Downtown Dhaba — Restaurant in Westwood

Indian cuisine located in the heart of the downtown business district adjacent to a public parking lot.

Environment/Ambiance- I must say the decor and upper scale and modern chic look is what sells the place for me. Love the dark tones theme and elements which tries to tie everything together. The chairs are one thing that is conspicuously off and a mismatch. They need to replace them. Simple and minimalist clean look.

Service- I was welcomed by the manager and he seemed friendly. He asked one of his waiters to seat me. I had recognized the waiter from another restaurant he had worked at earlier. He recognized me as well. Once I told the manager and staff that I am a foodie and informal and unofficial reviewer, they seemed a bit standoffish, reserved at first. Once I showed them my pics and other reviews they warmed up. Overall, the staff and manager were professional and glad to assist the customers.

Food-

Pakora was okay and "standard issue," flavor and consistency.

The fried okra was heightened to tastier and visually appealing levels.

The grilled Tandoori wings were "meh"...nothing distinctive and marinated with too much pepper.

The Tandoori Tiger Prawns were good, and could have been a meal on its own. This was the best of all the dishes I tasted here.

Tandoori nan with dried raisins was moist and soft and balanced out the heat and spices of the tandoori BBQ prawns and lamb curry.

The lamb curry dish tasted like a hack job. They bought out the dish even before I had barely finished ordering the dish. The gravy was too watery and I was told that it was a popular dish.

They don't have many choices for end-of-meal treats. I chose the standard Ras Malai. It tasted "standard" and lacked the richness and "decadence".

The menu was basic and all too familiar "usual suspects" dishes. They could have added some distinctive and unique "only here" dishes. The team could also work on their food presentation and visual appeal factor. They should take a page from Junoon (high-end and upscale Indian restaurant in Manhattan) and raise the bar in several categories...

The first time we went to Downtown Dhaba the restaurant had just had it’s grand opening. We dropped in for a last minute mid-week lunch. While I generally do not like the buffets, we decided to stay. It was great. They offered Buttered Chicken their signature dish,Tandoori grilled Chicken, Salad, assorted Chutneys, Fish Aamwala, Dal Tadka and more on the buffet. All were excellent. They also make sure to give each table Roti, which I used to scoop up every last drop of the delicious spices found in all their sauces. Today we went back for a planned lunch. It was just as good if not better than the first time. This time they had Chicken Tikka Masala instead of the Butter Chicken but it was just as good. The Chai was a way to keep warm on a day like today and was very taste though it took a little while to get since they made it fresh. The service was friendly and attentive. Our host, Kishore, recognized us and went out of his way to ensure we had a welcoming experience. Decor was warm...

I would love to leave a better rating, because the food was excellent, but the service lacked. Here’s why: my friend and I came in early, about 5:30. While looking at the menu, we were approached by at least 3 different servers asking if we were ready to order. We ordered an appetizer to start, which came out surprisingly fast, and were immediately asked to order our entrees. Same waiters came by repeatedly during the appetizer to ask if everything was ok. As soon as they cleared the appetizer, a server was waiting with our entrees to put them on the table. During dinner, another barrage of servers came by for various reasons, interrupting both our meal and our conversation. It was an annoying and stressful experience and it was evident we were being rushed. I’m writing this because the food was exceptional, and I’d like to see them succeed. I hope they’ll use my comments to make the dining experience more pleasant for the customers. I’m hesitant to return except...