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This was my second time dining at Kanishka and we were pleasantly greeted with the melodious sounds of tabla and sarod which according to the waiter said that they sometimes play on Friday or Saturday between 6 and 9pm. I wish these guys played here every weekend, because it made the dining experience just that much better. The ambience went a little south after they finished and went home and on came the pre-recorded fusion westernized-Indian music. I'd suggest continuing playing the same music as we just heard- sitar or sarod, and tabla. Why change it up?
We decided to go with chicken tikka masala (closer to most Indian restaurant butter chicken- meaning it's slightly sweet in flavor), chicken korma (lovely masala) plain and garlic naan, malai kofta (my g.f.'s favorite), finally ending with kheer and gulab jamun for dessert.
The last time we ordered similar entrees, just changing the chicken tikka masala with butter chicken- which I didn't care for- I found it a little sour. I did however order the chicken biriyani and OMG- amazing, just like grandma (daadima) used to make it!
Kanishka, you've made a friend. See you soon.
In 2006, a car crashed through the front of Kanishka creating the only Indian drive-through in the Seattle area. And, you're thinking, that can't be their only claim to fame!
Turns out the Tikka Masala and the salads are well-known excellent choices from their inexpensive lunch buffet. The tandoori chicken is often good, but sometimes, it's overdone.
This place has the ambiance of a converted fast food place. Over the years, Kanishka has replaced many of the artifacts, but this remains one of the ugliest restaurants in Redmond. (Learn from Toreador...sometimes, it better to tear down versus patch.)
That being said, service had always been good, the food is above average and the pricing is fair. This place does get very crowded and I suggest doing lunch early, or late to avoid the lines.
I recently went for a special buffet and it was just mind blowing. There were tons of options(veggie/non) and were well cooked and delicious. All my friends loved it too!
I was skeptical as I didn't have as good experience last few times and thought that their curries ordered ala carte were diluted or tasteless. Even, my most favorite entree shahi paneer was down in terms of quality. But their recent buffet was just wonderful and I look forward to more of such buffets.
I was impressed!
I tried the nan, paneer tikka masala, tandoor mixed grill, and the samosa chat for an appetizer. The portions were generous, and we went home with leftovers. The paneer tikka masala was especially good -- different than I've had before, but I would order everything again. Overall quality - very good.
The service was attentive and friendly. Definitely adding to my list of favorites! Plus, their menu is listed on their website which I always appreciate.
I've been here about three times now. The first two times I thought it was alright, not as good as my favorite Taj Palace in Overlake, but it was edible and closer to work so decided to go. However, the last time I went, I thought it was absolutely terrible. There was this very STINKY seed or something in many of the dishes and it made everything smell and taste horrible - I couldn't get rid of it in my nose and mouth the rest of the day. They also do not have the greatest customer service so I probably will not be going back.
I would like to rate this a 3.5 star joint as the food here is extraordinary. However, the two times I've been here for dinner, my g/f and I have waited 45 and 55 minutes for our food to arrive. And that's the only thing holding me back from giving this joint 5-Stars! The lamb vindaloo is amazing. I order it 6 stars and they sure don't short you on the spice! The garlic naan is delicious and the rice is tasty. Nothing like some indian food with a bottle of Kingfisher to satisfy your hunger on a cold, rainy evening on the eastside.
Did I mention how much I love Kanishka? These days they have a weekend special on this amazing biryani (veg and chicken available). I don't remember the details, I just remember being happy. Total food joy. But make sure to share with a friend - it's a huge portion.
Love love love Kanishka! I don't care what anyone says - it's delicious. I associate the words… Read more »
Three words. Chicken Tikka Masala.
Two more words. Garlic Naan.
The quality of dishes at Kanishka are a level higher than other Indian restaurants I've visited. The sauces are thicker with more flavor. The naan is perfectly hot and seasoned but still dense and soft.
I stay far, far away from Indian lunch buffets because of the abysmal quality of the food, but Kanishka's buffet, while not great, is still better than most.
The service is also very good. I'm very happy after I visit Kanishka.
