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Shaan North & South Indian Cuisine
Categories: Restaurants Indian Restaurants Buffets Restaurants Pakistani Indian, Buffets, Pakistani [Edit]
3434 Fruitvale Ave(between Macarthur Blvd & Sloan St)
Oakland, CA 94602
Neighborhoods: Dimond District, Lower Hills
(510) 531-1172
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 11 am - 3 pm
Mon-Sun 5 pm - 9:30 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
113 reviews for Shaan North & South Indian Cuisine
Review Highlights
"We always get chicken tikka masala, naan, and desert."
(in 13 reviews)
"The garlic naan is delightful as well."
(in 8 reviews)
"Have ordered take out and delivery about half a dozen times..."
(in 12 reviews)
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113 reviews in English
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Review from Susan W.
Oakland, CA
1/5/2012
Shaan is great -- always quick delivery service and tasty food. My husband and I love the tandoori wraps - SO yummy!! Last night we tried the Chicken Tikka Masala and the Lamb Vindaloo, both were good. The vindaloo could have been a little spicier for our taste but it was still very flavorful. And you can't beat a 25 minute delivery window from the time when the order was placed to when my doorbell rang, this place rocks!!
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Review from Isaac H.
Oakland, CA
1/16/2012
*Disclaimer* - Purely delivery only experiences.
We've ordered from this place about four times I think, through eat24hours. So take it as you will when I say this - delivery times? Absolutely blows chunks. Not from a spicy Lamb Vindaloo because your stomach just can't handle it - but just plains blows.
At least twice have we waited at least an hour and a half (without the incessant callings of an annoyed customer), and given them the benefit of the doubt that something was out of their hands and we would just have to wait.
Unfortunately [for them], I've tried other establishments through eat24hours, and others directly - and there is no delivery time issue whatsoever.
It's a shame that I apply 2 stars to their establishment, as their food deserves more. Sorta. It's not the best by any means, and it deserves at least a level of tolerance that makes you think - sure, I could order from these guys again because the food fulfills my hunger.
I'm a spicy foods type of guy, and my lady is quite the opposite. Lamb Vindaloo - should be spicy? Not so much. It definitely pushes the spices into your taste buds, but not the type to have you sweatin' your balls. Admittedly, there should be a fair balance of spiciness and taste. But with most their dishes including the Lamb Vindaloo, or their naan, or their Tikka Masala - bleh.
Why did I spend so much money on them. They only have my laziness to thank, as Indian food is relatively hard to come by in the realm of delivery options. -
Review from Christian C.
Oakland, CA
11/11/2011
Um.....this place is, like, not good.
been twice and was disappointed twice.
vindaloo - sucks. chicken is dry. sauce is flat and lacks any depth of flavor or heat or spice. basically, bland and boring
tikka masala - ditto to above
naan - doughy and soggy
you can get better indian food in the frozen food section of trader joes. -
Review from Janet W.
Oakland, CA
2/2/2012
Had some Foodler bucks to spend, so I placed a takeout order here, figuring if they rock they can be an easy pick-up-on-way-home spot. The entire experience as delightful! Easy parking at farmer joes, quick half block walk up street, food was ready TWENTY MINUTES after I ordered it. The lamb samosas were divine, as was the tandoori chicken, and the lamb cooked in coconut. The other tandooris were pretty good, but I think would have benefited from eating hot out of the oven as would the chicken pakoras. But everything was delicious, portions generous. $2 gets you a HUGE clamshell of basmati. Order the side of raita, as even the mint chutney is spicy. Already looking forward to trying other things on the menu. great experience, guys1
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Review from Lhm M.
Oakland, CA
10/30/2011
I enjoy Sunday dinner here with friends. We get great service and enjoy first onion pakoras and an order of veggie samosas. Non greasy and tasty. We then love the Chicken Pasanda ( the sauce is a cashew nut and cream, wow delish) , Fish Tandoori is wonderful with their cilantro sauce. Naan's are fluffy and chewy. Saag Panneer is flavorful with big chunks of panneer.
Only mishap is the lamb, third time ordering and it is always tough. no more for me. -
Review from KAI S.
