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Om South Indian Cuisine
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 11 am - 9:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
86 reviews for Om South Indian Cuisine
Review Highlights
"As for main course I had the masala dosa."
(in 18 reviews)
"The lunch buffet is very reasonably priced."
(in 14 reviews)
"One of my favorite dishes is the Vegetarian Thali."
(in 4 reviews)
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86 reviews in English
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Review from Sascha O.
10/14/2010 1 Check-in Here
Awesome find! Tried here on Friday night with a http://restaurant.com coupon.
I've only had South Indian food once in my life, at Dosa in SF... and I liked them okay but I wasn't head over heels about them. My husband, on the other hand, has traveled through India for a whole month with his Indian friend and knows what a good South Indian food is supposed to taste like.
Well, he was very happy with this place. That tells you something.
We wanted to sample a lot of different flavors so we got:
Mango Lassi (for me)
Mini Tiffin Combo (to share) with a selection of rose milk (for Husband)
Vegetarian Thali (to share)
Cheese dosa (to share)
And if that wasn't enough we ordered Saag paneer and paratha and rice to go for my brother in law that was driving in to stay with us that evening.
We had to order more than $35 worth of food you see?
Well, I really don't know how to call all of the things that came with the Tiffin or Thali but let me tell you , we were SO stuffed by the time we finished the Tiffin combo and the cheese dosa, we hardly managed to get around to the Thali... after sampling all the flavors of chutneys, soups, etc that came with them, we took most of it to go and savored them for pretty much 2 days onwards.
I also was pleasantly surprised that the saag paneer we got for my brother in law was actually very good too! We've been "meh" with saag paneers we've had in the Bay area thus far, and I think Om has the best one so far of the places we've tried.
Next time, we totally know to order less... which is exciting because the bill for all that food, after the http://restaurant.com coupon, was only $35 INCLUDING tax and tip! Can't wait to come back here... I also noticed their buffet set up for lunch and am very curious about that deal too : )
Nice to find more good restaurants in North Bay under our belt. -
Review from Umesh T.
El Sobrante, CA
Don't you just love competition? Their masala dosa is now back on top of the pile.
I guess "Lotus Chaat" across the street must have opened their eyes (as far as the dosa is concerned) since this favourite dish of mine has been on a downward spiral over the course of more than the two years that I have been eating there (yes, I have had it many many times, but skipped the last many times because of said degradation)
But now, (in spite of my last review of "Lotus Chaat") the said masala dosa is perched firmly back on top, and better than that at their rival across the street. The sambhar here, too, is way better (and has always been) and spiced better.
If going a la carte (I have only had the buffets), I'd strongly recommend their "malabar fish curry."
Oh, they are on http://restaurant.com so I'd go with a coupon if I were you.3 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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1/27/2010
Really short update:
I had their fish curry once and it was fabulous !!!
It was prepared in the Kerala… Read more »
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Review from kris s.
San Anselmo, CA
7/28/2011
This review is for the lunch buffet: for vegetarians, there were only two main items plus a veggie soup and a potato dosa. It definitely filled me but more options would've been nice. However, the southern Indian flavors were different from what I'm used to and good. My son wasn't too impressed with the quality of chicken meat, and basically just ate rice and the sauce from the chicken dish (he missed his naan!). Speaking of rice, they had a coconut option as well which was different, and good.
The service was so-so. Friendly guy, but seemed a bit lackadaisical, especially considering it was very slow. Also, no wide-screen showing Bollywood, which is a letdown.
We had a coupon, so it was only $6.95 for mine and $3.95 for my son's.
Might be back...might not. -
Review from Brian M.
Marina Bay, CA
10/8/2011
Sorry to say but I believe OM has gone out of business. They had unique, great food and it is a shame to see them go under. I'm assuming it was because of the economy. iSad.
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Review from Brian R.
San Francisco, CA
7/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Authentic & delicious. I tired the Masala dosa & Coconut eggplant curry, both were great.
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Review from Nils E.
San Francisco, CA
9/3/2009 ROTD 2/19/2010
"A monkey doesn't know the taste of ginger."
