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Anmol Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants Indian Restaurants Pakistani Indian, Pakistani [Edit]
711 W Historic Mitchell StMilwaukee, WI 53204
Neighborhood: Historic Mitchell Street
(414) 672-7878
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 11 am - 9 pm
Fri-Sat 11 am - 10 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
19 reviews for Anmol Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"I've tried the chicken makhani and the garlic naan." In 3 reviews -
"...place has the best chicken biryani next to another great..." In 5 reviews -
"I've had take out from Anmol a few times and have..." In 4 reviews
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19 reviews in English
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Review from Joanna T.
Updated - 5/22/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Oh Anmol, how I love you....from your grubby dining room to your inconsistent (but still friendly) service. I dream about your biriyani and chana dal...
We've been making Anmol a regular stop lately and the food has never been anything short of excellent. They don't skimp on the spices either - I'm forever picking whole cardamom, cloves, bay leaves etc out of the biriyani which is the best I've ever had. I feel like you're either going to love Anmol or hate it.
You'll love it:
*If you like Indian and Middle Eastern and want to try something in that ballpark
*You're a meat eater (see below). They are proud that all meat served here is Halal and that their chickens are hand fed by Amish. I'm serious.
*You like hole in the wall, cheap, slightly sketchy places
*You aren't bothered by somewhat awkward service, takeout menus standing in for the real thing or a complete lack of atmosphere
*If you go regularly - it seems like they warm up to you after a few visits.
*You want something completely unique. Brains masala? They've got it.
You'll hate it if:
*You're on a date. They've replaced the "100% stains" carpet for wood floors recently but if Milwaukee had a contest for the Least Romantic Restaurant, Anmol would be a finalist.
*You are a vegetarian. Hate is a strong word but there's only a few veggie choices here as most Pakistani dishes are meat based.
*A little grubbiness freaks you out. I've never had any "issues" after eating here (unlike, for example, a upmarket spot that rhymes with "Naxie's")
I'll leave you with this...I'm not a leftovers person. I dutifully take them home, let them sit in the fridge for a week or so and then quietly dump them. Recently, I spent a whole day at work daydreaming about my Anmol leftovers...and then my sister came by and invited me out for dinner. I almost cried - seriously. It's that good.Listed in: Anno Centum, Why I'm Fat - Cheap Ass…, Subcontinental Delights
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/3/2011
Wow - today a miracle occurred at Anmol. Hubs is not an Indo-Pak food fan, but like the good man he… Read more »
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Review from Brian M.
4/12/2012 4 Check-ins Here
Sometimes is pays to be nice...
The wife really, really, really loves Indo-Pak food, and I have always resisted giving it a fair shake, so as a favor to her, I agreed to try Anmol. I am not a fan of curry; sorry, I've tried it, but I just can't get past the smell. I always thought that Pakistani food was the same as Indian food. Little did I realize the huge differences. I'm a meat-eater of the highest order and have now discovered the glory that is Pakistani food. We've been here three times now, and every time I discover a new favorite. So far, the Chicken Biyrani, Bihrnai Kabob, and the Chicken 65 have been my favs. We always order twice the amount we need so we can have leftovers. The Garlic Naan is the most awesome, garlic drenched, soft and chewy of all the Naans I have tried in Milwaukee.
Mango Lassi = Liquid Health.
If only the service was a tad better, and the carpet didn't look like a crime scene, I would give it 5 starts. Seriously, replace the carpet. It is harboring more DNA than the Jacuzzis at the Sybaris.Listed in: 100 Reviews in 2012…
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Review from Sadie T.
3/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
My mouse hovered between 3 and 4 stars for many minutes before I began the typing of this review. In truth, I was swayed by peer pressure to give this place an extra star that it did not earn during my Saturday visit. Thus, in the end, I just cannot bring myself past 3 stars.