I've been eating here for years and their food is consistently good. The buffet has gotten more expensive but I still think it's good. Their naan is delicious (love the garlic naan!), the chai is good, and pretty much anything I've gotten with paneer has been awesome. Mmmm! :-D
The lunch buffet gets really crowded around noon (And pretty much constantly on the weekends). There are lots of good choices and things are refilled frequently.
The chai is made fresh, spicy and hot. I love the mint chutney and raita as well as the tamarind chutney - so good! Part of me thinks the sauces are the best party! They've also, oddly, got some really great coleslaw. It doesn't strike me as very authentically Indian, but frankly I don't care, and who knows - it might be!
Ate here tonight and the food tasted great.
Both my husband and I started feeling sick after we got home. I just got finished vomiting my entire meal. Its 1 in the morning and I won't be sleeping for a while as I still feel sick. No idea what was in the food but we are going to have to pass on this place from now on. Its sad as we've had the food in the past with no problem but there was no doubt that this was a case of food poisoning.
It was exciting to find a place that does a good aloo saag. I asked for mild and got it just on the… Read more »
I don't understand why people like this place. It's dirty and the food is bland.
The spices in Indian food should have a melody and a harmony. I didn't get that. What I did get was Campbell's tomato soup, cold dry chickpeas, alright Tandoori drumstick, a dirty water glass, dirty silverware, and an inattentive waiter.
They charge 2 dollars for more rice--according to a sign posted on their wall.
I have had better. I will go eat where it is better. I'd rather eat a microwaved Indian tv dinner than eat here again.
I love this place! I don't get there very often but when I do, I've never been disappointed. Their lunchtime buffet is a great place to start (perfect for a business lunch) but it gets busy - I recommend getting there at 11:30 - another half hour and you might have to wait for a table some days.
I recommned the Lamb Passanda (one of my favorites) - and chicken Tandoori. And don't forget the Mango Custard for dessert (just ask if it's not shown on the menu). My only gripe - why not offer Mango chutney with the poppadoms at the start? I've even ordered it as an extra but getting it at the same time as the poppadoms seems difficult for some reason.
Great for takeout too - be sure to take a menu with you.
For almost 2 years, Kanishka and I were an Indian food "item" and we met for the lunch buffet on a near-weekly basis. This was before Cedars/Taste of India, Taj Palace, Preet's, and an upturn in regular exercise. At some point, our all-you-can-eat-ship soured when Kanishka decided to let itself go:
- Some of the old staff departed for reasons unknown to me.
- Someone literally drove through the window of the restaurant.
- The food started getting more bland.
- They accrued enough health code violations to be temporarily forced to close.
With slight pangs of regret I moved on to satisfy my habit. Fast forward another almost 2 years. I'd started to hear recommendations again, so it was time to give things another try. I discovered that Kanishka still has:
- one of the broadest rotating lunch buffet varieties in the area (especially for the price) including salad, naan, two kinds of rice, dal, 7+ entrees and sweets ($8.95)
- dishes ranging from pleasing (tikka masala) to notable (saag, mutton curry)
- inoffensive music at a reasonable volume
- most of the same staff (minus those lost in the downturn)
- the same fusion of standard Indian restaurant and greenhouse decor
While it was closer to the quality I fondly recall, the food was still a bit bland for my taste, which to be fair may be an intentional populist approach (making it a superior choice for neophytes and small children) and may not hold true for dinner entrees.
Kanishka, while it was nice to see each other again and we should keep in better touch than we have, we are going to keep things strictly casual. I'm not sure if it's revisionist history or I was new to the charms of Indian food when we first met but you just don't satisfy me like before.
Kanishka has terrific butter chicken at a nice price.
My only complaint is that this is the coldest restaurant I've ever been in. There's no airlock on the door, the bathrooms are unheated and the windows are drafty. Wear a coat, because the food isn't spicy enough to keep you warm.
Pretty good food, but I didn't like the flys around the buffet cart... I'd suggest the owner to have covers on all the food on the buffet table.
The Naan was made and been sitting on the cart - it'd have been better if it's freshly made to order.
Other than that, the service was pretty good.
