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Aditi Indian Kitchen
Category: Restaurants Indian Indian [Edit]
50 Massachusetts Ave NE(at N Capitol St)
Washington, DC 20002
(202) 682-0304
- Nearest Transit:
-
Union Station Metro Station (Red)
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
31 reviews for Aditi Indian Kitchen
Review Highlights
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"...down in the food court of Union station, this place makes..." In 3 reviews -
"I had the chicken Korma and the veggie dumplings." In 6 reviews -
"...have a sweet tooth, the Mango Lassi is refreshing, and the..." In 4 reviews
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31 reviews in English
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Review from Dominique F.
Arlington, VA
3/8/2012
Always come here for their vegetarian samosas which are pretty delicious. My coworker always goes for the regular sized plates which are cheap and filling.
And everytime he's satisfied.
I honestly think it's a really good indian place for a foodcourt.Listed in: Eating out in DC!
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Review from Nancy H.
Irvine, CA
4/28/2012 1 Check-in Here
Great little place in the food court! Loved the chicken tikka and curry!!! Very tender....has just the right amount of spiciness...and loads of flavor! Decent price for what you get, compared to the other contenders in that sensory-overloaded place. The reason for only 3 stars is the uncooked rice and subpar naan...which makes it difficult to enjoy the deliciousness of the meat dishes and sauce! :( Anyway, based on my experiences with rice in DC restaurants (see review for Jaleo)....I'm starting to think maybe uncooked rice is the trend here in the east coast...
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Review from Patrick M.
Washington, DC
4/27/2012
It's fine. Not great or even very good, just fine. It is what you would expect from an Indian place in a basement food court.
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Review from Juan G.
Waldorf, MD
9/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
Located in Union Station.......in the food court
Pretty cheap.......for Union Station......for $7 you get two choice plus rice (either boiled or seasoned) and bread........ good amount of food.....and the choice vary often.........
Everything i had was good.....just kind of oily......
I love Indian food and this places was a solid spot, not great just solid.....I only come here because my mom likes it........
I had the chicken Korma and the veggie dumplings......best thing was the rice.....
I'm sure ill be back but only because my mom works nearby and like this place...... -
Review from James P.
Boston, MA
1/30/2012 1 Check-in Here
Awesome food, even more awesome price. Whenever I ate there the deal was two entrees, rice, bread, and a drink for only $6.95. The chicken was definitely fresh and recently hand-sliced, the rice was cooked just right, and the sauce was the perfect amount of spicy. Even better were the people who were extremely nice. It was cash only and when I discovered I only had my card, they were friendly enough to let me eat first before I had to run to the ATM. Best food court restaurant experience I've ever had, by far.
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Review from Hideki K.
6/17/2011
I couldn't find the Potbelly Sandwiches inside Union Station, so settled on Aditi Indian Kitchen.
The gf and I tried the 3 entree combo (Chicken Korma, Chicken & Spinach, and Eggplant) along with Samosas (these were decent). The food here wasn't so good. It felt like the McDonald's of Indian food. I wish we found the Potbelly's inside Union Station. I'm still wanting to try the chain. I'm glad to hear that they will be opening up two stores in NYC (in Midtown East and in FiDi). -
Review from James C.
Alexandria, VA
10/11/2011
I've tried this place 3-4 times. Two stars is generous. I've had some food here that's pretty good, some pretty terrible. It's spicy for a food court Indian place (which I consider a good thing). The biryani I tried was average, the vindaloo was decent, chicken tikka masala was... bad. They're just not very good or very consistent, and the people working there don't seem to care and aren't friendly.
I think next time I'm in the mood for Indian food I'll just go to the "Indiroll" street food cart outside Union Station (near where Chipotle is). I've only tried it once so far but besides being fresh and delicious, the people there are genuinely nice and excited to explain what they have.
Also CASH ONLY. -
Review from Elizabeth S.
Arlington, VA
9/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
Not the greatest Indian food but not the best either. However, I LOVE the rice here. For some reason it tastes really good to me (its probably just my preference) but I would go here just to eat the rice. The chicken curry isn't spicy but the chicken is pretty good. Don't really like the other entrees they offer so I usually just get the spanich garbonzo beans. Good for quick Indian food.