Oakland, CA
7/15/2011
Having moved here from North Texas a few years ago (where even all of the delicious Indian food's cheap cheap CHEAP!), I'm naturally a little hard on Indian grub here being as it's 3x as expensive as it is in TX....
... So... Bluntly put... It better be good.
The main problem with Shaan is the food lacks flavor. I know it tends to be a trade off- more taste = more salt.... But still, it needs *something*.
We tried vegetable biryani and mateer paneer. Both were barely "OK," lacked any real flavor, and the latter was too soupy.
Now, don't get me wrong, I'd still come back here if it were the only option available at the time, but it definitely wouldn't be towards the top of my list.
Their prices (you knew this was coming) are too high as well for what you get. If the taste isn't amazing, don't overcharge. It's simple. I will say however that the interior was pleasant and had a nice ambiance. The service was alright too.
They offer a lunch buffet weekdays that's $8. Not a horrible Bay Area price, but I'm iffy on as to whether I'd want to risk potentially blah food.
Don't take my word for it. Try 'em yourself. But don't say I didn't warn you! :) -
Review from Kay S.
Oakland, CA
12/3/2011
The food was tasty enough, but I have to give them two stars- they gave me a chicken dish instead of my chili paneer. You'd think an Indian place would keep their veggie dishes separate, right? My husband got a lamb and chickpea dish that he loved.
Will order again, but I'm gonna make sure to check the food before the delivery guy leaves! -
Review from Cynthia C.
Alameda, CA
1/27/2011
Pretty good, fast and easy lunch buffet for under $9, they even do TO-GO!
Love the curries, the fragrant basmati rice and lots of leafy green lettuce, LOVE that.Listed in: The Biggity, biggity O!!!
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Review from David N.
Oakland, CA
2/11/2011
Shaan gets an extra half star for convenience - so for me its more like a 3.5 star.
We did take out tonight.
This place is very clean, as far as I can tell.
The food was thoughtfully packaged, right on time (15 min.) and piping hot.
We ordered:
Chicken Tikka Masala - above average, meat was a little dry, sauce was rich and flavorful.
Bengan Burta - great dish
Dal Makhani - a little salty but very good
Veg Samosa - crispy
Garlic and Onion Naan - preferred the Onion -
Review from Lauren S.
Berkeley, CA
1/23/2011
Have ordered take out and delivery about half a dozen times and never been disappointed. Take out informed us that this restaurant is in a good area and looks comfortable inside, but we haven't made it down here yet to discuss the service or anything.
The chicken tandoori wrap is particularly good, in my opinion. It's got a great blend of flavors with the lettuce, cucumber and seemingly yogurt based sauce and tandoori chicken.
The samosa's are too spicy for my taste, but my husband loves them. We both really dig the cholay bhatura, it's delicious, although we usually pick out the onions on top.
Delivery comes within an hour and the food is always still hot. Great for a break from the pizza and Chinese food which are delivery staples. -
Review from Steve C.
Oakland, CA
9/9/2011
Good food, reasonable (but not great) prices. I have only gotten food to-go - I have never eaten in. The service seems a bit gruff sometimes, but maybe that's a cultural thing, or because I'm just blowing through the place quickly to pick up my food. I almost always order Chicken Chole and an order of Garlic Naan, both have good flavor. Wish they'd cut the chicken into smaller pieces, they're much bigger than bite size, and need to be cut. Makes it hard to eat straight out of the container. Apart from that small niggle, this is a perfectly serviceable local Indian joint that I am happy to welcome to the neighborhood.
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Review from Mari I.
Oakland, CA
10/26/2010
I tried a new restaurant in my neighborhood for dinner tonight and had such a positive experience, I wanted to share it with the Yelp world.
I went to Shaan Indian Cuisine for the first time with my daughter for dinner. We were in the mood for Indian food and Shaan is down the street from where we live.
The food and service were excellent! My daughter ordered her favorite dish, channa masala and I ordered the vegetable thali dinner. The food was so flavorful. It was some of the best Indian food we've ever eaten. It was reasonably priced. Our total bill came to around $23. The servings were plentiful. We both left feeling quite full plus we had leftovers to bring home.
