heat; nevertheless, we enjoyed it. After our meal, my husband and I debated whether to try their masala chai, and it turned out to be the best decision ever. Overall, it was a wonderful experience with friendly staff, delicious food, and a clean, cute ambiance. We will definitely...