Grains Indian Cuisine — Restaurant in Lansing Charter Township

Quite a shocking and disappointing experience at this restaurant. Aside from the poor quality of food, I was also misled by their staff. Over the phone, I was assured that their Tandoori Chicken was made in a traditional Indian tandoor, prepared by a designated tandoori chef, and free from added coloring. Trusting this, I placed a takeout order for Tandoori Chicken.

To my disappointment, the chicken arrived with the same artificial red coloring that other local Indian restaurants use. At least those restaurants are honest about it. When I questioned their employee, she insisted it was Kashmiri Lal Mirch (Kashmiri red chili powder). I’ve been cooking authentic Indian food for over 30 years, often with Kashmiri Lal Mirch, and it has never produced that artificial red shade.

The chicken itself was the worst tandoori chicken I’ve ever had—dry, bland, and lacking any authentic tandoori flavor. The pieces were also small and unappetizing. To make matters worse, they provided a so-called “chicken tikka sauce,” which was clearly butter chicken curry with two pieces of chicken in it. Who serves tandoori chicken with butter chicken curry? On top of that, they added boiled cauliflower and potatoes, which is unheard of being served as a side with tandoori chicken.

They also claimed their chef was Punjabi, but no Punjabi chef would make or serve tandoori chicken this way. Their menu is nearly identical to that of other Indian restaurants in Lansing, offering nothing unique.

What bothers me most is their dishonesty. They can mislead people unfamiliar with Indian food, but not someone like me who knows what authentic Indian cooking tastes like. This was my first and last visit. They’ve completely...

My husband and I stopped on during opening week with our two daughters (7 and 3). We ordered Chicken Tikka Masala, Chicken Biryani, Chicken Chettinadu, Garlic Naan, drinks (including mango juice for the youngest). Our server Sam was wonderful, answered all of our questions, had suggestions (and she was even shocked that our girls were pleased with their selections).

We ordered the Tikka Masala mild-medium, and it was the perfect blend of spice with that warming effect you get from a comforting meal. The Chettinadu on the spicy-side. My comfort with the spice was exceeded, but my husband had no problem finishing the entire bowl. The Biryani had a great blend of flavors (although it was a bit much for the palate of a child who almost solely consumes Mac n Cheese, chicken nuggets and hotdogs…trust me, it’s not for lack of trying). But our 7yo was more than happy to wrap up pieces of Chicken Tikka with rice and sauce in the naan.

We didn’t really even notice the slower pace of service as we were so busy enjoying the food already on our table, but Sam still felt the need to apologize and offer desserts for our patience. The rice pudding was subtly flavored, with the perfect amount of sweet to finish off a meal. And our daughters loved the brownie (7yo was really hoping for kulfi, but was ok with the swap when promised we would return again).

The prices are reasonable, and the portions more than adequate for sharing (we had plenty leftover to take home…with my husband planning to continue enjoying for lunch tomorrow morning).

Very glad to have something new on this...

We recently dined here and had a mixed experience. The service and hospitality were excellent—the staff was friendly and the ambiance created a warm, welcoming atmosphere.

However, the food quality fell short of expectations. We ordered the Hara Bhara Kabab, which unfortunately did not resemble the traditional preparation. It seemed to consist mainly of potatoes, lacking the spinach and green peas that typically define this dish. Additionally, it was served without the usual green chutney, which made the experience a bit disappointing since we had to eat it plain with just a little sauce on top.

On the positive side, the main course was enjoyable—the gravy was flavorful and spicy, and both the naan and kulcha were well-prepared.

Overall, while the staff and ambiance make this a pleasant place to visit, I do hope the food quality is given more attention. I’d definitely return for the service, but I sincerely hope to see improvements in the consistency and authenticity...