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Review from Manoj Kumar P.
Edison, NJ
8/14/2011
Nice and authentic indian food with a very very good pricing. $7 can buy you 2 entrees with white rice and bread on side. Good for touring people or people in transit, who want to have a wholesome indian bite.
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Review from Jason H.
Washington, DC
2/19/2009
The naan is made out of rubber, the rice is mush, and they only take cash. What.
You can't expect much from a food court station, but this place apparently has a full restaurant in Georgetown by the same name, which is probably bad for their business there. If they improved the quality of the rice and the naan, it might be considered awesome by food court standards.
Some of the entrees lack consistency---the chicken korma and saag dishes can be hit or miss miss miss.
The best dish is the chicken tikka masala which is actually pretty good and well-spiced. The next best choice is the chicken curry.
If you're starved, the portion sizes for the price you pay will compensate. And also the fact that there isn't any decent Indian place within walking distance might bump it up to 2.5. -
Review from rebecca m.
Alexandria, VA
11/16/2007
I was absolutely disgusted by this place. Not that I am an indian food connoisseur by any stretch of the imagination- but mushy rice and bland sauces do not usually equate to a pleasurable dining experience.
The price was right though- I had two vegetable samosas (which were palatable), the two dish combo (chicken tiki masala- which tasted like chunks of chicken chargrilled and covered in a tasteless red sauhces, and yellow chicken curry- which tasted like chunks of chicken covered in a spicy yellow goo), and a diet coke for $10.78.
Don't let the line/crowds in front fool you. For I was once fooled.
PS- the naan tastes and looks like they bought a giant piece and hacked it in to pita chip size bits. -
Review from Andy T.
Tampa, FL
10/1/2010 5 Check-ins Here
As the food hunter's adage goes, when you see an ethnic restaurant heavily solicited by people of that specific ethnicity, it's probably pretty good.
Same goes for Aditi's. Have been here multiple times due to its convenience and relatively reasonable pricing. Reminded me of the Indian fast food spots at grand central in NYC.
Chicken saag is overall good, although the last time I was there it was a little limp and overcooked (ie. it was more like chicken soggy). They are also a bit stingy with the naan and their rice is a little buttery.
However, their spicy chicken tikka, mango lassi, papadum, and samosas are consistently impressive. They also serve beer, which is really nice to sip with the spicy papadum after a long day.
Their service is fast and the people that work there are extremely friendly. Make sure you have cash on you -- they don't accept credit. -
Review from JulieJuli A.
New York, NY
3/4/2010
Julie
So I was in DC for the day and rushing to catch an earlier Acela. Didn't happen so I decided to grab a bite even though I wasn't hungry. So off to the foodcourt and who the hell would write a review about a foodcourt spot. But this spot was surprisingly good.
Lunch special for $6.95 included 2 entrees, rice and naan bread. I went with the chicken tikka. Chicken was tender and sauce was just right and not overpowering. Excellent. 2nd entree was the beef (ground beef) and potato in a nice spicy sauce. Never had this before and wow..... Delicious. Naan bread wasn't all that and bordered on being a pita.. Rice was not the indian thin type but more like reg white rice. Minus -1 STAR for bread and rice...
What a nice surprise. -
Review from Lanie L.
6/24/2011
After making several rounds of the vast food court, I decided that not only Aditi was a safer choice for my stomach and diet, but also looked tastier.
I got a combo lunch plate plus side of coke. I got the rice, vegetable entree, and eggplant entree.
Styrofoam cup? check. globs of food scooped onto my plate? check. cash only? check. overpriced? oh yeah.
Sitting down, my two companions have already started eating their small bowls of gelato since they made their decision the first time walking around. I heartily scoop into my meal and eat.
It was..not terrible. I was hungry so it tasted good. However, the spice started kicking in and I was surprised how spicy it was given that it was a pre-made entree sitting out in steaming trays.