The restaurant personnel were nice, polite and attentive. The restaurant is clean, tastefully decorated and has a warm charm.
We went around 630pm and there was plenty of street parking.
We're so happy to have found a new restaurant in our neighborhood. We will definitely go back to Shaan Indian Cuisine. You should try it too! You won't be disappointed. -
Review from Michael F.
San Lorenzo, CA
8/1/2011
This place has rodents all in the kitchen. Go next door to the bank and they have to deal with rodents every 3 months. They share the same wall with the kitchen. Gross and nasty.
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Review from Sarah S.
Oakland, CA
11/26/2010
I've only had delivery from here, and I've just recently reached a verdict. I've had a quite a few really great, a couple of average, and one not-so-hot meals from Shaan. It's great for a quick meal--I live in the Laurel & they are very speedy on the delivery + you can order online...major plus.
I don't think I'd recommend dine-in. When I've gone to pick up food it's mostly empty & the decor is pretty underwhelming.
Reasonably priced, and mostly tasty (we usually get the baigan barta & chicken mahkni--I'm sure I'm not spelling them right). Worth checking out for the delivery if you're in the Dimond or Laurel. -
Review from Callie K.
8/22/2010
We love Shaan!
** NOTE: This is a review strictly for the delivery experience, as we've never actually visited the restaurant.**
Shaan is easily our favorite Indian delivery. It's consistent, they're super friendly, and they always manage get the food to us within an hour. It's also a pretty sweet deal since we figured out that our usual order of 2 entrées and 2 breads is enough food for the two of us to eat two dinners. I'd suggest ordering it on a Sunday night so you don't have to worry about what to make for dinner on Monday.
What we get:
+ saag paneer* ($8.99): fresh spinach cooked with homemade cheese and herbs
+ aloo gobi* ($7.99): cauliflower and potatoes
+ garlic nan ($1.99)
+ poori ($1.99): whole wheat puffy bread
* pretty sure all entrées come with rice, both of these do
I'm pretty picky when it comes to Indian and I absolutely LOVE Shaan. Highly recommended if you're looking for above average Indian delivery. -
Review from Ronan L.
Oakland, CA
6/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Good basic Indian place. Everything I've had here has been good. Nothing has been really magical, but it does have one of my favorite tikka masala dishes. So, no complaints.
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Review from Cazsh R.
Oakland, CA
11/1/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Having just returned from England (where I eat a lot of Indian food) I am reminded how good the food is here. Parking is so convenient and staff is friendly. Love their saag paneer and chicken Pasand. we usually eat in but sometimes take out. Always we enjoy.
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Review from Robyn L.
Englewood, CO
3/4/2011
Really, this is 3.5, but usually folks go with three stars.
The biggest YAY is chai at $1 with a buffet.
I get the buffet a few times a month. I've gotten delivery once or twice, and dinner once.
I'd recommend the buffet over delivery, but off the menu dinner is also quite nice.
This is typical indian fare, with goat korma.
I grew up in a community that loved goat babecue. The goat korma smells fresh and my partner, who had never eaten goat, has enjoyed it.
Shaan does make rich food, and I have yet to see what I consider southern Indian dishes on the menu.
Love the raita and naan. The roti is even better.
Vegetarian dishes are typical and plentiful.
Good service.
They were amused when I broke out my tiffin and packed up my leftovers at dinner.
I heard stories of their childhood and tiffinwallahs.
Again, food is heavy, so plan accorgingly. -
Review from Brad S.
San Leandro, CA
7/20/2011
Hella good food if you like indian food!!! Not the cheapest place but what indian place is? Its gd food, its not gon be hella cheap, its classy type food even tho i eat it like errthang else like a pig lmao, nah but seriously this place is hella gd tho, plus it serves beer, not just any beer but it actually has indian beer, KARMA is my fav kind!!! ne way parking in longs or cvs cuz parking hard to find on streeet sometimes, gd service , fairly quick, small but still nice, if you like indian you shud def go there!!!! def one of the best indian spots around!!!
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Review from Roachie D.
Oakland, CA
9/16/2010 2 Check-ins Here
I've ordered from here a few times in the last month or so, and I'm pleased that I've got decent Indian food just moments from my house.
