Nikki's Chaat Café — Restaurant in South Lake Tahoe

This is THE BEST Indian restaurant my wife and I ever been too, and it's a shame we live so far that we cannot go there as often as we want. We went there on the weekend of July 4th and whenever I think about Indian food my wife and I salivate thinking about the food we had and the friendliness and exceptional customer service we got 😊.

As soon as we opened the door and looked inside, people greeted us with a warm smile just as friends would do. They seemed very genuine about our interest in picking a good meal for us, and once they heard we were both Vegan, they helped us learn more about the menu and even let us sit in while we weren't sure (even though we weren't thinking about eating yet, we were just walking around town) 👋😄.

Later in the day we decided to go for dinner at Nikkis Chaat Cafe and it was definitely one of our favorite parts of our trip, that my wife and still talk about how delicious the food was and amazing of a service.

Food was all made vegan, super clean and very rich in flavor. First the waitress came and served us, then the owner's husband came around me on the table to greet us and gently placed his left hand on my right shoulder until we started talked about various subjects related to his situation with running the restaurant during COVID, his attempt to go vegetarian but having to give in to the temptation of meat and praising his wife who is the owner and chef about sticking with a vegetarian lifestyle. Then his wife (the chef/owner) came by towards the end of our meal to say hi, very friendly lady and kind. Share shared a bit about her experience as a vegetarian and ended up sharing that she's been experimenting with some recipes including a VEGAN MANGO LASSI! Which I didn't even know it was a thing... she simply said "hang on, I'll bring you something for you to try..." and just talking about it already makes my mouth water 💦💦💦

If the owner is reading this, I own you a feedback on the Mango Lassi, so here it goes: It was absolutely delicious, the texture was perfect, the taste was just like the "real" one and even the smell is something I still remember to this day. I noticed the sugar level was a little on the higher end, which made me taste the tiny sugar cubs during some sips, so maybe playing more with the sugar levels would've changed my feedback a bit. Either way, I'd still have that same vegan mango lassi every single day of the week 😄

Overall, it was the most pleasant conversation I had with workers/owners at a restaurant EVER and the food was the best Indian food we've ever had! (I don't say this lightly as a couple who is constantly seeking for the best Indian food in the US)

Thank You for your service, friendliness, cleanness, kindness...

Food was very good. We are north Indians, and the review is according to it. Dahi puri, uttapam, vegetarian thali ($22) and it was very full plate, chole, mix vegetable, palak paneer, 2 butter roti, rice, extra roasted papad, a tikki, and sambhar. Sambhar was sweet (gujarati style). Masala tea with light sugar, it was good as well. We didnt like this much sweet but was acceptable. Good service, nice ambience, enough free parking. Pickle and chutney was provided but we didnt use it as we didnt need it actually. Nice hosts, came to us multiple times to ask about everything. We would definitely come here again. 4*.

Update [08/23/2019]: today we went for brunch. Ordered ala carta food instead of regular buffet...so there was huge delay in the order delivery (1) Chole Bhature: bhatura was good (4) but chola was bland... It was like they mixed boiled water with chola, no taste. (2) Dahi Puri - its delivered like bhalla papdi chaat where puri were fully submerged in dahi ... This is not the way dahi puri is made... 3 (3) vegetable chow mein : well it is not chow mein it was spaghetti Noddles prepared like chow mein... Very misleading...and then it was very salty, we raised the issue, they took it, and then served one correctly but then I realized it was the same Noddles which we complained. Seems they fixed the same one...it is not normal. (4) steel cutlery : fork and spoon was not clean, there was food stuck on it - really...where is quality check guys... So dinner food was good but brunch was disaster... Paid enough $$ without much taste... So from 4* to 2. If want to avoid, avoid Chole...Dahi puri... "Chole bhature" chola (if cooked in north Indian punjabi style) it should cooked black... And even gravy is very tasty, here in this restaurant, it is not good, not even 1. If there are 4 or more tables are full with guests, then please be patient because you can place the order but it may be delivered after 45-60mins of...

First of all, She took lot of orders that day and was unable to complete the order, and the waiting time was keep increasing. I ordered Matar paneer, Naan, roti & gulab jamun. Bread especially Naan is soft but on the other hand Matar paneer, it has spices but it was more like someone mixed tomato soup in matar paneer. Although I love Gulab jamun. It was really soft.

Reply to your Queries: What happened to you?? are you sick?? First of all, Abhishek is not my husband. Stop creating misunderstanding and I wrote what I have felt. It was your choice to take orders till 8:50 or 9 ish, not mine. I ordered at 8:30 and your restaurant closing time is 9. It was your wish to give us our order. We requested you to dine-in but you denied us. Although a lot of people were there for Dine-in. You got late because of Dine in not because of us. Secondly, ask your husband we asked him to cancel our order, he said if he won't able to deliver in next 5-10 mins he will refund but our order was small that's why it came else we were okay in canceling it. I wrote what I have felt. What do you want from us that I will write what I have not felt and what you want that wow you are awesome cook. you are the best in the world like this. I genuinely liked the bread and Gulab Jamun I wrote that. I seriously don't like Matar paneer, the gravy was more liquidy than normal Matar paneer, I felt like someone mixed tomato soup in it. If I have any grudges with you I might have written everything was bad however Did I write that?? No! you don't know how to take feedback. For every feedback, you are just arguing. Go Miss Have some Patience!! May God give you enough strength to handle small things. Think Twice...