(Indian Proverb, meaning 'Those who don't know, can't appreciate' or as I like to put it, 'White boy can't handle the spice.')
If you think about it, anyone can open a restaurant and call it Italian, French, American, Japanese, or Chinese. The majority of kitchens in the U.S. are a melting pot of different nationalities, predominantly from Central and South America. Likewise, I've been to countless sushi restaurants that masquerade as being Japanese when, in truth, everyone in the kitchen is from China.
This is never the case with an Indian restaurant, which is oddly satisfying. With Indian food, I like to think I'm actually getting the real deal, and that what I'm putting into my mouth may actually be what someone half-way around the globe would qualify as home cooking (counterpoint: egg rolls and burritos, anyone?).
With this epiphany comes a sad realization, which is that I know nothing about Indian food to be able to describe it with any depth of understanding. Menus aren't exactly helpful either, with "spice mixture" and "stuffing" the casual substitutes for "a blend of tamarind, palm sugar, Kachupuli, hot sambhar and coconut chutney."
What I can say for Om is that this small, unassuming establishment is located at the far Western end of Fourth Street in San Rafael, and you'll only find it if you are actively looking or if you happen to trip over it on your way to the Mayflower Pub (highly recommended, by the way). I do wish Om had more prominent real estate, as every time I've visited, there have been countless empty tables. This is great for walk-ins, but not so good for small businesses. And believe you me, this place deserves your business more so than the vast majority of other restaurants in San Rafael.
Experiencing their menu is akin to opening presents - unless you happen to be Indian or proficient in ordering Indian cuisine, you're not likely to know what you're getting until you've tried it. Otherwise, the menu will be too foreign to decipher, and the following description of their food may mean very little to you.
For example: the Pattanam Pakora (a Tanjore specialty) were spicy fried biscuits, a tad on the dry side, but loaded with flavor; the Anjappa (yogurt and spice fried chicken) were a bit sinewy for my taste, but deeply flavorful; the Idli sambar (rice cakes) were essentially expensive sponges for the sambar and chutney dipping sauces; Uthappam were a cross between the sambar and the dosas, and resembled rice pizzas; and the palak chicken (served in creamed spinach sauce) was sheer saucy, spicy goodness. The dosas (think Indian crepe made with a batter comprised of fermented black lentils, rice, and fenugreek seed) are best eaten stuffed with fillings, particularly the Masala dosa, which is chock full of potato, onion and masala. The list of dosas is extensive, and range from good to bombastic.
SEE?!?!? Could I BE any more Caucasian and unhelpful?!? It's KILLING me not to be able to identify what's in these dishes. I have no choice, but to devote myself to the study of Indian cuisine. I will beg for the tutelage of the likes of Umesh T. (http://www.yelp.com/us...), whose review served as an inspiration (and a bit of a buzz kill - I recommend Umesh try dinner as opposed to the lunch buffet).
To my untrained palate, however, Om was off the charts - exotic, unexpected, unfamiliar, and reeking of authenticity. I now love Om (Southern India cuisine) and Lotus (Northern India cuisine) equally, plus I totally dug Slumdog Millionaire - does that qualify me as an Indianophile?
Praise Shiva, I certainly hope so. -
Review from Gary E.
Updated - 7/15/2008
Having watched an old episode of Anthony Bourdain on the DVR, I was craving Dosa. And after a pretty exhausting soccer game, I was starving, so on the way home I swung into Om. With the puppy in the car, I couldn't stay for their scrumptious buffet, so just asked for a Dosa to go. Not so fast.
"Well, sir, the dosa is $6.95. But why not do the buffet to go, and for $2 more you can have dinner tonight?"
Capital idea. While Selvi built the tasty roll of goodness, I filled my styrofoam container with coconut rice, tandoor cooked fish, bjahis, and a chicken curry that was ridiculously good. And when I commented as to how good it was when paying the bill, a container of it was presented to me in ADDITION to what I'd already loaded up with. In short, I stumbled out of there with a couple pounds of food, plus my beloved dosa. For $8.95.
Which was as awesome as the last time I had it. And the rest of the food? I have no idea - after that dosa, I couldn't budge, but it smells bloody good!