I've only ever ordered vegetable samosas and Aloo Gobi from this joint, but I must say both dishes are fantastic here.
My friend ordered the Malai Kofta and enjoyed it quite a bit too.
As that whole 'vegan' thing goes, its nice to have options in the 'hood.
I've only done take out, but when I come pick it up the restaurant appears clean and quiet, which is nice.
The entrees are a little on the smaller side to go, but can still be comfortably split between two people with rice and an appetizer. -
Review from lexi l.
Oakland, CA
10/28/2010
not my number one choice for eat in but super good for on the fly indian delivery for sure.
I live up in the piedmont ave area so it's hard to find a restaurant that will deliver other than raj (which is good but too greasy)
Shaan delivered in 40 minutes was super flavorful and spicy and not greasy at all.
I ordered the tikka masala and the lamb samosas both were awesome. the tikka masala had juicy pieces of grilled chicken and the samosas were crisp and tasty.
not bad at all -
Review from Annie L.
Oakland, CA
6/13/2011
Boyfriend and I had some food delivered a few days ago. We got the typical white people order:
Samosa (vegetable & lamb): I haven't had a good vegetable samosa since I left San Francisco, but this one was pretty damn good. Not too heavily spiced and the potatoes were in chunks, which is just how I like them. I didn't try the lamb ones, but the boy said they had a weird texture (he's never had them before, so I'm not sure of his basis for comparison).
Garlic naan: well-done, but still pretty tasty. In my book, you can't go terribly wrong with butter slathered bread topped with garlic.
Chicken Tikka Masala: He didn't like it. I thought it was interesting. It had a nice smoky flavor I enjoyed, but it was hella greasy. I mean pools of oil collecting at the top.
Lamb Biryani: My first lamb experience, so I can't say for sure. It was okay.. weird texture, says the boy. The rice was good though. I remember standing over the stove the next morning and shoveling it in my mouth when he wasn't looking.
Aloo Gobi: Pretty tasty and spicy, but also greasy. I also wish it had more potatoes. I love potatoes.
In summation, while I've certainly had better, I would probably order from here again as it appears to be the only Indian food joint that delivers to our spot and I'm too lazy to travel to a sit-down restaurant. I would also be interested in trying other things on the menu; despite the grease they had some pretty satisfactory flavors. -
Review from D e v a n.
Oakland, CA
11/20/2008
I've been so excited for this place to open! Buffets are one of my favorite things in life. Free buffets make me giddy.
Tonight at the grand opening, owner Parmgite Singh offered a free dinner buffet for the community. The vibe inside the restaurant was jolly and neighborhoody. Folks were laughing heartily and clinking their Styrofoam cups of Coke together in joyful toasts.
Mr. Singh had a super generous spread laid out, and was there in the buffet line with the rest of the staff serving up rice pudding. He was warm and welcoming; and seemed like the kind of guy who would remember your name after meeting you once. I bet he'd also slap you on the back the next time he saw you, and shake your hand in a friendly manner.
The food was decent. The veggie pakoras were crisp, the naan tasted homemade, and the rice pudding superb.
As I left the restaurant, there was an old man standing on the sidewalk, gleefully licking the last bits of curry off his plate. Normally this would have barfed me out me a bit. But after enjoying all the warm-hearted hospitality and community camaraderie inside Shaan, I smiled at him. -
Review from Jason W.
Oakland, CA
10/11/2009
Well I was stoked to hear they deliver and that is why I give them 3 stars. That is a nice plus considering I do not know of many spots in the east bay that deliver Indian food. Keep in mind I've never have been physically in this place.
So How Was The food?
Meh, it is average as far as I am concerned. Their chicken was a tad on the dry side, nothing really too awesome about it but then again nothing bad as well. The curries were OK, I was a bit less impressed since I asked for "hot" while ordering and it was not "hot" at all. Matter fact it was rather simple; aka no spice at all.
Tikka Masala - Average
Narial Ka Murgh - Average
Both had really small amounts of chicken which I thought was a bummer.
Prawn Malal - Was not epic by any means. I felt it was below average.
