Indian Flame — Restaurant in Town of North Greenbush

Based on all of the excellent reviews, we decided to drive out to Wynantskill and give Indian Flame a try. Arriving just before noon, my wife and I were greeted cordially at the door and offered our choice of tables in their amply sized dining room, as only two tables were occupied. The walls were decorated with oversized Indian-style prints, very bright, festive and eye-catching. Although simply furnished, I felt the atmosphere was warm and inviting, largely from the greeting we received and the service during the meal.

We decided to try the buffet, partially because of the positive reviews and partially because it gave us the opportunity to sample a variety of their dishes. As a vegetarian, there were more than a sufficient number of choices, totalling about five, plus two desserts. I was disappointed that there wasn't a paneer fish available, but there were adequate choices. We each tried all vegetarian dishes, and one of the desserts.

Unfortunately, for us, the food itself did not meet our expectations based on the reviews. First, everything was lukewarm. Considering the restaurant opened at 11:30 am, less than 30 minutes before our arrival, we were expecting hot food. Second, everything was bland. The vegetable biryani was largely white rice with pockets of cooked vegetables that added color. It wasn't even mixed together to provide a uniform color or flavor. Indian cuisine can be so flavorful and varied, even if the spiciness is toned down. These dishes, although all different, had a sameness to them. None had any flavors that stood out, and there was absolutely no spicy heat at all. Even the halwa I had got dessert had nothing going on except a little sweetness.

On a positive note, the butter Naan seemed pretty fresh. Definitely not reheated, like I've had at some other places. Also, service was friendly and just the right level of attentive.

Even for Americanized Indian food, I felt cheated by what was served. Lukewarm and flavorless, there are a lot of choices closer to us that are more authentic and demonstrate better care in preparation/presentation.

We might back one more time to order something from the menu, but I doubt it. Too bad, as we really wanted to...

Originally they did not have a buffet so we would get three dishes and split between the two of us for two or three meals. As they have the buffet now, we typically go to lunch [embarrassed to say] times a week. We have food sensitivities and they are good at making accommodations (if ordering off the menu). Buffet has a description of the dishes noting if they are gluten/dairy/nut free, etc. When ordering off the menu, you can actually ask for light, med, hot spice...even with vindaloo and chettinad, which I never knew was an option as no other restaurant had ever offered the option before. That's always been my issue with those, I don't want to just eat to be in pain with the heat, I'd like to taste the flavors and getting either dish in medium is perfect for me. We always get either a madras coffee (like a latte) or a chai tea. Rice is always perfect, naan is one of my favorites. Seating is comfortable with booths and tables. Take out is easy. Staff is always very nice! Pricing is very reasonable especially with the quality. Food always is fresh. We haven't needed them but they do catering quite often also. Highly recommend Indian Flame and are thrilled to have them close by! They're only 10 minutes from downtown Troy, HVCC, and Rensselaer Tech Park. Yes, it's on the other side of the river but it's really not that hard to get to (I'm from the other side but now live here and I know many people think that crossing over the Hudson is like a major trek). Parking is very easy. Decent lot in front of strip mall (same plaza as Family Dollar, Okinawa and Saududee Thai). There's also a large lot to the side of Okinawa (behind the gas station), which is large enough for a truck pulling a trailer too (even an...

Wonderful little spot. We love Indian food, know all of the spots in Albany, and was glad to see that this establishment punches above its weight. Samosas were delicious, with the bubbles in the pastry you'd expect to see along with tender, creamy aloo. Pakora was expertly seasoned, easily the best I've had in the area. Curries were delicious, and India Hot as requested; Chef might thicken the sauces a bit, as we want to eat every last drop since they're seasoned so well, and needed to fetch spoons. Naan was aromatic, soft, and hot, definitely some of the best in area. Overall very pleased, eager to return, and will bring other curry-heads to see what a hip town Wynantskill is turning into. Shukriyaa!!

Also, and this really leaning into it, but I was pleased to see our order had the ticket stapled to it, where each item was checked off the punch-list. It's a small thing, but easily 1 in 3 online orders had something missing. I'm a fan of good management, and this was...