7.16.08: And the update. It's not as good the following day, but that was lunch, dinner, and lunch again today. And I'm still craving more!! :)Listed in: Chowing Locally, ROTD Action!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/13/2008 ROTD 7/16/2008
This morning, I had to work through breakfast, skipping it in favor of four mugs of coffee. So, weak… Read more »
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Review from Laurel F.
Novato, CA
5/18/2007 ROTD 3/10/2008
Just got back from eating at Om after seeing The Namesake (it was an Indian themed evening I guess) and was very pleased. It was recommended by some Indian friends as very authentic, as compared to what they described as the overly sweet sauces at nearby Lotus that they felt were more for the American palate. Although I would also still recommend Lotus for a more typical Indian food experience, Om definitely offers more unusual choices for those who want to go beyond the usual chicken tika masala and tandoori that you can get anywhere else (they don't serve either at Om, or Naan, since I don't believe they have a tandoori oven).
But don't worry, you won't miss the typical offerings - there's too many interesting things to try. We started with the free basket of papadums they brought to the table - they were thin, hot, and fresh out of the fryer and oh so good. We tried several fried appetizers and liked them all - especially the Medhu Vadai, which are soft savory lentil donuts and the Chicken Anjappa - fried boneless chicken pieces. The soup was a spicy and intensely flavored thin broth that was good but too exotic for some in my group. We also tried an appetizer whose name I can't remember, but it was soft steamed rice cakes floating in a coconut soup. It was also very good, but again was a bit shocking to those less adventurous folks in my party who are used to typical Indian food.
The masala dosa and uthappam crepes were very good, with good flavor in both the crepe itself and the filling. We also tried the spinach chicken and the kadala curry (chickpeas in masala) and both were very fresh and tasty with a very homemade quality. All the desserts were very good - we tried the Gulab Jamun, which were much better than the stale dry balls I often have had at other places, as well as the kulfi, and the carrot halwa, which may be an acquired taste for some.
We had good service and all the staff were friendly and helpful. We came with a large party, as well as our 16 month old daughter, and they handled it well and were very sweet and welcoming to the baby. It is a small restaurant, so reservations would be wise for a large party. The decor is nothing special, but who cares, the food is good! The Chef/ Owner came out several times to say hello, and invited my husband and daughter into the kitchen to watch him cook. I wish we had tried some seafood dishes since they had a fish curry special that sounded good, but we had a fish hater in the group so it will have to wait. We had a lovely time and plan to return. -
Review from Ben P.
San Rafael, CA
2/12/2009 ROTD 8/14/2009
So a couple of nights ago, after watching Anchorman, I was suddenly struck with an intense craving for Indian food for some reason (if you don't know why, don't ask). Panic immediately set in as I was out of ye ole San Rizzle for a couple of years and my old standby, Sher-e-Punjab, has gone the way of the dinosaur.
Yelpazord...energize!!!
Om came up as tops, and since I would trust you all with my quadriplegic baby while I did crystal meth I had arranged to dine wif me Pa and was out the door without delay or question in seconds..yes...seconds!!!
Now, it's worth mentioning that I was a pizza delivery driver in my younger days and know pretty much every square inch of San Rafael and central Marin and have worked on Fourth Street, twice, and I STILL managed to pass by this place. For future diners, keep an eye out for Bordenave's bakery on the right as you come over the crest of the hill going west and it is directly next door. On to zee food...
I know the dosa is the big deal here and I will try it but at the time I was ravenous and needed MEAT and I AM an obstinate eat beast, after all, so I dove straight for the Kozhi varutha curry, which has zee chicken which eez zee meat, accompanied by a mango lassi to mellow zee "fiery pepper sauce" in zee curry. The server took our order within two or three minutes (POW!), had my lassi out in two more (POW!) and our food less than five later (POW POW!!).
The mango lassi was a splendid bit of yogurrificness, cool, not cold, sweet, but not too sweet, thick, but not too thick . Basically, it was Goldilocks' third bowl of porridge. But a yogurt drink. With mango. My only complaint is that I was too gluttonous and impatient to not slurp it down before my curry came, which we're getting to right now...
