Nimit Palace Indian Restaurant — Restaurant in Voorhees Township

To begin, if I were rating this restaurant purely on the food, I would give it at least 4 stars. It was fairly good. This review is not about the food, but eclectic and frankly dishonest service that ended up endangering a member of my family.

TLDR: The lack of care from the wait staff and their attempts to inflate the bill by tacking on unwanted items sent our party member to the emergency room with an allergic reaction. Even after being made aware of their nearly fatal error they made no serious attempt to resolve it and we paid the full bill.

Full story: When we arrived at the restaurant, the owner sat us down and convinced us to let him handpick our appetizers for us. Here we reminded him that a member of our party has a severe nut allergy. Additionally, we called ahead before arriving to confirm that it was a safe place for nut allergies. He affirmed to us that nothing on the menu had nuts and it wouldn’t be a worry.

When we got our appetizers, I noticed that all the items were actually entree items from the tandoori specials menu, all being significantly more expensive than the average appetizer. If we were to all order entrees after this, our bill would have been massive. The appetizers alone likely cost $70. The waiter(s) kept trying to goad us into ordering things that we didn’t want, and even when we denied these suggestions the unwanted dishes arrived anyway. This was when disaster struck.

The food runner brought out an extra order of naan that we did not place, and when he was asked to identify it, he incorrectly guessed that it was cheese naan. Our party member with the nut allergy took two bites and immediately started to have an allergic reaction. The waitress who placed this order, who I think was owner, was not made aware of the nut allergy from our other waiter. She came back and told us that the naan was filled with cashew paste. Ignoring the lack of communication between wait staff, we were given a false sense of security at the start of our meal when we were told that nothing on the menu had nuts. Additionally, because we didn’t order the item ourselves and it was incorrectly identified by the food runner, any safeguards we had to protect our allergic family member were breached. Not to mention, these “extras” that we denied were still charged to our bill.

We ended up having to leave immediately to take our family member to the emergency room, and the staff made no attempt to amend their nearly fatal error by comping at least some/all of our bill, especially the expensive “appetizers” and the naan that caused the reaction. It’s the least you can do when it is entirely your fault for putting a patron’s life in danger and incurring medical bills for their family.

If this restaurant just had normal service that respected the customer’s desires and made no attempts to force unwanted/premium dishes to inflate the bill then the quality of the food would speak for itself. What happened during our visit was extremely distasteful and frankly traumatic for our family and the owners...

One day all I had was two dollars and a penny to my name. I began to enter Nimit Palace and immediately staff had seen that I use a mobility device to move around so they kindly opened the door and welcomed me inside. The hostess was professional and helpful in making suggestions as to what Nimit Palace dishes were favorable amongst patrons. I divulged that I could not afford a meal and the hostess insisted that I try something. I was handed a menu which contained a variety of eclectic dishes featuring the use of various herbs and spices, cream-based sauces, and cheeses as well as traditional Vegan/Non-Vegan choices. The selection was not overwhelming for those new to foreign cuisine (which is nice); too many choices can be a turn-off at some of these spots. Glancing up from the menu I was given a bottle-water (no charge) And a special variety of Indian tea with ginger, milk, and some (not too much) spice. It was a definite pick-me-up! Once again, upon divulging I could not afford to eat a meal the kind lady insisted that I try an appetizer which in a matter of moments seemed to appear out-of-nowhere on the table before me fresh and hot from the kitchen. It was a sort of dumpling with various herbs/spices, potato, and peas encased in a flaky, croissant-type pastry. This was served with two varieties of sauce (brown & green); one sweet and smoky with slight heat and the other a more 'green-goddess' variety with an earthy, herbaceous flavor with slightly more heat. WOW! Truly a treat for local foodies and diners. Very dynamic taste for any palate; colorful in flavor with many layers and fulfilling for even a large appetite; breathe it all in! I was blessed to have all of this provided "on-the-house." Staff was hospitable and professional with a meticulously clean dining experience, culturally-relevant background music, and pristine dining area alongside facilities. I exclaimed toward the lovely hostess, "upon no such luck of finding a date; we are definitely eating here!" Thanks, Nimit Palace for your generosity, kindness, and understanding; for a guy just looking to earn an honest living and fueling me for the remainder of the day! Although having never traveled to India (my late grandfather Edward Thomas having supported Baptist Missions there) I feel there is an authentic, genuine portrayal of such a beautiful culture so rich in many ways toward us here Stateside that we should all try at least once...

I came here with a friend of mine—he highly recommended it and mentioned how cool the owner is and how focused they are on customer service. I was pleasantly surprised.

The service was great, the food was amazing, and the space had a clean, modern vibe with stylish decor. The atmosphere was fantastic.

Overall Ratings

Restaurant 5/5 Service 5/5 Food 5/5 Parking: Free

Atmosphere

The restaurant feels very open. The lighting and decor are thoughtfully done and truly impressive. Cleanliness also stood out—it was spotless.

Service

This place delivers five-star service at less than half the price. When they brought out new plates after we finished our appetizer, I was shocked—in the best way. Wow, wow, wow. And the owner lived up to everything my friend said—personable, friendly, and incredibly attentive. Since it was my first time, he even offered to play one of my favorite songs over the speaker. They genuinely make you feel like a guest in their home.

What We Ordered

-Chili Garlic Naan (Very good—not overly spicy at all. It’s more of a mild to medium heat, very manageable.) -Vegetable Samosa (Very fresh, perfectly cooked, and flavorful.) -Goat Curry (Absolutely delicious—not overly oily like at some other places.) -Chicken Tikka Masala (Another standout dish, rich and flavorful.)

Every dish blew me away. Everything was fresh and well-prepared. One note: if you don’t want any spice, order mild. If you want mild to medium heat, go with medium. They’re more than happy to accommodate your preference.

Final Thoughts

This is by far the BEST Indian restaurant I’ve been to in NJ. I just wish it was closer to where I live. I’d have no problem eating here every day—there are so many great options on the menu. At other Indian restaurants, I sometimes deal with heartburn or indigestion, but I didn’t experience that here at all. The service is amazing, the food is fantastic, and the space...