I couldn't finish the plate. The texture was overwhelming and it didn't look appetizing anymore. I downed my coke to get rid of the spiciness. I felt like I ate 2 tablespoons of oil.
There was a lot of food on the plate though, so if you're REALLY that hungry and desperate, this is a good deal. But I needed something fresher, lighter, and healthier. Aditi is a step up from the majority of the other food joints in the food court, but not by much.Listed in: DC for political junkies
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Review from Neal E.
Had lunch here earlier this week while waiting for the Acela Express train at Union Station.
Aditi is located in the food court located in the lower level of Union Station. As others have stated - please be aware - they only accept cash!
I love really spicy Indian food, but I have to order it prepared that way to get it, so I was prepared for some Indian food that was a bit milder. I ordered a plate of a chicken-spinach dish with a nice bite of curry to it - and a vegetable curried dish, served with rice and Naan.
Not a fan of their Naan, but I thought the two Indian dishes were tasty for food court Indian food offerings! Their was just enough heat in the dish to appease me - but not really hot. Lots of good flavor going on. Rice was not mushy.
NOTE: A word to the wise, eating with one hand, with plastic tableware, while one arm is in a sling, can result in interesting outcomes. I got the plastic fork temporarily caught/snagged in the styrofoam plate - and as I attempted to release it, tension was introduced into the fork, and when it released and snapped back like a catapult, it released a small splattering of curry sauce all over my polo shirt. Water and napkins don't remove curry sauce. I could not wait to get to New York and to my hotel so I could change shirts! -
Review from Hallie S.
Washington, DC
10/3/2011
Delicious Indian food, abundant portions, extremely reasonable prices! Don't be put off by the "cafeteria style" plating, the food is always hot and fresh.
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Review from jenelle w.
Washington, DC
6/22/2007
This place is great! Don't be discouraged by the fact that it's in the food court at union station. I think it's the perfect place to stop off at on the way home from work when I'm not looking forward to what's waiting in my fridge at home. From work it's a straight shot on the orange/blue line for me to get home, but lately I've been more than willing to transfer to the red line and stop at union station to get a meal here.
The portions are large, which is great because that means leftovers/midnight snack. And the prices are reasonable. They usually have about 8 entree items to choose from that they switch up regularly. You get 2 entree items, rice, and bread for about $6 or $7. They also have some deserts and lassi. Lately I've been getting the chicken korma, some spinach dish (can't remember the name), and a mango lassi. A great Indian dinner without having to go out to a restaurant!
A few weeks ago I went all out and got my Indian food, then a slice of strawberry cheesecake from another spot in the food court, went upstairs to the wine shop and got a bottle of vino, and took my happy *ss home. It was great. -
Review from Mikkela T.
11/3/2007
Although this restaurant is one of the counters down in the food court of Union station, this place makes great Indian food. When I worked nearby, I would eat lunch here for a well under $10. And I got both rice and a piece of pillowy naan. Yum.
The food court is really noisy, and it's not about atmosphere down in the bowels of Union station... but the food is good. -
Review from Allison D.
Frederick, MD
9/1/2010
I don't know what happened to this place. They used to have pretty decent food; at least four stars for a food court restaurant. I used to eat here anytime I was in the vicinity of Union Station around lunchtime. The quality of the food has gone WAY downhill from a couple of years ago. I'm guessing they must have changed owners since then because it's completely different all the way down to the flimsy Styrofoam plate.
The basmati used to be light and fluffy (sometimes you'd even find a cardamom pod!) The rice that they serve you now isn't even basmati-it's regular old sticky, clumpy white rice with some kind of buttery flavoring stirred in to boot. You used to get two nice, big pieces of naan to mop up the thick sauces. Now the tikka masala is thin and oily and doesn't even stick to the bread which has been reduced to flat, chewy, little strips. The chicken in the tikka masala used to consist of tender chunks; now I find myself spitting out at least one hunk because it's grisly or some other weird consistency. The mango lassi is OK, but without much mango flavor anymore. I've never had their samosas or other fried snacks.