The curry was...perfect. Generous portions of meat, just enough hotness that you can still taste the food and don't die but get that nice, warm, sweaty band across your eyes and forehead, perfect balance of pepper, coconut milk and curry, and a generous but not overwhelming portion size. The only thing I would change would be to get brown or wild rice on the side instead of white (which I did not see as an option on the menu), but in fairness to them I didn't ask. God! Idiot!
I rounded off the meal with a shared Mango Indian ice cream, which was a lot like frozen chunks of the mango lassi but made with a reduction of milk instead of yogurt, and quite tasty and melt-in-your- mouthy.
The decor doesn't really matter to me but was cozy, tasteful and definitely Indian. I mean, you don't usually sit under a big painting of Krishna and Radha with all the lower consorts ogling him like frisky coeds at Bubba's house o' pork. I enjoyed their company.
I will return to this place. I will review again, oh yes... -
Review from Natalie V.
New York, NY
5/23/2010
I was thrilled to find this place because it was right around the corner AND delivered! However, the dosas they delivered just didn't 'measure up.
The dosas (regular masala and malli masala) were just ok. It might have been because the delivery man got really really lost, despite several calls back and forth. By the time they arrived they were soggy and cold. I had asked for a side of tamarind chutney, which was terrible. The coconut chutney was just alright. The best thing was the tomato chutney, not something I've ever had served with dosas, but still pretty tasty.
I wouldn't get dosas delivered again, but I'm open to the idea that they might be better served fresh at the restaurant. -
Review from Jen M.
Novato, CA
12/12/2007
My sweetie and I needed some grub before a movie at the Rafael and randomly selected Om.
So glad we did! Quick, attentive service, dosas bigger than your head and cheap cold beer.
We will definitely return! -
Review from Jason R.
San Francisco, CA
10/11/2007
If you like a good dosa Om is the spot.
The cool thing about a place like Om is you're going to recognize a lot of Indian flavors, but you'll be consuming them in a different way than youre used to.
I don't think South Indian is high on my priority list, but if I wanted to eat that specific type of food, I would head back to Om in a second.
Besides, who doesn't love to say "Om"?Listed in: Thank you! Come Again.
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Review from Nidhi G.
Rohnert Park, CA
6/10/2011
OM has excellent food. I love almost everything they serve.
I do feel sometimes they are not very well stocked up on dishes in their buffets. At 12:30 also sometimes I have 1-2 dishes were almost finished.
Love their sambhar, dosa,idli, rasam... etc etc etc -
Review from Charles B.
Belvedere, CA
5/31/2009 2 Check-ins Here
Being a newbie to South Indian cuisine, I read about Om on their website and had hoped that their food was taken as seriously as the detailed explanations posted on the site. I was not disappointed.
I decided to try the Vegetarian Thali in order to sample as many dishes as possible. This was a lot of food for 1 person!! Definitely a good sampling.
I will definitely be heading back to Om for more Om! -
Review from elizabeth o.
San Rafael, CA
6/2/2009
Om shouldn't be compared to Lotus or Bombay since they are Northern Indian/Pakistan food. Om is Southern Indian which I love because it's primarily vegetarian. I think Om is best for their lunch buffet at $8.95 and I choose to get the dosa.
Dinner is much more expensive and I find the servers are more pushy. When I ordered two dishes for two people they keep insisting I needed to order a curry dish. I told them it was ok but I felt like I was at a car dealership. A curry dish with a side of dosa (extra $3) and a meal for one cost about $18.
The dosa is great but depending on the filling it changes the flavor such as the Masala dosa is great but the spring dosa isn't. -
Review from LeAndra M.
San Rafael, CA
8/26/2007
Spicy and wonderful. It's not as good as my southern Indian friend's cooking, but it's definitely worth a visit. Everything we had was superb. I can't comment on the service or ambiance, as we got take out, but the food was extraordinary.
The masala dosa was amazing, as was the Andhra pepper chicken and sambar idlis.
Super yummy!! -
Review from Alex R.
Greenbrae, CA
8/2/2009
Now we are talking!
Finally, an Indian restaurant close by that has reasonable atmosphere as well as excellent nosh. And while eating we noticed that we were the only non-Indians in there. Big plus!
