India Garden — Restaurant in Lakewood

I am in love. L-O-V-E....this little diamond in the rough has won my heart, my stomach and my attention. Recently renovated, this place is ever so cute. An added patio, new flooring and some fresh paint.....this place is bursting with character. I love it! Nestled off Detroit Rd between two buildings, you could easily miss it. SO KEEP AN EYE OUT.

The owner/manager of this place is lively and full of energy. Friendly, inviting and goes out of his way to make sure you are satisfied. His positive attitude was absolutely infectious and his customer service skills are top notch. The place is clean, updated and gives you a good feeling inside....and I ain't just talking about how you feel after you eat. I wanted to sit here for hours and just relax.

The lunch buffet with a ton of selections for only $10.50? YES PLEASE! Featuring at least 4 VEGAN dishes, several vegetarian and plenty of meat lovers dishes....anyone can find something to love here. Here is a breakdown of everything I tried on the buffet:

1. The Naan here is to die for. I mean, I am not sure what they do....but, I am certain they add crack to this stuff. It is fluffy and chewy and just plain mmmmmm. Dip this stuff in their plum sauce and you have a foodasm folks. Plain and simple.

2. Mango ChickenCcurry. Wow, what a perfect blend of spices and sweet. I love the subtle mango flavor in this dish....and that curry adds the kick it needs. Tender and juicy dark meat make this saucy dish so very flavorful.

3. Tandoori Chicken. I always laugh when I see this stuff.....because it looks fake. That beautiful red color makes the chicken look like the stuff you'd get in the kids play grocery carts. But don't let the appearance fool you. Full of flavor and very juicy, this grilled Indian chicken dish is bursting with a sweet flavor.

4. Cabbage and Peas. Seems simple right? NO WAY. This dish was bursting with flavor. AND it was vegan. The cabbage was cooked perfectly. Not too squishy nor too hard. The peas were plump and al dente....not mushy like baby food. And the spice? It was nice and spicy....YES. Perfection!

5. Baingan Bhartha. This stuff is like mashed potatoes. But better because it is eggplant. A beautiful texture and flavor, this stuff doesn't disappoint. The subtle onion and Indian spices really make this dish awesome. Not quite a soup and not quite mashed potato consistency. I loved the texture of this stuff. One of my hands down favorites. This stuff was vegan as well.

6. Chicken Tikka Masala. O-M-G! This was my favorite of all the of chicken options. The creamy orange colored sauce and the juicy chicken in this dish were off the charts. I could eat this by the bowl full. It was AMAZING!

This place is my new favorite Indian joint. I am super stoked to come back for another lunch...

I stopped at India Garden for the first time today. I was hungry, driving home to make some pasta, when I saw the lunch buffet signage. I'm not one to pass up a buffet, and I've only been in Lakewood a few months so I haven't checked everything out yet. I thought I'd give it a shot.

Let me tell you, the food was delicious! By no means am I a connoisseur of Indian food. I've been to about 5 different places in the Cleveland area, a lunch buffet in Charleston, WV, and I had a housemate from India that cooked for everyone at Diwali. I really have to say, this is the best Indian food I've ever had!

There were plenty of options to sample; I was able to try a little of almost everything. The tikka masala... I could have gotten a whole bowl of just that! The chickpea salad and hot and sour pickles (green mango w/ spices) were different and delicious. The tamarind chutney was sweet, and the mint chutney was refreshing and spicy! If you're worried about things being too hot, everything was about 1-2 spice level. I'm not the biggest fan of heat, but it was bearable for me! For reference, I love Pad Thai and get it at a 3, and usually give up halfway. If you like your food spicier, I'm sure Ram, the server, will be happy to accommodate you!

Speaking of service, Ram and Joe were great. The restaurant is intimate, I liked the music, and it was nice and cool, not that it's been very hot lately. I know I caught them right at the end of service (I showed up around 2:00-- the place was cleared by the time I was done), but they didn't give it a second thought. Ram offered me some of his personally made "very spicy" mint chutney, but I politely declined, as I wasn't feeling that adventurous today. We had a nice chat, I met the cook (Mantram, I think?), and it was just a lovely experience!

I gotta say, I think I made the best lunch decision I've ever made by stopping there! I was pleasantly surprised...

I've spent my whole life eating Indian food. I grew up on Indian food. I love Indian food and this is the best traditional Indian food I've ever eaten. I've become something of a regular at this wonderful sit down restaurant and cannot recommend it enough. They serve northern Indian food here primarily while their sister restaurant - Namaste India Garden - specialises in southern Indian food. The staff is very friendly and attentive, you won't be waiting long for anything. The decor is pleasant but not distracting. You can smell the food from outside and it'll make your mouth water.

Appetizers include traditional Samosas as well as deep fried shrimp and a number of other foods - get the vegetable sample platter for a great introduction to them.

The entrees include MANY vegetarian options and most dishes are gluten free. My personal favorites are the Curry, Tikka Masala, Vindaloo, and Rogan Josh. Most have options for different meats including chicken, lamb and goat. The lamb is absolutely phenomenal but they're all delicious, you can't go wrong with any menu choice. Each entree is fairly large, expect leftovers and expect to share as each is served in a family style. While every entree is fantastic, burning your mouth with spiciness is not. I eat lots of spicy food, I cook with habaneros and I won't go above a 7 on spiciness but I like to taste my food.

Rice comes with the entrees but I highly encourage you to get naan with your meal. The garlic naan is the best but if you're unfamiliar with naan order the bread basket for a selection of three different kinds: traditional, garlic and, potato stuffed.

I very rarely write reviews but such a spectacular place deserves the recognition. If you're on the fence about going to India Garden, it's one of the best restaurants you'll find around Cleveland - I can assure...