Aloo Tikk - Was the best dish I had. This was by far above average in my opinion. Really nicely done with a good amount of flavor; this was a win here...
Nan - Yikes, rubbery and seemed to be rubbery all the way through.
Overall its an average spot for my taste buds. I think the only thing I like is the fact they deliver, however that said would I shell out another $50 and some odd change for the average food again??
Survey says, nope... not at all...
HOWEVER, if was craving some Indian food and unable to drive to get some or otherwise lazy. I would probably indeed order from them again. -
Review from Betty H.
Updated - 12/27/2008
Took my Husband to Shaan because I knew he would love it, and because I just wanted to go back. The Buffet food was a little different this time. They had Chicken curry and goat curry added to it.
Gotta run over to Macy's for some bigger cloths, be back soon.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/23/2008
Okay, I must admit I have never had Indian Cuisine, so I have no source of reference. But I do know,… Read more »
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Review from Hope O.
Oakland, CA
5/29/2011
Great, fast delivery. We always get chicken tikka masala, naan, and desert. Very friendly. Love this place.
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Review from Dana B.
Oakland, CA
11/22/2008
Yay!! Indian food in my 'hood! When we were throwing out wishes for restaurants in the neighborhood on the Dimond email list, I suggested Indian. 5 stars for the lovely welcome to the neighborhood. Thanks to the owners for such a warm welcome.
I'll have to go back for a real meal before I totally rate them, but for now -- the veggie pakoras -- vegetables in a batter of gram (chickpea/garbanzo) flour and spices that are fried into tasty snacks -- were really good and I don't normally like them much as they can be too greasy, but these weren't and they were nicely spiced. Plus the mint chutney was pleasantly hot and a perfect match with the pakoras. The choley (garbanzo dish) was tasty. The chicken curry was tender and good. Rice was good. Tandoori chicken was a bit underdone (from them cooking so much for the buffet, I would guess), so I only ate an outer bite, but it was good. I think the veggie dish was made with frozen veggies, so that was just OK. The Kheer (rice pudding dessert) was very good. One big negative -- they were using styrofoam cups. The plates were paper though.
OK, got some take out 12-02-08 to go with some boxed Indian veggie side dishes that I got at an Indian grocery store (yum) and some frozen-cook-your-own Roti from Costco (yum). We got some onion pakoras with the mint chutney and tamarind sauce. They were like spiced onion rings -- good, but probably best ordered when eating in the restaurant or open the container on the way home so they don't steam and get soggy. We also got a chicken tandoori dish that I can't recall the name of, but the chicken was marinated in some green spice mixture and was cooked just right. Big chunks of lean breast meat and a side of delicious basmati rice. The service was quick and friendly.
Prices aren't cheap per se, but the place isn't a dive in a gross neighborhood either. And if you've ever tried to make Indian food, you know how labor and ingredient intensive it is, which is expensive. I try to eat out for things I'm not willing to make or make often, and Indian and Thai take the cake for this. Plus, I don't have a Tandoor oven!
And to top it off, it's halfway between my house and my boyfriend's house! -
Review from Monte M.
Oakland, CA
12/17/2008
Great restaurant: friendly staff, super clean and HUGE bathroom. the food was great. prices were really reasonable. where else can you get a chai tea for $1? i ate with 2 other adults, with appetizers and drinks and spent a tad less than $50 (including tip).
so glad they're in the dimond. plus they have a lot of great beers, even indian ones. -
Review from Mel H.
Oakland, CA
11/21/2008
Any place that welcomes the neighborhood with free dinner is awesome. Tonight's dinner buffet of tandoori chicken, basmati rice, some kind of chickpea/eggplant dish, naan, deep-fried veggie things, and rice pudding was fabulous. (Apologies for lack of actual food names--there were a LOT of people and the Shaan folks were really keeping the line moving!)
The place was packed, so my friends and I brought our plates to a table in the outdoor melon/squash area of Farmer Joe's. It was a nice super-late-summer/autumn night (and it's NOVEMBER? I love the East Bay) and man, that food was gone so fast. YUM. I think they accidentally gave me an extra fried veggie thing--bless you! (I don't know what kind of vegetable...does it matter?)