They don't have a huge selection of meat dishes, which I actually like as it's more authentic. In India you will not find too much meat served. The meat that you do find here is all good quality.
We had several dishes all of which were wonderful and we were happy to take left overs home.
But be warned, the Dosa are enormous. The filling is a normal size portion, but the Dosa itself literally has a 18" diameter.
Will we be back? Of course! -
Review from Kathy J.
Ross, CA
5/25/2009
My husband is a born and raised Brit straight from London and does he know his Indian food. When we lived in London, he introduced me to various Indian restaurants and I developed a taste for the multilayered flavors and complex, aromatic spices. Since moving to the Bay Area, we've tried several Indian restaurants, but nothing came close to the perfection we found in London... until we stumbled upon Om.
Skip Lotus in San Rafael (it's okay but not great), and for sure don't go near Gaylord in Sausalito (way overpriced, inconsistent, tourist trap). If you're in Marin, the only place for authentic, delicious, and perfectly prepared Indian food is Om. In the peninsula, I'd recommend Madras Cafe in Mountain View. An unpretentious cafe in a strip mall that is also outstanding. -
Review from Pat T.
Berkeley, CA
7/30/2008
Friendly service, moderately priced Southern India lunch buffet with good variety (both lamb and chicken curry, two kinds of rice, two soups, at least two vegetarian dishes). The dishes were fresh and tasty, and competently done.
The combination of service, variety, freshness, and price leads me to give Om four stars - they're a pleasant lunch option in San Rafael. -
Review from Roy C.
San Francisco, CA
5/29/2009
I would not consider myself an expert of Indian food. That said, I have had 3 Indian friends tell me that the best Indian food in Marin is served at OM.
For lunch, I had the all you can eat buffet for $8.95. They offered a selection of about 15 items and sauces.
Overall, it was really good and I look forward to going back. -
Review from Gaurav M.
El Cerrito, CA
1/17/2007
I'm quite pleased that there's finally an authentic family-run South Indian restaurant in Marin.
The food itself is solid: I had the sadha uttapam for lunch, forgot my credit card at the restaurant, and conveniently used that as my excuse to enjoy a Mysore masala dosa for dinner the same night. I wish they'd dole out a little more sambar, but one can always ask for more and get it piping hot.
I encountered few issues on my two visits (about two months after they opened) -- surprising when you consider this is the family's first time running a restaurant. The decor is a little bit hole-in-the-wall, but certainly acceptable; not much was done with the space formerly occupied by Tavan Thai. I wish the folks at Om South Indian Cuisine much success and hope to be eating here for years to come. From reading the reviews out so far, things sound promising:
Marin IJ: http://www.marinij.com...
San Francisco Chronicle: http://sfgate.com/cgi-... -
Review from Shawn M.
Sacramento, CA
3/16/2009
Quality Indian food - the spices are super good. A lot of Indian places have good food but the tastes here were really vibrant!
All of the staff played with Violette as she toddled around the place - that was cool.
I'm holdin back one star since they could have been more vegetarian friendly. -
Review from Nora L.
Kentfield, CA
6/4/2011
Excellent Indian food. You know how you know for sure? Lots of Indian clientele frequent the place. And the prices are very reasonable for what you get.
The only suggestion would be for them to actually carry/offer all the beers on their menu (they were out of a basic Indian beer) and increase the offerings on the wine list.
Good stuff otherwise. -
Review from Jeanie S.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 1/31/2010
Still one of my favorite places to eat in San Rafael. Their lunch buffet special is unbeatable. Inexpensive & delicious. The dosa with the lunch buffet, however can be hit or miss. If it's freshly made--ecstasy. Last time we went in, it was obviously pre-made and heated or reheated. It was slightly soggy & felt oily, unlike their freshly made dosa, which is delicately crisp & soft.
Unfortunately, they remodeled, and the place looks much more like a soulless cafeteria now, instead of the warmly decorated, homey restaurant it was before (which I much preferred). I'm sure they can serve more people now, but what a tradeoff to lose the wonderful character & distinctive and welcoming decor they had before.