The atmosphere: this place is not even putting the effort in to aspire to be a hole in the wall. Besides being very plain and decor-less, the carpet is a true health hazard. It is totally soaked and mushy (and it was a 70 degree day outside, no rain). It appeared as though Anmol DOES NOT OWN A VACUUM cleaner. This is a serious turn off. Additionally, at one point (before our food came out) our waiter moved two sopping wet floor rugs, did not wash his hands, and continued filing water and serving food.
The waiter: was very nice, but slow and clearly inexperienced. His finger nails had dirt under them. He did offer menu suggestions. He was responsive when we hailed him down and asked for something specific. But, as you will read below, delivery times were a huge issue:
Tthe food: was good. Solid. My socks remained on my feet (not blown off). I had the palak paneer at the suggestion of the server. I cannot compare it to other restaurant palak paneer, but it was good, and a generous portion for the price. Boyfriend had a mutton masala with lentils. He said it was okay, but only the meat had flavor, the lentils and sauce were bland. Thanks to the Yelp community, we knew to order rice on the side! One order is more than enough to share.
We ordered the vegetable biryani rice at the server's suggestion. I asked if it was vegetarian. He didn't know for certain if a meat stock was used (point of information for carnivores: meat stock is NOT vegetarian. Don't get me started on online recipes that say they are veg and then call for chicken stock). Anyway, he went and checked in the kitchen and came back and said it was meatless.
We also both ordered mango lassis.
Our food arrived probably 15 minutes later. A piece of pork protruded from the vegetarian rice. I pointed this out. He apologized and took the rice back.
We waited. Our food began to cool. We ate some but it needed rice (sorry to all those Pakistani food fans, I am just not ready for the deep end yet!). 5 minutes later our white rice arrived. Now, I know how long it takes to cook rice. So, as it did not take 25 minutes, I know this rice had just been stored in the kitchen--so why not get it for me immediately?!
We commenced eating. Twenty or so minutes later when we had nearly finished our meals, our lassis arrived. Yup.
In short, I shall not return to Anmol until I have experienced all other Indian offerings in Milwaukee. I can't rule it out for the entire future, but I did not feel as though the food was any better than Mayura or Maharaja, where there are cleaner carpets. Dirt under a server's nails and sopping carpets touched by waitstaff warrants a 0 star experience. If they are totally okay with servers being dirty, I wonder what the back is like, where no customers can see. -
Review from Ami R.
Madison, WI
12/7/2011
I was introduced to Anmol by my Pakistani boyfriend. I think the reason we are still together is that he introduced me to this wonderful restaurant and continues to take me back! I have always enjoyed Indian food but the Pakistani food from Anmol puts all other restaurants to shame. We just ate take out tonight My favorite dish is the Palak Paneer. It is so creamy and flavorful. The spinach is just yummy. We also had the Tandoori chicken which was incredibly moist and quite spicy. It tasted great with the raita. The mutton biryani was very flavorful and the meat was especially tender. My boyfriend is not a big fan of spicy foods so this was his dish of choice. We shared an order of naan which was soft and delicious. It tasted so fresh.
The servings are very generous so we had plenty of leftovers. The food is reasonably priced. The space is nothing to look at but the food is so good you won't even notice.
I truly appreciate the consistent quality of the food served at Anmol. How many times have you eaten somewhere, had a great meal, returned and were sorely disappointed. Anmol is tried and true.
My goal is to eat my way through the whole menu. -
Review from Tarah D.
Oakland, CA
12/10/2011
We came here after another Indian place we tried to visit was closed, so we yelped the next closest one. Overall a good experience, but an overall 3 stars. The cons: not a lot if vegetarian options- extremely few, in fact.
-The somosas were really tiny and were made of a dough more like samboosas (Ethiopian), and not spectacular.
-The pakora was pretty bland.
-But the palak paneer was pretty good
-as was the garlic and plain naan- the naan is light and fluffy and tasty.
-the chai tea was also pretty good
We were the only people there for a while, but the service was fine (despite a yelp complaint otherwise). There was an older guy who came over a couple of times to make sure things were good and our waiter was good.
We might come here again for palak paneer, but with the limited vegetarian options, it feels unlikely. But a place worth visiting for a try- especially for meat-eaters. -
Review from Karrie M.
