Amba Vilas Palace
| Address: | 54 Pembroke Rd, Danbury, CT 06811, USA |
| Phone: | +1 203-746-6425 |
| Site: | ambavilaspalacedanbury.com |
| Rating: | 4.2 |
| Working: | 11:30AM–2:30PM 11:30AM–2:30PM 11:30AM–2:30PM 11:30AM–2:30PM 11:30AM–2:30PM 11:30AM–2:30PM 11:30AM–2:30PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 12
MA
Mark Hunter
The bad news - you have to drive about three miles up Pembroke off I-84 Exit 6, a bit past "Orange is the New Black"-based Womens Fed. Facility to a compact, innocuous strip mall setup. The great news - youll enjoy exquisite royal Indian cuisine with a superb Bengali accent. We, meaning my chowhound consort and I, have eaten Indian food throughout the U.S. and world, and this is for us, each with some gray hair, the most delicious fare weve discovered to date, and we find ourselves there almost weekly - its just that tasty. Standouts - Lamb Boti Kebab, four nearly tennis ball-sized pieces, on a bed of sweet onions and mixed peppers, is grilled marvelously for a hissing, smoking iron-plated presentation (get it medium rare) and is my favorite meat dish going. Tandoori chicken, often a red-basted dryish fowl afterthought, here is well-marinated and served with spice-coated succulence, likewise in scorched iron. The korma sauce is intriguingly rich, including traces of almond, sweet squash, and nutmeg, and each and every other dish features a consistent, sensitive, thorough approach to fresh ingredients, marinades, spices, heat, and sauce-to-meat/fowl/fish complementation (the butter and masala sauces are superb as well). This is gourmet food by any knowing standard and is such value (for ex., lunch buffet is $12 per person; we focus on the main menu). Tell Hashim, the master chef (of a three to four man line) if he pokes out to check on the house, the doctor and that fella sent you.
RO
Robert Francisco
I love Indian food and have been to many restaurants in the area, and to my taste this one is definitely a cut above the rest! Ive eaten there and taken out literally hundreds of times, and the food is always consistently excellent. The owner is also the chef, so that explains the attention to ensure that every dish is prepared correctly each and every time. I like my food extra spicy (lots of spices, not just hot) and he is clearly a master at blending and balancing the spices just so, which really is the key to superior Indian food. (Ive tried myself at home and I can tell you from personal experience that is it anything but easy to get it right...). My personal favorites which I wholeheartedly give 5 stars include: Lasuni Gobi appetizer - Perfect blend of sweet and hot! Shrimp Rangoli appetizer - Wow, heres where the spices and sauce really shine! Amba Murgh (Chicken) Soup - Intensely delicious! Andhra Murgh (Chicken) Curry - Another dish with an exotic blend of spice and heat! The Tandoori Chicken and Dal Tadka (both staples of Indian cuisine) are excellent too! Of course everyones tastes are different, but I can honestly say that I think it highly unlikely that anyone who likes Indian food would ever be less than thrilled with any of the above dishes...;o) Really nice people there too! (Family owned and operated.)
SI
Siddhartha Banerjee
Very bad Sunday lunch buffet costing around $18. Went for a Sunday lunch buffet..entererd at 2:15...the spread was untouched....all the garnishing still there..the serving spoons were shiny ...it should have Ben my first cue to get out...but I sat down hoping to enjoy the afternoon. Starters chucken 65& seek kabab was dry oily and no taste....chicken tika nasal and daal makhani were so creamy they appeared pale yellow...prawans was the saving grace but very spicy...did not try the goat curry as it apperead over spiced...veg options...Bombay aloo was big chunks of patato in very spicy gravy...matar gobi was decent but very odd combination..veg jalfareji was again over spiced...they bought tandoori chicken to table but again it was verybdry...was excited when they got dosha..but again it was sour and smelling of oil...deserts the gulab jamun was very had inside...gajar halwa was just ok. May be the owner should focus on fewer but better items....and help the cook to balance the over use of spice or the cream in the food. Anyway a very disappointing Sunday dinner Hope it gets better
A
A Private User
I used to get take-out here semi-regularly when it was called Bombay. The food was better than your typical take-out fare. Then they came under new ownership (which I discovered when I tried to order with the old menu) and everything got bad. They told me my order would be ready in 30 minutes. I showed up 30 minutes later to an empty restaurant but was told my food would be just a little longer. I ended up waiting another 20 minutes just standing in the entrance with the staff eyeing me from the kitchen. While I waited, I noticed one of the waiters was sleeping on the floor in the back of the main dining area--a little disconcerting! When I finally got the food it was bland and not very good (and more expensive to boot). I havent been back since.
BR
Brent Williams
Im relatively new to Indian food, so we went and basically asked our waiter what to order. He chose a couple basic dishes for us and suggested the sorts of things we might want to order in the future. The food was great. Really nicely prepared and served. The naan was fresh out of the oven and really good. We had chicken tikka masala that was incredibly tender. Great lamb biryani. And really good service. The total bill ended up a little more than a typical casual dinner out, but I think it was absolutely worth it, so there was good value for money. I will definitely be back again.
TH
ThatFabOne
A vastly improved experience since new ownership took over this location some time ago. The buffets which are served daily are an absolute steal! Authentic Indian dishes from varying regions are a culinary escapade thru this exotic land. Everything is seasoned beautifully and the cooks are quite skilled. A diverse menu affords the luxury that even the most discerning vegetarians would be satisfied. Order the poori bread when you come with a group for that wow factor! (If you dnt like spicy let them know, there is no fear of capsaicin here)
GE
George Abraham
Had the Buffet...the food was great and the service was excellent! For $11 you cant go wrong. Far better service than Kolam in Newtown. The only thing I did not like is the expanse...the place is SMALL. we could hear the conversation in the corner table. But I would deffinetly go back.
FA
Fabricio Nunes
Ever since this location came under new ownership the quality of the food and service has stepped up dramatically. Now a must go for the weekend buffets that offer a stunning array of delightful dishes varied enough to accomodate even the most discerning vegetarian. Recommended
RO
Robert LeClerc
Great food and service, been here a few times over the years and always an awesome meal. Brought a friend today for the lunch buffet and as usual it was fantastic. The chicken tikka masala is the BEST Ive had, the selection at the buffet is great, and the naan is spot on!
CA
Carol Dorn
Food is 5 star but the service was THE WORST!!! If they got real waitstaff and host/hostess front of house person this place would have a line out he door. Having worked in every kind of restaurant from family to silver service I know from whence I speak.
GE
Geraldine Barrow
We would NOT recommend this restaurant. Although there were only 10 other patrons when we arrived we waited well over an our before even our appetizer arrived (which was overcooked ). Slow, slow service and just OK food. Never again.
JO
Jonathan B. Reid
If youre having dinner, this place has the best samosas in town. The lunchtime buffet is delicious, and the staff are attentive and friendly. I come here all the time, and am always glad I did.