I was never a huge fan of Indian food. At Kanishka's they have a variety of Indian dishes. The food was awesome! I had the prawn tandoori and my husband had the lamb tandoori. I would go there again since the food was delicious. The two stars are taken off due to poor service, the waiter (he looked like the owner) didn't look like he wanted to take our orders. And also, the food came out nearly an hour later! I guess you can say it was worth the wait.
It's the perfect lunchtime restaurant as the buffet makes it fast the location makes it close. One of the best Indian food places around I've found.
Food was good, service was good, what else can you say.
The buffet here is better than most. Unfortunately:
* They have a "special" Sunday buffet is $11. What's special about it? Absolutely nothing -- it's just like the regular $9 buffet. It's incredible how greedy people are. Sure, supply and demand. Well, I'll take my demand elsewhere, at least on Sundays.
* It would also be nice if they had free chai, which would attract more customers. But they're too short-sighted to see that.
I have to go here again to make sure about how I feel... because I was underwhelmed when we tried this place. However, it's one of our friend's favorite places, and he has good taste, so I'm having a hard time reconciling our evening with that, and need to try again.
We had:
- the lamb-filled naan: good but a little too spicy
- the fruit-filled naan: liked by all who tried it
- the chicken tikka masala: 2 spicyness stars out of 5: so hot I could barely eat it, and this is my standard spice level
- the chicken chili tikka: 2 spicyness stars out of 5: this was the best dish at the table, though it too was quite spicy
- the chicken coconut curry: 3 spicyness stars out of 5: way too spicy for me to do more than taste it a teeny bit, this was very spicy for the hot-food lover who ordered it
- the shrimp pasta: 0 stars -- no really, NO spice at all please for the 7 year old who is in a bland phase... too spicy for her to eat. At all. Suckage.
- a mango lassi: voted excellent
- a pair of Diet Cokes: had to beg for refills, ugh
Overall, the service was lackluster -- three menus for four of us? Who was supposed to guess? Slow to refill drinks and clear dishes.
The food was too damn spicy for that number of stars. Two should have zippy flavor but no burn; after three bites, I was sweating, and that's too much.
It's mid-March; let's ditch the Valentine's Day decor. Otherwise, it is a pleasant-enough room, especially in the greenhouse-type area.
The restrooms were OK, though too cold. John said there was an unidentified but smelly liquid on the men's room floor, and he refused to use it at all. Hmm.
Like I said, our friend with good taste loves this place but admits they are very inconsistent with spice levels. I'm not sure how to handle that, because I want some flavor but not to burn to death... should I always order 1 out of 5? That's what I'm going to try next time on the butter chicken, not tikka masala, and w'll see how it goes.
Repeat visit, 03/30/07: Apparently, our friend Jay (who recommended it to us) is the magic ingredient. We went there with him last night, and everything was much better, though the service was a little slow when it came time to pay and box leftovers. Most places, a level 2 spiciness is perfect for me, but here, it's a 1, though probably not consistently.
Anyway, I'd go again even though it's not the best Indian food I've ever had.
Fabulous Indian buffet at a great price. Very child-friendly. Heck, half the time they don't even charge me for my three kids that could eat their weight in naan and chicken Tikki masala.
Cons: No AC when it gets hot in the summer--it gets especially hot in the restaurant with the crush of people.
Pro: Well-maintained buffet, excellent curries and chutnies, good variety, and cheap eats.
I just wish there was a dinner buffet. This is definitely a hot spot where Microsoft types and Indian transplants hang out.
This also is by far my four-year-olds favorite place to eat in the whole wide world.
SO. Tasty. OMGBBQ.
Kanishka rocks out with its socks out both in the Indian buffet game and when it comes to ordering off the menu. My mouth is watering right now just thinking about their yummy, yummy pakora... the vinadloo so hot that it makes me sweat... the chicken korma that's both soothing and complex... and the amazing naan.
The last time we went (on a Saturday evening), the experience was enhanced by live sitar music. And the service is always perfect... your drinks are kept full but you barely notice the waiters.
Run, don't walk, to Kanishka.
Best Indian buffet on the east side. Sahib at RTC used to be the best, but they seriously went downhill.