Milwaukee, WI
12/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Oh how I want to give 5 stars for the food - the chicken makhani is one of the - if not THE - best Indian dishes I have ever eaten. I mean, seriously. If I knew how to make this, or if Anmol was just across the street from me instead of that Burger King, I would be in big, BIG trouble. It's just that good. Go - go get it. Hurry!
Why not 5 stars? Because, although I would urge you again and again to go to Anmol (chicken makhani, chicken makhani, chicken makhani), the service is definitely spotty at times. Maybe even occasionally less than spotty. Depends on the customer load. When my boyfriend and I were one of 3 couples in there, they did fine. When the place was full, they were like fish out of water. There didn't seem to be any plan in place for what to do with a full customer load, and the service suffered drastically.
I know a full house is a good thing for Anmol, so I hate to take a star away for its negative effect on our experience, but I think it can be fixed. I'll go back soon, and hopefully add the +1.
But, don't forget the chicken makhani :) -
Review from Sricharan M.
Milwaukee, WI
4/15/2012
If you are a meat lover and like some spice, this is the place for you. This is as authentic as it gets for meat dishes from the subcontinent. Go here for the food, not the ambience or the service.
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Review from Zouyan L.
I've had take out from Anmol a few times and have thoroughly enjoyed the food each time. Last night, I wanted to check the place out in person.
They may get more business at a different location, but I think they rely on regular customers and those in the know, and there's a good reason for this.
The food was delicious. Perfectly spiced with very generous portions. We initially just ordered a couple dishes, but kind of kept going as everything sounded delicious. Per Sona B, the chicken makhani was the best, not that the biryani and mutton korma were anything buy awesome.
My girlfriend was also excited about the Qeema Samosas. They were smaller than what I expected, crispy skin. The filling was so flavorful. Just wait for them to cool right out of the fryer... otherwise... you may just taste the burning of your own tongue. -
Review from Francis D.
Milwaukee, WI
9/12/2011 1 photo
I've tried the chicken makhani and the garlic naan. I'm still at the point where when I return, it's the only thing I want to get... I forget to order rice, but who cares? The stuff is so absolutely delicious, there's no sense beside just letting it *slide right down your throat. Take leftovers home and reheat it with some rice, add some greens and dinner is served. Life is good!
The only time I had to wait an especially long time was when the kitchen was trying to push out a large catering order and well I just had to wait... Television is tuned to CSTAN, but would have appreciated English captioning - I have this complaint of many ethic establishments though. I'll try to learn your language if you try to learn mine! The complete lack of a contrived atmosphere was awesome; you know they're serious about food!
* I've also tried the chicken biriyani and contains small fragments of bone, which is part of the preparation, that don't slide well. -
Review from Lindsey O.
Bay View, Milwaukee, WI
Brother, you have to come back tomorrow for the nahari. Will Sister be with you? No, leave her home to sleep. Well okay, Sister can come with you. Little did he know we were married.
According to the hubby, this place has the best chicken biryani next to another great restaurant on Devon in Chicago. The samosas are smaller than we have experienced in the past but very tasty. Crispy outside, full of flavor inside. Good things come in small packages, right? Not too greasy like some fried foods can be.
We got lots of attention at the table. Sometimes so much it was overwhelming. They wanted us to eat more salad and poppers, which were good, but I have a tendency to eat too many carbs. We were not lacking in the carb department.
We tried the fish tikka, fresh and tasty. Everything seemed to have the right level of spice. The yogurt with spices was flavorful and added a nice touch to the rice and fish tikka.
Located on a cool strip that looked as though it was bustling at one point in history. Would love to see some other places there.
Overall good stuff. Brother, we will be back! -
Review from Stef E.
Brooklyn, NY
8/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
This little hole in the wall restaurant is a real gem! As other users have noted, it was strange to see so much meat and any beef on a menu in an Indian restaurant. However, this place is an Indian/ Pakistani place, which explains the larger emphasis on meat. However, as a vegetarian, I was able to find plenty of options!