Still, the food beckons to me, and I must answer, "yes!"1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/7/2009
Om is a staple on my list of favorite restaurants. Service has always been pleasant, helpful, and… Read more »
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Review from Josh B.
San Francisco, CA
4/27/2008
Been here twice, for dinner. Also been to Bangalore, India, as well as Dosa in SF and two dosa places around San Mateo.
Om is unquestionably the best South Indian restuarant in the Bay Area. By a significant margin. In fact, it's better than all but one of the South Indian restaurants I ate in in Bangalore. And it's cheap!
How can you go wrong? Other than ordering more than one dosa per person, of course. That thing was as big as my torso.
Wanna stun your friends? Order the one-meter-diameter paper dosa.
Wanna impress your foodie friends? Ask for a demo of how they make the dosas. -
Review from Michael H.
San Anselmo, CA
11/22/2010
A friend of mine and I ate here for lunch on a whim and probably won't be back. The food was ok, but I prefer Northern Indian cuisine, this is just my preference. The kicker was my friend found a piece of metal in his rice... it turned out to be a piece of a scrubbing brush.. Uhg!
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Review from Jade R.
3/10/2010 2 photos
mmmmm found my perfect lunch spot!
Lunch buffet comes with a Masala Dosa or Chapaathi for just $8.99!
With 8 different dishes and 2 kinds of rice (jasmine and spinach), their
selection is more limited than Bombay's, but I found them all to be tastier.
Perhaps it's the southern influence, but they were overall a tiny bit spicier,
with a stronger curry flavor. Hot rice pudding a plus! Can't wait to come
back for dinner..
FYI: This place can be a little hard to find because of the brown signs
and blinds. It's small and tucked right next to Bordenave's. Also note
that they are only open till 2:30 for lunch and open again at 5pm for dinner! -
Review from Deems P.
Glen Ellen, CA
6/27/2009
I had lunch at OM this week and I was disappointed. The items on the buffet were so-so. The dosa, which is usually good here, was served flat and soggy, and as any dosa lover knows, if they aren't crisp, they aren't good. The filling was dead too.
I had the buffet here once before and it was about the same - ok but not great. I've had good dosas here before, so let's chalk this one up to cooking them too far ahead of time for people that order the buffet. if you go here, make sure they serve you a freshly made dosa. -
Review from rosco p.
San Francisco, CA
2/10/2008
A summary review for those quickly scanning this page: the dosas are the size of a baseball bat, the curry is crazy hot and the beer is equally cold.
If you haven't had a dosa before, I recommend starting with ordering just one, along with a curry dish. The dosa we ordered, along with the ones I saw going to other tables, were are all larger than most grown adults can eat alone.
Also, be forewarned. This is southern Indian and the cuisine is a lot spicier than the northern Indian food the predominates in most U.S. Indian restaurants. Its napalm hot! In fact, I swear that phosphate matches must be one of the spices used in the curry. Do you know that catch-22 that you find yourself in when eating hot food, its good so you happily take a few bites, but if you pause too long between bites the unbearable burning sets in, so you are in turn forced to just keep blissfully eating, only temporarily prolonging the moment of judgment?
I love that feeling. However, just make sure that you have a tall cold Indian lager available for the inevitable. -
Review from Mary S.
San Rafael, CA
6/3/2011
Went here and had their lunch buffet and it was amazing! This is the first time I've had South Indian cuisine and it did not disappoint. The dosa that came with the lunch buffet was delicious! I enjoyed every bit of my lunch and my mango lassi (not too sweet, just right). The place is very clean too, which is a plus. I look forward to coming back.
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Review from Matt F.
6/12/2009
Came here with a friend from High School last night that I hadn't seen in twenty five years. He's doing great and it was a blast having dinner.
The food was great, but I'm no expert on South Indian. I ran it past my native Indian co-worker today and he pointed out some differences between "normal", "american" Indian and Southern. Less butter, cream. The only dish I recognized by name was Masala Dosa (excellent). The pakora were more fried dumplings. The chicken curry lacked the usual high-fat content, but was spicy, clean, wonderful.
