Clay Oven Grill & Bar — Restaurant in Vacaville

Attending my friend's wedding i got to know about Clay Oven Grill and Bar since the food for the evening was catered by them.

Finger licking , lip smacking food served at its finest best. That would still be an understatement.

Started my first round with the appetizers which there was an array (a combination of vegetarian and non-vegetarian options) of, though i happened to pick the fish and paneer pakora along with the chicken tandoori pieces . The sauce that was served on the side had absolute amazing flavors written all over it.

The chicken tandoori had flavor undertones of being prepared in a tandoor which you could tell right away. Can't get any more authentic with the way it needs to be prepared. The pakoras had just the right amount of crisp and the taste with the spices used during the preparation added gold to glory. Pretty phenomenal. Picked up a cup of tea along the way (though there was filter coffee on offer too, which i happened to sip late in the evening and boy it turned to be just amazing) which had authenticity written all over it as it was neither too strong nor too mild and just the perfect taste as well.

Didn't stop at round 1 as my belly rumbled for more and round 2 had home run written all over it!!

A few events and a couple of hours later , dinner was served (eagerly awaited :) ). There were Dal Makhni , Butter Chicken , Goat curry (can't get over it) , a mixed veggie platter along with a couple different type of Naan options (namely plain and Garlic) with salad , green chutney (cilantro) and raita (yogurt with some finely sliced onions, spices and herbs) to enjoy.

I started with Goat curry and some garlic naan and you could tell that the chef/cook who would have prepared it knew what he was doing. At times when i have eaten goat curry at weddings/receptions/catered events, you get that smell from the cooked goat/lamb meat which at times can throw people off and there wasn't even the slightest of traces of that as my nose is pretty sensitive to these nitty-gritty nuances. The curry packed a punch and the meat fell off the bone with the slightest of nibbles which definitely made it an enjoyable experience rather than a tussle. Naans were perfect and just the right and not overwhelming which they can be during such large gatherings. Absolute measure of good quality control being administered!!

Next up for grab was butter chicken and i added some Dal makhni in a bowl along side and tasted the same with plain naan. The chicken had a very authentic flavor which was very different from a conventional butter chicken that you would get at any restaurant out there. This was more subtle though every chicken piece that i had was very tender and juicy (at times in the past i have had variations of butter chicken , where the chicken pieces become thick as rock and are a big turn off) and melted in the mouth at the first bite. The Dal makhni was laced with ghee and definitely the aroma was filling the air.

To top it rasmalai and carrot halwa were being served as the desserts for the evening. I happened to pick a couple of rasmalai pieces along with a big spoon of the halwa and the bar just kept getting raised to a new high!!!

The time that the team at Clay Oven would have spent preparing these dishes definitely showed in the output.

Serving this top notch quality food with an extremely humble and guest focussed crew wrapped up this special evening and must say kudos and great job to the folks at Clay Over Grill and Bar.

I would love to drive down to the restaurant some time soon and would recommend this over any other restaurant that you think would even be a close second, since if they could maintain such high quality with such a large gathering they definitely would do so and more in a scaled down and a restaurant setting.

So long!!

Review from our last visit on 05/27/24)

Google enforces a limit of characters in the review though I have detailed our last visit in my most recent Yelp review of the business.

An absolutely amazing experience that we will...

The Clay Oven - A Hidden Gem in Vacaville I recently visited The Clay Oven, an Indian restaurant located in the same parking lot as a Motel 6 in Vacaville. I'll admit I was initially hesitant about the location, but this unassuming spot turned out to be a hidden gem with delicious food and attentive service.

I dined on the patio on a rainy Friday evening. The patio was entirely empty, so I had the space all to myself. The restaurant had lit up the outdoor fire lamps, which provided warmth against the dreary weather. Soft Indian music played in the background, lending to a serene ambience.

I started with a mango lassi, which was thick and creamy with the perfect sweet-tart balance. For my entree, I ordered the chicken curry, which had tender pieces of chicken in a rich and savory tomato-based sauce. It looked more like masala to be honest. The garluc naan bread was freshly baked in the tandoor oven and arrived piping hot at my table. It was so buttery.

The service started off a bit shaky, with some confusion about my order. However, my server quickly corrected it and remained attentive throughout my meal, politely refilling my water and clearing plates efficiently. While the service needs some polishing, the staff was genuinely kind and eager to please.

Overall, The Clay Oven exceeded my expectations. The cooking techniques and flavors were clearly authentic and crafted with care. The ambience was calm and refined. And despite the unlikely location next to a motel, this restaurant is worth seeking out for exceptionally tasty Indian fare in Vacaville. It's a hidden gem amidst the ordinary. I'll definitely be back to further explore their...

I'm quite particular about Indian and Pakistani food, having grown up with it in South Asia, and this restaurant impressed me.

I expected nothing less, and the flavor was consistently present in every bite. I opted for one of their signature dishes, choosing chicken as my protein with a hint of coconut throughout. We also ordered the Fish Pakora, which was the best I've ever had, and it came with a side of chutney and a yogurtish-ranch flavored sauce. The portions were generous, although the prices may not necessarily reflect that, in a good way. My mom ordered the Saag but was not able to finish it due to its large serving size, and I had a similar experience with my dish. However, the naans were exceptional, one thing you cannot, should not, and must not mess up. While the customer service was somewhat lacking, I understand it may have been due to a busy atmosphere. Our waiter seemed overwhelmed, frequently disappearing for periods of time and requiring reminders to bring us boxes for our leftovers.

Overall experience and taste were the icing on the cake - scrumptious. I'd be back for seconds and will limit what I would order since their portions are humongous. They also had pistachio and mango ice cream for dessert, a sweet surprise, even though their menu didn't mention any desserts, which was strange. Lastly, they do serve HALAL for those of you out there, a cut above the rest. Just let them know before you place an order so they can make it HALAL just for you, a meaty...