It's around $7.50 (cash only) for two sides with a mountain of rice and two little strips of naan and lately I end up eating only half of it. I noticed that they also now charge 30 cents extra for to-go containers. After being so consistently disappointed lately, I think I'm finally done. I'll probably stick with Kabuki sushi if I have to eat at the Union Station food court. -
Review from Robert S.
Washington, DC
7/10/2010
Until 5pm today, I had not eaten at this place since a few snowy days in January. I had 35-45 minutes to kill, as we were not allowed to enter Metro because of delays.
"What am I gonna do until then?" I asked myself as I made my way inside Union Station. "Oh, yeah. I haven't eaten since yesterday. I might as well attempt to keep alive and have a nibble."
The food court in Union Station blows, by the way. I suppose I could have had a croissant (mmm) from the main level, or even a slice of pizza, but I ran into Aditi. I vaguely remembered what my experience was like - but any experience is likely to suck in that really poor, cafeteria-style dungeon known as said "Food Court."
On your styrofoam plate, you get two sides (when I say sides, I literally mean sides - the white rice takes up half the plate - but the sides are piled on), and a half plate of white rice (not basmati). Considering this is more of a fast food type of set up, it's not a big deal. You also receive two pieces of naan, which tastes more like flavorless store-bought pita bread. I ordered the chana saag, and the (spicy) eggplant. Additionally, I ordered two vegetable samosas (I figured, "Why not?"). Total was $9.83. Cash only, fyi.
The eggplant was not as spicy as I had hoped. It was more broth/liquid than eggplant or anything my teeth could grind. And the chana saag was mediocre, but not bad at all. The rice was soggy. And the naan sucked. The vegetable samosas were okay at best.
Halfway through my meal, I thought, "Hmmm...I'm disappointed. This somewhat blows."
In sum, you kind of receive what you'd expect from any food court you can find in most other places. If you have other options available to you, go for it. In the mean time, this place is meh. -
Review from Allison S.
Washington, DC
8/18/2010
It probably sounds crazy but this is the best Indian food I've had so far in DC (don't go to White Tiger!) The chicken curries are always yummy, the biryanis are delicate, the lassis are perfection and the cauliflower is always great. I've heard the goat curries (only served one day a week) are excellent as well (from an Indian friend!) It's not cheap but I almost always get 2 meals out of the biryani + curry + veg.
The to go containers are bigger but they now charge $.30 for them.
CASH ONLY! -
Review from Will L.
McLean, VA
5/22/2009
My favourite Indian place in DC, hands down. So it's in a food court and you can't really "eat in" and there's no waiter service. But the food is very good and for the price, it's actually Grrrrr-reat! Actually I think the food here is better than any other Indian place I've been to in the area, even the fancy restaurants (of which I admittedly haven't been to many of). It's seasoned and spicy and downright delicious.
The servings are large, there's a good variety of tasty dishes (both meat and veg) to pick from, staff are friendly and they carry a decent variety of bottled sodas (they once had Pennsylvania Dutch Birch Beer but the last time they didn't - but had Stewart's Ginger Beer instead).
I wish there was a place like this nearby where I lived or worked or in between instead of over by Union Station.
Cash only. -
Review from Yule K.
1/14/2011
I went to the Union Station Food Court today to have lunch with a friend. He wanted to go to Aditi Indian Kitchen, and, not too thrilled with the other options, decided to get food with him. I had been to Aditi Indian Kitchen before, both here and the one in Grand Central in New York (I guess they found a niche serving curries in mass transit hubs), and I find this chain to be consistently one of the better places to eat in the Food Court. Obviously, this isn't Rasika, so don't expect Haute Bengali cuisine, but the food isn't overtly Americanized either. The korma isn't saccharine, the paneer isn't gloopy, the curries have heat, and everything seems generally well prepared. Also, because Indian cuisine often involve stews and braises, they tend to stand up better to the constant low heat of chafing dishes, and thus tends to be a better option in general when you are a food court. Of course, I doubt this is quintessentially "Indian" cuisine (they do serve chicken tikka masala...which is to Anglicized Indian Cuisine what General Tso's Chicken is to Americanized Chinese Cuisine), but neither is Rasika, and if you throw ideas of authenticity out of the window, you can get a satisfying meal.