We kind of selected a table where we could talk. Still, the service was great. We lingered, and they weren't sure if we wanted more beer or food or what, but let us stay and have the space. San Rafael is off my beaten track, but if you're out there, stop in. -
Review from heather v.
Fairfax, CA
3/25/2007
This place is so amazing I almost don't want to write about it, because then I'll have to compete with the crowds to get a table.
However, I feel I owe the cook some big gratitude for the blissful meals she's producing in her kitchen.
I've gone twice in the last week, and both times I had to force myself to stop eating after I was full because I didn't want to stop the taste sensation.
The first time I shared a chicken curry with coconut milk, a potato dosa and a selection of chutney's with papadam. The curry was flavorful, the chicken cooked to perfection, and the dosa, served with an array of sauces, was sublime. I am particularly fond of the coconut sambar.
Even though I've been on a sugar free diet for the last six months (boy does this make dessert time hard), I broke my diet just to see what they would do with a mango kulfi, and dessert I'm not ordinarily very fond of.
As with the rest of the meal, I thoroughly enjoyed my diet busting dessert, the mango was fresh and vibrant, and the creamy flavor of the kulfi was comforting without being too rich.
The service was professional, thoughtful and quick on their feet. When, in the excitment of our conversation, we failed to notice we had pushed the papadam basket a little too close to the candle on the table, and looked down in suprise at the unordered flambe we had created, the waiter deftly removed the flaming papadams and returned with a less crispy batch.
The best thing about the food at Om is that you can literally taste the love, care and intention put into the cooking.
So glad their only a 5 minute drive from my house, if only my budget allowed for more frequent dining out! -
Review from Richard S.
San Francisco, CA
4/1/2011
My girlfriend and I have a penchant for avoiding hyped up restaurants--you know, the type of place with 500+ reviews, overcrowded, boisterous--instead preferring to patron the local mom and pop, hole in the wall, and basically less-traveled locations. It's a nice way to meet the owners of the places we go, to have a nice conversation, and a simply good meal. That being said, this place filled that role with great food to boot.
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Review from Ricote F.
San Francisco, CA
12/3/2006
I lived in and studied in India for a number of years, and one of the things that has really bothered me during the time I have been in the bay area, has been the lack of anything the resembles the food of India. Plenty of Anglo influenced Paki moghul raj type fare but where the Chicken Tika masala rules the day on those endless buffets of dried out curry I just cant find myself dragging out like back in the day of st marks 5 buck curry nights. and as fond as I am of the various curry houses -they just dont do it for me...so then that place that came and went on 5th-halawah?...they offered thali but it was just a bad location, and of course the various uprisings of Chaat and their railroad snack ilk, then came Dosa...and try as I might, an entire menu devoted to Dosa is just not my cuppa chai.
So, there I am sitting on saturday morning watching some old Dillip Kumar filmy thing and craving Thali, so I do my weekly google and Poof...Om shows up on my screen, sure its not in the city, but a nice drive over the bridge and out to the end of 4th street gets you to what is as authentic an experience you can find this side of Flushing or Bristol...Yes for those so inclined they have Dosa and Uthappam but even better they do Thali and even have a meat version for those who feel the need (the chciken was good and they had a lamb offering as well)...It was fantastic!just what the doctor ordered! I will make this my Indian place from now on..good vegeterian options, well priced and the flavors balanced! good thing I have fast track.
I did watch other diners order and was not as attracted to the rest of the menu as I was to the Thali...but I was there for that and that alone..I may never stray on their menu...
This is not a trendy little valencia boho spot, it is another small indian family place that has the moms cooking in the kitchen, if you have a craving for south indian support this place and maybe we will begin to see decent real indian food in the bay area... -
Review from Abhi S.
San Francisco, CA
2/2/2008
Discovered this place recently and its quite a gem. I don't know of other South Indian places in the North Bay so it was awesome to find this place.
The lunch buffet is very reasonably priced. The chicken and lamb dishes on the buffet are great! The service is very friendly and the place has a nice feel to it. They have mercifully avoided the overly ornate carpeting and draperies that seem to plague many Indian establishments.