I highly highly recommend the vegetable pakoras. They were perfectly breaded, the perfect crispiness, and HUGE! When the waiter brought the platter out, my mouth dropped. Definitely enough for at least 6 people to split as an appetizer. The dinner I ordered was great as well, but it is obvious that they use canned veggies, which is why I gave this restaurant a 4 rather than a 5.
Overall a great experience and huge portions (minus the samosas, as others have noted) -
Review from Julie T.
Milwaukee, WI
4/6/2011
Anmol Restaurant might not be much to look at from the outside -- there are no bright lights or neon signs announcing its existence, and even the front door is deeply recessed a good 10 feet from the sidewalk.
Once you're through the door, the Pakistani and Indian restaurant isn't much to look at from the inside, either. The lights are bright and the small dining room is relatively sparse and quiet.
But the smells -- the rich scents of curry and fresh cilantro wafting from the kitchen in the back -- are enough to make you sit down and pick up a menu.
Some Indian restaurants in Milwaukee, like Bombay Sweets, put a special emphasis on vegetarian fare, as Hindus value the cow as a sacred animal.
But Anmol is more a Pakistani place, which is why you'll find beef, mutton, goat, chicken, fish and even brain on the menu in various forms, but you won't find pork, which is a no-no in Muslim countries. The front of the menu clearly states the restaurant's strict use of Zabiha Halal meat, which has been hand-slaughtered by Muslims according to Islamic Shariah. The chickens it uses are organic and hand-fed by Amish.
Nevertheless, the menu begins with five meat-free entrees ($7.95-$9.95) -- a curry, two masalas, the palak paneer and a daal -- each of which is served with a platter of lettuce, tomato, cucumber and onion (though we weren't quite sure how to incorporate these vegetables into the meal).
The saalan, or curries, make up the bulk of the menu and none of the 24 options ($9.95-$12.95) is meat-free. Next up are the "from the grill" offerings, including beef kababs, grilled fish and even a catfish fry battered in special spices.
In accordance with Muslim tradition, there is no alcohol served at Anmol, so don't expect that fish fry to be beer-battered.
A real Anmol highlight is its biryani selections, which come with either chicken, mutton, shrimp, fish or vegetables. The dish is based in basmati rice and mixes meats or vegetables and spices and is made even better with the addition of the complimentary green yogurt chutney.
The portion sizes here are on the large side and if you order a round of naan, you are guaranteed to be stuffed, or going home with leftovers. Still, if its variety you crave, the vegetable pakora appetizer is one of the best you'll find anywhere in Milwaukee. For $4.50, you receive a full plate of battered and fried vegetables and spices that are soft rather than crunchy and perfectly coated in cilantro.
The samosas, on the other hand, are slightly less impressive. Available stuffed with vegetables or meat, the small crispy triangles are not what you might expect from a traditional restaurant. They've got a bit of a spicy kick, which is nice, but are small and seem unworthy of the $2.50 price.
Anmol has been in business for several years now and seems to be doing well. It's always a good sign when other Pakistanis frequent the restaurant and order in abundance via Anmol's catering service. And if you become inspired by the foods you eat and want to dabble in your own kitchen, Sasta Bazaar, a Pakistani grocery store and butcher, is right next door. -
Review from Sarah P.
2/13/2011
Hubs and I were searching for a really good biriyani, and by the reviews of fellow yelpers decided to check out Anmol. This restaurant does not disappoint, food-wise. We called ahead of time and ordered lamb biriyani and chicken biriyani for pick up.
Yes the old man there is comically horrible at customer service, in fact, he seemed mad that we were there. Hubs tried using his American Express, and the old man and the younger waiter commenced to argue about whether or not they accepted American Express. In the end, we used Mastercard. We also were not allowed to use the coupon we had because we ordered our food to go.