Today, I ordered the Chicken Biryani, the Channa Paneer (Chickpeas and Creamed Spinach) and a Chicken Coconut Curry. My friend ordered the same. I was actually caught off guard by the heat and had to take a sip a of water to quell it. I am not sure whether this is a symptom of me no longer eating as much Korean food as I used to or whether my age has decreased my heat resistance, but my tolerance for spiciness has declined precipitously. Perhaps, this is also a symptom of getting spicier dishes in general from restaurants; it might be the case that hey are no longer concerned about appealing to a preconceived notion of what Americans like and instead realize that most Americans crave food as spicy as those prepared traditionally at home. I remember a time when a "spicy" order of anything involved a ladleful of ketchup glaze poured over an entree. Now, especially with the broadening of the American palate to include more exotic flavors (and flavor in general), I find "spicy" entrees to be legitimately piquant and flavorful.
Generally, the Paneer was good (though no better than creamed spinach you can get anywhere else, say a Boston Market for example), Chicken Coconut Curry nice and spicy, and the Biryani well seasoned and pretty flavorful. The bread (roti, perhaps...it didn't seem like naan) was a little limp and soggy, but edible enough. Service was quick and efficient. -
Review from Robert S.
Central Point, OR
Tasty, spicy, skimpy on the naan, tikka masala not creamy enough. Quick.
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Review from Jim U.
The food at the Union Station food court ranges from the disappointing to the inedible. Aditi is among the former. Their dinner special involves selecting 2 entrees and comes with rice and bread (drinks are extra). Passing through a very short line, I ordered the chicken tikka masala and their dal. The masala was uninteresting, but passable. There was plenty of chicken, but the quality was not the highest and the flavors failed to permeate. The dal was a runny mess though I did manage to get a decent taste of the lentils. The rice was old and clumpy, and the bread was spongy. In a pinch, it will serve as a quick meal, but it is regrettable Indian food overall. Avoid.
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Review from Julie P.
Washington, DC
11/24/2009
Best deal in town -- 2 samosas for $2! I get the brown and green sauce. UMMM!
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Review from Matthew M.
San Francisco, CA
1/30/2008
This one of my reliable lunch backups. Nothing fancy, just generous heaps of Northern Indian cuisine. The two-item special with rice and naan is more than sufficient (I usually go for Chicken Korma or Tikka Masala and either Daal or Chana Saag), and costs under $8. If you have a sweet tooth, the Mango Lassi is refreshing, and the Gulab Jamun (honey-dipped donut holes) are a nice indulgence.
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Review from Ari B.
Washington, DC
Updated - 11/15/2010
They were inept when it came to understanding my order; I got food poisoning from the papa-dam and samosas after I boarded my train! if youre waiting around in Union Station for your train and have a craving for Indian Food, just hold out a little longer to you get home- it's worth avoiding this.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/11/2010
They were inept when it came to understanding my order; I got food poisoning from the papa-dam and… Read more »
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Review from TkdElf H.
Washington, DC
11/22/2010
The lunch special options come from a short list of solid Indian favorites (saag paneer, chicken vindaloo, paneer makhani, chicken korma). Two curries, two quarters of naan, rice, and a small salad is a good size and prettily presented lunch - not too big or too small - for $8.95. The food was good, but there is nothing at all that makes it special or interesting.
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Review from A-dogg S.
Washington, DC
7/29/2008
If this wasn't amongst the awful union station food court its more like a 3 star place. However, its a diamond in the rough. Pretty good chicken dishes and a lot of food (if you're into that thing) for about 7-10 dollars. All the chickens and the biryani are pretty good. It also usually has shorter lines than the other restaurants in Union Station (which are mostly terrible). The people who work there are pretty cool too. Good choice for fast food indian if you're in the Union Station area.
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Review from Maria N.
Herndon, VA
7/15/2010
For a food-court, fast-food place, the food here is good. It presents the challenge of what to order, since it's all good. The food is adequately spicy, and the portions are big. There are a variety of breads to choose from.
