DESI TADKA INDIAN RESTAURANT - ALABAMA — Restaurant in Hoover

This is a great place and yet another hidden pearl within the misleading strip mall (see Perfect Note), with the atmosphere inside causing you to think you were actually in a restaurant located somewhere else entirely.

The food is delicious and is provided in (my opinion) substantial portions; lots of common dishes you'd expect from Indian restaurants around town, with a few unique offerings as well (e.g., Achari Fish, which is fantastic btw).

As far as service is concerned, it's accommodating, welcoming and polite; but if I had to make one criticism, it would involve there being a bit of pushiness to it. When a patron makes a menu selection, it's a bit too forward to tell them that they would like a different pairing much better, unless of course they ask for suggestions. Additionally, I understand that the restaurant is fairly new to the location, but that shouldn't warrant multiple requests to submit Google reviews (from each person in the party) right then and there. A single ask, with a please included, should be sufficient, as the great atmosphere, food and service combined will take care of the heavy lifting in those reviews themselves. (The aggressiveness of the repeated asks while my girlfriend and I simply wanted to have a relaxing meal was a tremendous turnoff.)

Overall, I think this place has promise - the location is conveniently positioned near other restaurants in the immediate area, offering a different cuisine and more options for the hungry patron, the food can stand on its own, and the value for it vs. the service received (minus the over-aggressiveness/excitement) is appreciated. I'll definitely return for a second try and to sample some other dishes, but I think I may wait a bit, until they've had a chance to settle in and the urgency of getting the word out has...

I went to a “soft opening” of the restaurant and you could tell the place was new. That being said the food was absolutely fantastic I’d never had Indian food before this my server had realized I ate a piece of the paan poori wrong (I had just picked one up and dipped in the sauce haha) he came over and politely explained how the custom way to eat it was with the water and the sauce pooled into it and once I did that it was marvelous. For my main coarse I had the mutton korma and I honestly almost ordered a second bowl it was so good. The only problem I had with service was they didn’t ask us what we’d like to drink we had to bring it up. The atmosphere was pretty boring the music was very quiet staff seemed shy and unsure what to do but at the same time seemed bored so they were kind of hovering but I get it it’s slow in the afternoon. The other thing is the menus they should make them one book like other places instead of three separate sheets and if there are two people at a table bring more than one menu. Also for those of us like me how don’t know much about the cuisine a brief description of what each item is and has in it would be nice especially for those like my dad with dairy allergies. Also put the sodas on the drink menu and keep the water bottles chilled and the refills should be listed as charged and maybe a little cheaper 3 dollars per drink is steep for 2 of us getting 2 drinks each cost about a quarter of our total bill. Small suggestions as they are can make a big difference in the overall experience. All in all I will be coming back and I can’t wait to see how the official...

We recently visited this Desi Tadka Indian restaurant - Hoover for lunch and had an incredible experience from start to finish! The ambience is warm, inviting, and beautifully decorated with Indian artwork, giving it an authentic and cultural charm. It truly felt like a little piece of India right here!

Although the restaurant offers both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options, we are strict vegetarians, and we were so impressed with the wide variety of vegetarian dishes on the menu.

From the moment we entered, Paresh and his team greeted us with such warmth and hospitality. They were patient, courteous, and took their time to help us with our order — we really appreciated that.

We tried:

Paneer Tikka Tandoor – So soft, juicy, and perfectly spiced. The paneer was incredibly tender and delicious.

Watermelon Mojito – Cool, refreshing, and just the right sweetness.

Buttermilk – Classic and satisfying.

Gongura Biryani & Baby Corn Biryani – Both had excellent flavors and unique spice profiles.

Paneer Butter Masala – Creamy, rich, and packed with flavor.

And the Heart-Shaped Chilli Garlic Naan – The absolute highlight! Soft, flavorful, and so unique — especially the spicy version.

💯 We give this restaurant a solid 5 out of 5! Highly recommended to anyone — especially vegetarians — looking for authentic Indian flavors, amazing hospitality, and a cultural dining experience.

✨ Best wishes to Paresh and Mayur and their team! Keep up the...