Aside from that, our food was ready for us to pick up right when we got there, and we were extremely satisfied with the quantity and quality. One order is easily turned into two meals, and we will be sure to go back again. The lamb and chicken is tender and the rice fragrant and flavorful. Hubs is from Malaysia, where he grew up eating really good mamak street food (Muslim Indian vendors who sell food from their stalls on the street), and he was craving this biriyani for lunch the next day.
Anmol is not about the ambiance, or the service, it is about the food. If you want authentically made biriyani that does not take shortcuts when it comes to the ingredients, check out this food haven! -
Review from Raquel D.
San Jose, CA
12/13/2011
Sinfully good!!
I had earlier tasted 2 of their appetizer dishes at a friend's place - the Chicken Seekh Kebab and the Beef Chapli Kebab, and was sold.
Roll forward few weeks later and I insist on picking up take-out from this place. The fiance and I got the chicken Seekh kebab, the Chicken Makhni and the Mutton Biryani - Yummmm, Yummmier and Yummmiest !!! =) The food is quite rich and I guess it's from using a LOT of butter / ghee / whatever that is that makes it taste so damn good, so weight watchers, BEWARE! I have my wedding gown fitting in a week's time and i'm wondering if I was foolish to indulge just days before :/
I haven't set foot inside the restaurant as yet so I can't say if it's a nice, clean place to dine in, but it did look quite tiny from the outside so i'd think prolly not! -
Review from Dan P.
Milwaukee, WI
1/4/2011
This is absolutely one of those places you always hope you'll find - excellent food, great value and a quirky personality. A friend told me about this place as he is a major fan of the biryani. This place is a trip and a half. It's in a not-so-great neighborhood which will probably put most people off, but I live in West Allis and eat my up and down the restaurants on National, Lincoln and Mitchell so the location never bothered me.
The decor is bizarre - plastic lemon trees? It is small, but very clean. Lots of cab drivers coming in for take out and many times I've been there we've shared the place with families and students. While it's true, you never know who you are going to get in regards to wait staff, I think it's part of the charm. Sometimes you get the owner who likes to tell you proudly that he butchers his own meat. (It's all halal, by the way. Owner is Pakistani Muslim.) Sometimes you get someone who doesn't speak much English but there is always the menu-pointing method. I am lucky to have friends who speak Hindi, so when I there with one of them, they can take care of ordering.
Regardless of who is taking the order, they are always generous and will go out of the way to accomodate you. One of my quirks is that I like plain basmati rice with certiain dishes and when asked, they will bring me a giant bowl of it despite it not being a menu item.
The food is amazing. The chef does an excellent job with the meats and sauces. The portions are very generous. My friend who loves their biryani likes it because he can eat until he's full and still has enough food left to make several meals. They will adjust the spice level to what you want, but as usual with Asian places, their version of "medium" may be hotter than yours. The bread is always fresh and hot.
One time we were there during the winter and the wind kept blowing the door open (something had broke on it and it was being fixed). I was there with a friend and also eating was a party of serveral familes with kids and the usual revolving cast of cab drivers. The waiter and members from each table kept taking turns getting up and closing the door when the cab drivers would come and go.
In some places this would have pissed me off, but somehow it seemed okay here. Each time it happened, the other tables and us would just smile in sort of a "what are you gonna do" way and one of us would go over and close the door.
In many ways it reminds me of the smaller roadside restaurants I've eaten at in India. It has that family-run feel that might not go over with people used to eating at chain restaurants but to me it has this crazy charm that makes the trip worth it. They also have an online coupon if you own one of the Entertainment books. You can print out a 20% off coupon which makes it even better. -
Review from Sona B.
6/22/2011 ROTD 1/7/2012
From reading other reviews, my own experience with their service was not bad. I placed a take out order and the gentleman on the other end did speak English (albeit broken) and did get my order perfectly the first time. The location is not in the best dressed part of town, but I certainly did not fear for my life upon arrival. The seating inside is sparse and quaint. And the food, my goodness! I teared up a little and not because of the spice, but because I had finally discovered pretty authentic, absolutely delicious indian/Pakistani food! The servings are quite generous as compared to other Indian restaurants. The flavors are spot on, really just awesomely seasoned, not the bland stuff you find in other similar restaurants. Try the biryani, saag paneer, and chicken makhani. Scoop it all up with the fluffy naan bread and you have got yourself a feast.