On the negative side, the rasam on the buffet should have been nice and steaming hot rather than the luke warm temperature it was actually at. On a rainy and cold day, this was particulary disappointing.
I will definitely be back though. Great value for money! -
Review from Romeo and Lola C.
San Francisco, CA
5/22/2009
I hope this place sticks around for a while (there were very few patrons on our visit). The food is moderately priced and the portions are quite large.
We ordered the masala dosa which was hanging off the plate about four inches on each side.
The thayir vadai were excellent as a starter.
We also ordered the vegetarian and the lamb curry thali which is a great way to try a variety of items. Both are huge platters of food in individual dishes. I can't tell you what we had for certain as this is "chef's choice" (more on this in a minute). I am almost certain we had the spinach paneer and kadala curry which we enjoyed. There also was an excellent dessert. Thief mango lassi on the other hand was not the most flavorful that we've had.
Service was fine however when we asked what the chef's choice was that evening our server could not tell us. He explained that the chef makes that decision per order. That is fine, however, the only reason we asked is because someone in our party has some dietary restrictions and they were not very accomodating.
We would definitely return to try some more dishes. -
Review from mrsdubyah w.
San Francisco, CA
12/17/2007
I have to preface this review by stating that I'm really not a huge Indian food fan, though I have been to a few different places at friends' suggestions. My hope is the more I try it, the more likely I am to fall in love with it. Om's dosas got me real close. But before I get to the dosa love, a few words on the starters, or shall I say cautions. We ordered a few, which were met with resounding head nods. The last one, the stuffed peppers were met with something else - the next day. THEY ARE HOT! In all fairness, the waiter warned us, but nothing could have prepared us for the attack on our insides the following morning. Wow.
For the main meal, I got the caramelized onion dosa, which was really good and far more hearty than the standard 3 foot one they put on the table for us to share. It came with 4 different sides, all of which gave the dosa a unique flavor. You really can't get bored with the bevy of dipping sauces.
Besides the hot, hot, hot peppers (my fault), my biggest complaint was the last 20 minutes of the meal when they turned on the bright overhead lights and started vacuuming (at 10pm). If you go 2 hours before closing and avoid the peppers, you're in for a treat. -
Review from Cameron M.
Tiburon, CA
8/22/2009
A nice casual lunch buffet with different food than the typical Indian buffets you find in San Rafael. We just had a nice family lunch here from the buffet. The fresh table Dosa rocks. Like many say, the selection is not huge, but I enjoyed everything I had - being an omnivore I was able to eat dishes with eggplant, peas, lamb, chicken, daal, potatoes - yum!
The experience is pretty simple, but delicious. It would not be my first recommend on Indian on 4th, but for those of us who hit that area a lot, it is a nice change of pace. (Oh - and kudos for charging a kid's price on the buffet!) -
Review from Foodie B.
San Leandro, CA
3/5/2010 3 photos
DOSA!!! first time ever to try one and I really like it.
Setting: nice and quiet atmosphere, a place where you won't leave smelling like indian food.
Food:
Had a samosa for appetizer and the potato filling and the sauces that came with it were savory. As for main course I had the masala dosa. I thought it was going to be small, but it was HUGE!! Very tasty and went great with the dips.
My friend has the rava dosa and that looked really good and crispy. It have a stronger taste than mine.
Overall: Definitely would come back and definitely would recommend to others ^^ -
Review from Adrienne L.
San Rafael, CA
11/11/2010
I have South Indian blood in my veins, although raised in the US, so I like to think I know good Indian food. I was so happy to find this little gem of a restaurant in Marin since "dosa" is my all time favorite Indian food. And they do a great dosa.
I used to live in SF and visited both Dosa restaurants but for some reason the dosa is just so so at that chain. This place has crisp, fresh yummy dosa and a good variety, not just one standard type. Most importantly, they offer a coconut chutney to accompany it! Also the curries are very tasty. We got to talking with the very friendly owner and he mentioned they bring their spices back from India, which is probably why everything tastes so vibrant. They can also modify the spiciness to suit your taste.
They even have a special menu for little customers. My 2 year old son loves the cheese dosa and a mild spinach saag. Overall the best Indian cuisine in Marin so far.