The long awaited Indian restaurant has arrived! Hurray! I will be back.
N.B. Afterward, we shared an eclair and piece of carrot cake from La Farine and had coffee at Peet's. I love this 'hood. -
Review from Jennifer B.
Oakland, CA
1/18/2010
Indian food is the only food I will order in buffet form with any dignity. The flavor-packed mush holds up well in those heated trays. Shaan's $8 lunch buffet has lots of tasty offerings.
Unfortunately, the rice, naan, and dessert didn't have the same resilience. They tasted like they had been sitting in hot trays for a few hours, which no doubt they were. It's not a big secret about buffets, I know.
Great value, spicy food, filling and delicious, if especially oily.
They also have bizarre Indian beers with priceless descriptions. -
Review from Robert C.
Oakland, CA
12/1/2008
I popped in for dinner tonight for the chicken tikka masala. I had wanted the Thali Dinner but unbeknowst to me when I received my meal only two dishes were brought ( the chicken and rice separately ). I asked if more was being brought as the menu indicated that it came with a vegetable curry of the day, dal, raita, rice, plain nan and kheer. To my surprise they said "yes" but it must of been to confirming that my nan to go order was on it's way. It was only then she explained to me that the dinner was not available. Well if it's going to be a la carte so be it. The rice was a generous portion and the chicken tikki masala was tasty in a mild sauce with nice size chunks of meat.
3 1/2 stars but communication could be improved. -
Review from Al S.
Oakland, CA
3/19/2011
Horrible lunch buffet, I went here once when i first moved into the neighborhood and was not impressed so i gave it the benefit of a doubt and went for a second time..... Tasteless vegi dishes and meatless meat dishes . the lamb stew was full of scraps and sharp broken bones. Also very awkward acting owner and service staff that made us a bit uncomfortable.
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Review from Tina B.
Oakland, CA
10/27/2011
Shaan has a great lunch buffet from 12:00p-3:00p; my favorite items are the vegetable dumplings and the goat curry. Their delivery service is fast and easy, I've never had any trouble with it. Overall, good food, good service, good choice for lunch or dinner :)
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Review from Chase S.
6/4/2009
I was super pumped that they delivered because I am in a cast right now and trying to go anywhere is a nightmare, and I just can't eat pizza and chinese food everyday.
That being said the delivery was one of the best things about Shaan besides the f'ing amazing vegetable samosas. We also ordered basmati rice, garlic and plain nan, aloo gobi, sheek lamb kabab, The meat was tough, the nan was meh, I had 2 bites of the aloo gobi and didn't want anymore. I did however loves the samosas and kept them to myself.
I would go back and order a double order of samosas but that's it : / -
Review from Cassandra C.
Oakland, CA
6/7/2009
After some recent experiences with fantastic Indian food, I was hoping to find a local source for some tasty eats. Unfortunately, Shaan isn't the spot.
I ordered takeout and found the food tasteless, like frozen food. The Chicken Vandaloo was full of meat, but it wasn't tender or infused with Vandaloo spice. The Saag Paneer was surprisingly thin and indistinctive.
Last night, I dined in with Jeff. At the suggestion of the wait staff, we ordered the chicken and lamb Thaldi dinners. Again, the food was bland. Although it contained spice, it was still bland and just poorly done. As an example, the dinner included green salad which was served without dressing. The dinner included Raita, which should be cucumber and tomato in yogurt sauce. But this raita didn't have any vegetables.
Next time I'm craving something to wake up my taste buds, I won't be going to Shaan. -
Review from Elizabeth S.
Oakland, CA
2/7/2009
After reading all these amazingly glowing reviews from all you folks, I decided to give Shaan a little visit. Dave and I had a chicken tikka masala, a navrathan (veggie) korma, and lamb samosas.
Let's see if that 'fresh chicken meat in the tikka masala' is actually "FRESH", but it turned out mediocre at best - just like any perfectly chiseled frozen chicken cubes... Instead of the ooey gooey creamy curry of North India that only Andrew Zimmern & Anthony Bourdain would DIE for, I had the worst watery substance reminiscent of a diluted can of Campbell's Tomato Soup on both the korma & tikka masala!!