The food here is consistantly good, and it's usually consistent. The only fault I could give it is that there isn't much changing variety. I guess they go with whatever works. One of the few places that does a saag paneer at the buffet (at times, sometimes it's just vegetable saag). Paneer isn't too cheap, either, so it's a nice thing to have.
I haven't been there to order off the real menu, though. I just go for the lunch buffets.
BTW, watch out for Hondas that drive through the windows.
Kanishka is freakin' terrific.
1. Great food.
2. Very affordable.
3. Very family friendly.
This place has the best quality / expense ratio in town, by a long shot.
My only real complaint is that the booths seem small, especially for a bustling family of 4, but man oh man, that is a minor complaint.
If you are a food snob, you may not like it because they don't serve the wine you read about in the doctor's office waiting room, but for the rest of humanity, it's a great place to eat.
Definitely one of my favorite Indian restaurants next to Taste of India in Seattle. Service is almost shy and emotionless, but the food tastes great. We like: mulligatawany soup, mango lasse, gulab jamun, samosas, and the tandoori chicken tikka. What is popular is the lunch buffet because here you have an opportunity to try different curries you've never had before. All you can eat naan is like all you can grab pots of gold. I found this place definitely cheaper too than most Indian restaurants. And for the quality of the food, I think it's a deal.
Good For: lunch buffet, mulligatawany soup
Excellent Chicken Tikka Masala, and the other stuff we got was really good too. Service was friendly and attentive, and they kept cheerfully refilling our waters while we sat around chatting for a couple of hours after we finished eating.
Not so amazing that it's worth driving out to Redmond just to go there, but if you're there, it's a good place to eat.
I can't say enough good things about Kanishka...if there is better Indian food in Seattle I have not found it yet. Several Indian natives at Microsoft first suggested I try it a few years ago because they though it came closest to authentic Indian. The food is always good, I am growing fond of the vegetarian items...anything with the Paneer is very good. They also offer take out which is really helpful and the food is just as good when I get it home as it is at the restaurant.
When the craving for Indian buffet lunch hits, this is where the husband and i head. This has got to be the best indian buffet lunch option around Redmond .The Mango Lassi is great, food is always fresh and delicious and we always try to not go back for seconds, but fail miserably coz the food is so yummy.My favorite is the panner in tomato sauce dish- perfect for dipping with the piping hot naan. And i can never get enough of the dal makhni-its delicious without being super-rich and goes well with the pulao.
Have never tried them for dinner, but have driven past them in the evenings often, and the aromas that waft up to my nose are always extremely tempting. i need to go back for dinner-soon!
Let me preface this review by saying I am a sucker for the sitar, which is why I love The Beatles, Type O Negative, and Kanishka.
Skip the lunch buffet and go there for dinner instead. They have a sitar player on the weekends which instantly transports you out of the shabby, run-down strip mall that houses Kanishka. Be sure to order plenty of naan and try the butter chicken. OMG--its amazing and the sauce is great on...well...everything.
I've been a Kanishka fan ever since I moved to WA state. The restaurant has undergone some changes (and a car went crashing through their window a while back), but the quality of the food has remained consistently good. The waiters are a little indifferent, but they get the job done and make sure you have plenty to eat.
I was thinking of trying this restaurant. That was, until I looked at the health departments inspection report. http://www.decadeonlin...
A restaurant that has repeated high scores, doesn't seem to be learning how to keep food safe. OK, the only had enough points to be closed once, but they should be close to 0 points after the first bad inspection.
I've eaten at Kanishka a couple of times, whenever I come to visit Seattle. It often reminds me of my favorite Indian restaurant back in Austin. The buffet is what I go for. At $8.95, you can try all the yummy dishes available on the lunch buffet to your hearts content. The naan is delicious, and the tandoori chicken is so mouthwatering that I always go back for a second or third piece.
But if I love the food so much, then why give it one star?
Because of what I experienced during yesterday's lunch buffet, I NEVER want to go back.
