We have company coming from New Delhi later this month. They have expressed a wish to try Indian, Thai and Ethiopian food while they are here. They are doing the tourist bit and they said that by the time they get to DC, they will have had enough of non-Indian food which is why they want some Indian cuisine.

Would the Indians on this board recommend Rasika? I see all these rave reviews but they seem to be mostly from non-Indians. I am sure the ambiance is great but how is the food? Is it the usual Westernized version we see in the more upscale Indian restaurants? I have been to Haandi and despite the positive reviews, I don't care for it.

Another recommendation for Jaipur!

Anonymous wrote:We have loved Raaga off Rt. 7 for years.

Finally! i am reading all these reviews about Haandi, and I am surprised! i did not like Haandi - at all!!! but love Raaga. food is so much better

Shakthi South Asian Cuisine in Del Ray!

Here is another recommendation .... a place we found yesterday.

It is called Kerala Cafe and is located in Gaithersburg. It serves food from Kerala - a state in South India - and has a uniquely different flavor from what you find in most restaurants in the DC area that are focused on North Indian food.

I would not call it a hole in the wall by any means but it is not upscale either. When we went yesterday, it was fairly crowded but you did not have to wait to be seated. They have a buffet - which most people select since it has a huge variety and is only $11.95 at weekends. The only typically North Indian items I saw were tandoori chicken and butter chicken. Everything else - about 30 dishes were from Kerala.

Clientele were all Indians - we saw one white family - and appeared to be mostly from Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka.

It is authentic Kerala food. There are other typically Kerala dishes also available a la carte whch we did not order since we selected the buffet.

I'm a South Indian vegetarian and my favorite place is Woodlands in Langley Park Md. Otherwise, I just cook at home.

We have loved Raaga off Rt. 7 for years.

What do Indians think of Delhi Dhaba and Delhi Club in Arlington? Those have been my go-tos for years.

American of Indian origin here. Indian food is very different in different regions. Most Indian restaurants are North Indian food. I am South Indian and love Amma's, Woodlands and used to like Minerva but haven't been in a long time.

I hate Haandi. I don't know why but Americans love it. I prefer Curry Mantra in the area for North Indian food.

I think most of the times I find only a few good dishes in every restaurant. Not everything is great everywhere - even in the best Indian restaurants. However, I have found most Americans like vegetarian curries at the restaurants more than Indian do - because we make MUCH MUCH MUCH better vegetarian food at home. I have yet to eat a well made Paalak Paneer in any restaurant. Infact even the Raitas are messed up for some strange reason - why? I do not know.

My Sri Lankan husband is very picky about Paalak Paneer and really likes it Passage to India in Bethesda. When we go there he just eats that and gets his other food to go...

Indian here, and a foodie. I rarely venture out for Indian food just because we cook it every day at home. But if I were to make a trek, here is where I would go:

-Ammas in Vienna, VA: Consistently good, fresh South Indian vegetarian food. Don't go in the evening, go for lunch. I know all of the Indians will echo the sentiment that most Indian restaurants have fresher food during the day than in the evening-just my personal experience.

-Kalpasi in Herndon, VA: Herndon has more Indian restaurants in a 2-3 mile radius than any other place in the DC Metro area. Kalpasi is fairly new to the scene, but what I have had has been fresh and tasty so far. My advice is to go sooner rather than later, before the quality of this restaurant goes downhill like all of the other places in Herndon/Ashburn have.

-Bombay Tandoor in Vienna, VA: Go for the lunch buffet. Consistently good food.

-Ravi Kabob in Arlington VA: Really good kabobs.

-Angeethi in Herndon, VA: really good North Indian food, and dinner is consistently good here.

Happy eating!!

Anonymous wrote:Nova - Saravana Palace near wegmans. we looooove it but haven't been since baby because we're in DC and it's just too far.....sigh...

just to add on - we also LOVE Rasika but more because the food is fantastic not because it's Indian food. When we really want Indian, we go to Saravana Palace. And more often than not, we're the only non-Indian people there. omg now I want some

Nova - Saravana Palace near wegmans. we looooove it but haven't been since baby because we're in DC and it's just too far.....sigh...

Anonymous wrote:

Charcoal Kebab in Herndon for some of the freshest and tastiest kebabs ...... this is Afghani more than Indian

BTW, we went to Charcoal Kebab today for lunch. As good as ever though not classic Indian food. No buffet and it is served on styrofoam plates.

Mmmm... Chickpeas, chickpeas, chickpeas! Been going here since 99 when we lived in Herndon. Now that we live in Vienna, I still get take away from time to time. Will have to go before the week is out, now!

The Woodlands owners also own Jewel of Infia.