Instead of the 'fresh veggies' that all of you raved about, ours seriously came straight from Safeway's frozen vegetable section!!! How could the carrots be so 'fresh' when they're so uncannily, perfectly, robotically sized & chiseled, with not even a bold crunch of a fresh carrot??
SADLY, our main appetizer, the dear lamb samosas never made an appearance..OUCH!!
Nonetheless, our waiter and manager was definitely gracious, and defused our displeasure by offering us a free curry (which we refused).
I would still give this joint another chance. Hopefully they would redeem themselves by serving fresh ingredients, and seriously look up to their culinary brethren in India for good curries. -
Review from Cec C.
Oakland, CA
12/27/2008
i'm tempted to give shaan an extra star just for being one of the few dinner options in the dimond district. B and I checked on the storefront often before it was open, excited for indian food only blocks from our house. but hey, if its gonna thrive, it has to be good enough for people in other 'hoods to want to come visit, right?
the few dishes we've tried so far (chicken tikka masala, chicken vindaloo) have been decent and the prices were reasonable.
the decor is somewhat tacky, but it looks like they made an effort.
my only serious gripe is that the water they served us tasted like it was from a garden hose... like it was spit-it-back-in-your-cup gross. hopefully they've resolved that issue... -
Review from Devin L.
Sacramento, CA
1/1/2009
I have been here twice now. The first time I went I was very impressed with the food. We had palak paneer, a chicken curry and the tandoori chicken with regular and garlic naan. The front of the house, however, was very poorly run. They were disorganized in getting guests seated, they did a poor job of getting water, silverware, chutneys, etc where they needed to be, they were very slow to take our order, etc, etc. Basically there was nothing that they should not have done better. They had just opened, though, so I was hopeful that they would soon get their act together.
We went back tonight and I am happy to report that, for the most part, they have. While I would say the staff could be friendlier, they did everything that they should be expected to. The one problem, though, was our waiter's accent was so thick, it was very hard to understand him -- and I consider myself pretty adept at picking up accents.
Tonight we had the paneer again, the mixed tandoori grill, a sweet chili chicken curry, samosas and a mixed basket of naan.
I have been very pleased with the tandoori. The fish, especially, in the mixed grill, was very good. The chicken was quite moist, despite the dry cooking method. The shrimp and lamb were solid as well, though the chicken and fish were the stars.
I'm not a generally much of a fan of meat with thick, sweet sauce (think sweet and sour pork) and the sweet chili chicken curry was not really an exception. The curry I had the previous visit was much better, though. I would write this one off as a matter of taste. If you like that sort of thing (I'm looking at you, white people ...) you'll probably like it, but it's not for me.
I was happy with the paneer and the samosas, though I would say they were pretty standard Indian fare.
All told, you will get a reliably good meal here at a reasonable price. Most entrees are about $7. You'll generally get out of here at a bit over $10 per person, after paying for naan and any other side dishes you might want. While the final price is still reasonable, I do find the amount they charge for naan (and/or the relatively small portions you receive for the price) to be a bit unreasonable, but it's a small critique and they have to make their money some how. I'll keep going back. -
Review from Michelle M.
Oakland, CA
6/27/2010
Went there for an impromptu dinner. First, they got what I ordered for an appetizer wrong. Then, it wasn't very good - actually one of the worst pakora's I've ever had. I had Malai Kofta, one of my most favorite Indian dishes, and it wasn't great - the vegetable balls were pretty flavorless, and the sauce was good, but far from remarkable. The bread was too greasy, and not fluffy at all.
The service was mediocre, and a bit sullen. And it wasn't cheap. So, I won't be going back. -
Review from Mike A.
Santa Clara, CA
1/15/2010
Lazy night of not wanting to cook @ home prompted a trip out to eat. Decided to check out this spot...
For a non-busy night, the kitchen was pretty slow. Took a LONG time to get the order out. When it finally arrived, I found the chicken a little bit on the dry side. However, the sauces of the Tikka Masala and Narial Ka Murgh were pretty good. The Roti and Paratha were awesome.
Overall, I think it was decent. Would I come back? Perhaps... since there aren't many Indian options in Oakland other than making the trek out to Fremont.