This time, my friend and I were seated in the back close to the restroom, and while we were trying to enjoy our meal, employees went to use the restroom. A total of 3 employees went to the restroom while we were there. And of all 3 times that the employees went into the restroom, not a single one of them washed their hands. How do I know? Because you can hear when they flush, and their immediate exit from the restroom. GROSS! All three employees were male, and who knows where their hands were.
Yes, I do mean to spoil your appetite. These employees are the same ones that will bring you a "clean" silverware, more napkins, refill your glass, place more plates out onto the buffet line or bring you your check.
I went to check out Bob G.'s link, but it was broken.
Try this link instead :
http://www.decadeonlin...
and type in Kanishka or any restaurant for that matter.
I visited Kanishka for the first time a few weeks ago when my friend invited me for lunch. The place was packed with Microsoft people so I thought it must be good. The buffet selection is quite impressive but it doesn't mean delicious. To be honest the food wasn't very good. The Tikka Masala gravy didn't taste good at all - this is my #1 favorite dish when I go to any Indian restaurant but the one offered at Kanishka's was disapointing. The naan breads are not made fresh to order so the texture is not what you expect from a fresh steaming one.
The service is just ok. They do fill up your glass with water frequently.
I will not go again.
Indian food doesn't wow me - it's just not to my liking.
But Kanishka was pretty good!
dip, swirl, mix, scoop! i love the fact that it's okay to mix everything up and shove it in your mouth! i really like naan and this place isn't short of all the different varieties of naan (this is the best i've tasted). we also ordered the chicken tikki marsala and the butter chicken which were good (butter chicken was better but both were good).
we went on friday night and they also had live music which i thought was pretty cool. :D prices were also reasonable.
ps. my bf is begging to go back =P
This place has some AWESOME food, and the atmopshere is good, too. Owners are very nice; everyone seems to love this place. If you like Inidian food, you have to at least try this place.
I like the food, set up. The new folks servicing the diners are ok too. This used to be my favorite restaurant but i have downgraded a bit as service is downgraded and few food items are not as good as they used to be.
would go again as they still do good on certain food items but room to improve.
What was I thinking not recommending this restaurant!?!? This is my favorate local Indial Restaurant. They make the best Saag Paneer (Did I spell it right?) in my opinion. The waiters are friendly and attentive. If you live in Redmond area, look for buy-one-second-1/2 cupons come in your mail. Their Chicken Tikka Masala is also very delicious. Sometimes they have live sitar music. Lunch hours are buffet style and you can try many differet dishes they prepared. Only negative experience I had was that their AC wasn't quite working hard enough for a hot summer day.
This is one of my favorite Indian restaurants. They have the best paneer tikka masala I've had in Seattle so far. One word of caution - the food tends to be quite spicy so you might want to order for a lower spice level.
I have to say, this restaurant has good chicken tikka masala, along with some yogurt and sweet chutney, yum! it's nice to eat there during the day time because of the natural light that come through the side clear windows. Family friendly too only thing is is that the price has gone up a little, but it's worth it because it's a buffet.
This is a fairly decent place to go eat North Indian food. Like most Indian restaurants, the menu features all the standard veg and non-veg suspects. I tried the Bhindi Masala the last time I was here and found it reasonably good. I did love their Raita though...the yoghurt was perfect...not too tart and not too sweet...just right!!! The naans were up to par.
I am giving this place a 3 star because the food is OK. Usually one waiter that has been there for ever is not friendly. One time we asked for a box. He brought us three small boxes and we told him kindly we need a bigger box. He told us that the food will fit in the ones that he brought. We insisted and he did not bring the big box. Can you believe it? My husband gave him such a look. We did not leave tip! We do not go there anymore.
Lunch buffet is well-stocked, & even varied enough for me - someone fairly new to the Vegan world. I was able to fill my plate with most of the items from the buffet sans only about 3 that had cream, yogurt or paneer in them. The guys that work there were so nice to point out which ones I could not eat. Although I prefer the Vegetable Pakora at Naan & Curry in Renton, the Pakora here was still pretty tasty with its deep fried savory goodness. The seasonings for all the dishes were definitely house-made, using items like fresh tamarind & whole/split cardamom pods. That extra effort makes this place a gem. What a find!
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