Sugandh Indian Restaurant & Bar — Restaurant in Millbrae

Oh. My. God. Stop the presses. Holy hello. This place is un-bloody-believable.. I pass this place hundreds of times, it's literally blocks from my house and I'd tried it years ago for a group lunch with my dance class (under different ownership), a Himalayan buffet, and was underwhelmed. It used to be lackluster. I grew up eating Indian food, my Mom drying chilies in the sun, making everything from scratch, meticulous and my Dad a chef in Indian restaurants, sister-in-law Hemalina, cooks Indian food extraordinaire, my husband raised in India--we are picky. And we know our Indian food. I'd honestly written this place off, but a colleague mentioned that he drives from S.F. to eat at Sugandh--it's a destination restaurant in Millbrae. Seriously. We figured we should give it second chance, and went in for a late lunch/early dinner. No reservation, and when we walked in, it looked like the place was deserted, the front empty, but as we walked to the back and were seated, a beautiful interior, warm wood bricks, colorfully painted with artwork and gorgeous copper lighting sconces on the walls. We sat in one of their booths and ordered 6 dishes: 1.Tandoori lamb chops (3 double chops and a triple 'rack of lamb' huge portion. 2. Garlic naan--fresh out of the tandoor oven, sprinkled with fresh garlic chopped and drizzled with butter and cilantro. 3. Chicken tikka masala--Chicken breast white meat in a tomato cream sauce with flecks of fenugreek. 4. Bhindi--okra perfection nirvana, chopped onions nicely browned with a symphony of spices all in balance and smoky tomato, charred. 5. Bengan Bhartha--smoky eggplant redolent of masala spicing mild. 6. Salmon pakora--this was a first, out of hundreds and I do mean hundreds of Indian restaurants later--we had salmon in chickpea flour--moist, fresh, tender perfection. Most pakoras use some form of white fish, which is okay but not as hard to do. Our second visit, I asked our server to put double the amount of methi ( funugreek, a spice with bitter undertones) in our chicken tikka masala and also raise the spiciness level up a notch--wasn't sure what to expect. Damn, did they ever deliver: perfection, smoky, layered flavors. This was a 5 star experience, and if Yelp had 10 stars, I'd in a heartbeat, crown it with 10 of those damn stars. FANTASTIC--the quality, the preparation, the freshness, the quantity, the service, I can wax rhapsodic on and on. They have three levels of heat: mild, medium, and spicy--the beauty of this place is even though we ordered everything "mild," they preserved all the complexity of spicing of the Indian dishes and managed to have flavors exploding in our while removing offending chilis and heat (my colon thanks you :-) This is exquisitely hard to do for Indian food: preserve flavor and complexity while removing heat. The service prompt and efficient, attentive, my husband's water class continually refilled without us asking for it. They were sincere and sweet, kind and generous. The price point btw., could not be more reasonable: huge portions for this quality..if they were in S.F. and had fancy marketing juggernaut, they'd be charging twice as much. See photos for the decor and food. Fyi: "Sugandh" in Hindi means...

Sungandh Indian Restaurant, tucked away in San Francisco, offers a nostalgic dining experience with a menu that truly delivers on flavor. I recently visited and, while the food was a definite highlight, the overall experience left me with mixed feelings about the restaurant's potential. Let's start with the stars of the show: the food. The Butter Chicken Masala was nothing short of amazing. The chicken was tender, and the sauce was a creamy, rich, and perfectly spiced dream. It's a dish that lives up to its reputation and is a must-try for any butter chicken enthusiast. Similarly, the Paneer Kadhai was outstanding. The paneer was soft and fresh, and the vibrant, aromatic sauce was packed with the right amount of heat and spices. Both dishes were clearly made with care and high-quality ingredients, showcasing a kitchen that knows its craft. Unfortunately, the culinary journey hit a slight snag with the Mango Lassi. It was, to be honest, a bit average. It lacked the rich, thick consistency and vibrant mango flavor I typically expect from a good lassi. It was drinkable, but it didn't quite complement the stellar main courses as I had hoped. The service was decent, though a little lackluster. Our server was kind and attentive enough to our basic needs, but the service felt more transactional than genuinely welcoming. There wasn't a strong sense of hospitality, which is often a key ingredient in a great dining experience. The most significant area for improvement, however, is the restaurant itself. Sungandh has a very old-school feel, and not in a charming, vintage way. The decor is dated, and the restaurant is in serious need of a refresh. More critically, the lack of a proper HVAC system was noticeable, making the interior feel stuffy and uncomfortable. A much-needed renovation could transform this place from a hidden gem with great food into a truly top-tier dining destination. In summary, Sungandh Indian Restaurant is a place you go for the food, particularly the exceptional butter chicken and paneer kadhai. The kitchen staff are clearly masters of their craft. However, be prepared for an experience that feels a bit rough around the edges. If they can invest in a much-needed facelift and elevate their service to match the quality of their cuisine, Sungandh has the potential to be one of the best Indian restaurants in San Francisco. Until then, it's a great spot for takeout or a casual, no-frills meal where the flavors are...

Feel like having some Indian food. Honestly found this place by accident being a Indian I'm so picky with the food that Indian restaurants give. I have to say this place wasn't that bad. I got my food Togo and it was packed nicely so no spills thank God. I ended up getting there butter chicken, garlic naan, tandoori chicken and chicken biryani. The butter chicken gravy was creamy as it should be it had the flavor of butter chicken but I still felt like it was missing a kick also it was a tad salty. The chicken pieces inside the butter chicken were not the traditional chicken pieces from a tandoori chicken that your supposed to use it basically was medium to small size chicken pieces sauteed in a frying pan and tossed with the butter chicken gravy. I give the dish a 5/10. Onward to the chicken biryani....um it was okay it has flavor but it was still missing that kick. Very simple dish nothing to special 5/10. The tandoori chicken was how do I put this nicely very very bland. No flavor at all looks like boiled chicken with a char seriously skip it 1/10. Garlic naan ugh the garlic naan was not fluffy and delicious at all. Literally looked like a flat CD that I could put in my CD player and it would start playing Bollywood music lol 3/10. Overall what I tried was okay I honestly think they might be better if I actually sit down and try there food along with other dishes they have so for now I give this place a 5/10. Cheers everyone. Will update if i ever have a chance to sit...