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Review from Rohan d.
Milwaukee, WI
Updated - 2/19/2011
Sometimes the star system fails. The food here is excellent, and cheap, the best dal in town, tasty biriyani when they have it, and if you ask they'll make any of their dishes nice and hot and spicy, cab driver style. In fact, you often will find cab drivers parked out in front. Much cheaper than the nicer atmosphere Indian restaurants in town, and yes the neighborhood looks a little scary, but it's not really that big a deal, you can sit down and eat in here. But why only two stars? Well, the service is really incredibly, astoundingly, unbelievably, bad. So bad, I've gone back because it's entertainingly bad service, sit-com level exaggerated bad service, so bad, I went back to see if it was really as bad as I remembered. If you call in your order, they find the oldest man who can't speak English to take your call. Even if you're ordering the food as written on the menu, he will make you repeat your order, piece by piece, a good dozen times, and still screw it up. They won't put your to-go order in tiffin to save on non-recyclable packaging, in spite of the fact that they're all obviously from India, they act like they would never deign to use traditional tiffin. They won't apologize when they screw up your order, it's always the customer's fault. They don't like to talk to women. Did I mention it's the best dal in town? The service is so poor, I can't really recommend this restaurant except for the few of you out there who 1) love Indian food, 2) don't like paying the overpriced bills you get at the two nice Indian restaurants, 3) aren't afraid of the non-White people you'll encounter on Historic Mitchell Street, 4) have a strong sense of the absurd, watched a lot of Seinfeld, and can be entertained by really bad service, and 5) know what I mean when I say, "authentic cab-driver Indian food."
Update:
We've been experimenting with Anmol, the service is better when you go as a couple, let the man do all the ordering, and eat there. If you want the food to go, don't order ahead of time, send your husband or butler to order and pick up the food (with a book, or kill some time shopping next door at their supermarket). That can be entertaining as you can watch how, out of the many people who work there, they find the oldest, least fluent-in-English fellow to answer the to-go phone in food orders! Also, double check what they are selling, freshly made in the supermarket. They sell fresh roti for a dollar a (big) piece in the restaurant to go, but sometimes, they have 8 freshly made roti in a plastic bag for sale in the front of the supermarket for 5$. Same with the deserts, like golub jamun, it's freshly made but refrigerated in the supermarket for less than they charge to go in the restaurant, but either way you need to microwave it after dinner anyway. The supermarket also carries much higher quality chili, turmeric, Indian tea, cumin, and some other spices that South Asians use frequently, than you find in regular or even upscale supermarkets. Just be very careful when you do open the plastic bag of red chili powder, it is dangerously potent. I keep a bag handy for home defense instead of a shotgun.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/11/2010 First to Review
Sometimes the star system fails. The food here is excellent, and cheap, the best dal in town, tasty… Read more »
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Review from Lisa B.
Milwaukee, WI
8/28/2011
We went here on a weekday evening and were the only ones in the place (although quite a few people came in for take-out). The food was good- except for the garlic naan, which was waaaay too garlicky. Also, we didn't order it- the guy who seated and served us was really pleasant and mostly helpful, except that he swindled us on a few things. Like the garlic naan, which we didn't order but were charged for. And we ordered two entrees with rice, but he didn't tell us that rice is charged separately. But now that we've had the food, we'll be back, and just remember to make sure we're very clear on what we will and won't pay for.
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Review from Vicky R.
Milwaukee, WI
4/29/2011
Anmol definitely has a home cooking flavor to it. Enjoyed the vegetarian and non vegetarian dishes. The entree does not come with rice, so you have to order either the breads or rice. The Naan bread is mouth watering and heavenly. The spices and aroma from the entree do take you back to your home country or you can create an exotic place in your mind,
Although the waitress and the man behind the counter are not able to speak English well, they are nice and friendly. I would recommend this place to anyone.
