Saravanaa Bhavan — Restaurant in Stamford

Review of Saravanaa Bhavan in Stamford

Parking: there is street parking available nearby, the restaurant also offers limited parking spots behind the building. However, the driveway is quite cramped, making it a tight squeeze for larger vehicles.

Experience: We visited Saravanaa Bhavan as a group of ten on a busy Sunday evening. Despite the bustling atmosphere, we were immediately seated, which was impressive given the crowd. The restaurant was full, but they had sufficient staff to ensure that everyone was well taken care of, and service was prompt and attentive.

Food: The food at Saravanaa Bhavan did not disappoint. We absolutely loved the pongal, which was one of the best we’ve had and truly lived up to the restaurant’s reputation. The idli, however, was a bit hard and could have been softer. On the other hand, the sambhar vada and rasa vada were outstanding, offering rich and authentic flavors. The dosas were excellent as well, crispy and perfectly cooked. To top off our meal, we enjoyed the filter coffee, which was exceptional and a perfect end to our dining experience.

Ambiance: The ambiance at Saravanaa Bhavan brings a piece of Tamil Nadu to Stamford. For anyone from Tamil Nadu or those who appreciate South Indian cuisine, this restaurant is a must-visit. The authentic flavors and warm hospitality make it a standout spot.

Conclusion: Overall, we had a wonderful dining experience at Saravanaa Bhavan. The only downside was the idli, which could use some improvement. We hope they continue to maintain their high standards and expand their presence in Connecticut, particularly in the Hartford area. Saravanaa Bhavan is a gem for lovers of South Indian cuisine, and we look forward to...

We have been to this place three times and today was our last visit. We ordered Rasam Vada as appetizer every visit and ordered one of the Mysore masala dosa, Rava masala dosa, Uttapam, Chana Bhatura, Medu Vada, Ghee dosa, as main courses and filter coffee.

Only Rasam Vada was excellent while everything else is mediocre. All dishes came out luke warm but not piping hot. Dosas were soggy and Coconut/Tomato/Green coconut Chutneys lack flavor which the chefs must taste before serving. I would call them bland and lacking authentic Indianness. Add flavor and spices as American palate is now accustomed to our spice rack.

I ordered Rava masala (final trip 3/22) which takes longer to cook but it came out before normal masala dosa which is a mystery.

We ordered a Rasam Vada for takeout and the waiter said that we can’t order it as the Vada and Rasam can’t be separated. Bizarre.

Slow service and no once checks on you once food is served. Maybe the wait staff is not trained well or they are short staffed and can’t really do everything. Keep your expectations low.

Let’s talk about quantity: (1) Filter coffee is $4 and was shockingly less than 8oz. Starbucks coffee chain charges between $2-3 for a Tall. NOT Worth ordering. (2) The bowl in which Sambhar is served is so small which made me wonder if I was paying for the Sambhar and that dosa was the side dish. Dosas are 12.99-16.99 so buy a bigger bowl.

Conclusion: Try this place once, judge yourself but there are other places that offer more delicious food at similar prices. Maybe I am a picky eater but I ate at this place three times and the experience...

Hope my local friends here don’t strangle me for this review (trying to close down the restaurant). But I got to be honest. I’ve tried their food few times now. So some patterns have emerged.

1. Food does tend to go in spicy hot direction in general so order carefully. Few times (including tonight), I’ve felt acidity kicking in and I never have that complain otherwise. I think it’s combination of using too much oil and chillis. Don’t order chilli dosas/uttapam and chaas together. Chaas doesn’t save you its spicy by itself.
2. I think spiciness (hotness) overpowers any semblance of flavors. For me this needs to change. When spiciness comes, everything tastes the same - Quite a bummer then.
3. I think, being a new restaurant the owning staff will be better served by having table waitstaff member asking couple of times if everything is all right and if customer needs something (e.g. water or some other drink or something else). Once the habits set in, it would be hard to change them.

I think, they have a great cheerful, energetic staff which they can Mold properly to make a fantastic South Indian Restaurant...