Rani Bistro
| Address: | 1353 Beacon St, Brookline, MA 02446, USA |
| Phone: | +1 617-734-0400 |
| Site: | ranibistro.com |
| Rating: | 3.7 |
| Working: | 11:30AM–3PM 11:30AM–3PM 11:30AM–3PM 11:30AM–3PM 11:30AM–3PM 11:30AM–11PM 11:30AM–3PM |
Location
Photos 43
Reviews 11
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Adam Solomon
Loved the "small plate" section. Bright flavors. Nice ambiance. Ive had three visits to Rani recently, twice for dinner and once for their lunchtime buffet. I had a very nice experience each time. The restaurant has a very nice ambiance -- its been a "date night" restaurant for my wife and me a couple times. Each visit I was promptly greeted and seated. The store has a LOT of seating. I went on a Saturday night and there was no wait. Having said that, the seating areas are divided up, so you do not feel as if youre sitting in a cavernous room. On my most recent visit, I was particularly impressed by their small dishes section of the menu. I tried the Palak-Arugula Chaat: spinach and arugula with chickpeas in a tangy tamarind sauce. It was bright and flavorful with some wonderful contrasts in texture too. The Vada Pay: a spicy, garlicky potato patty slider was fun and outrageously good. For entrees we had the vegetarian dosa, the wonderfully spicy Mirchi ka Salan (hot chilies simmered in tamarind-peanut curry), and Sukhi Gobhi (Cauliflower and peas sautéed with herbs and spices). Aside from the hot chili dish, the other offerings didnt seem to be over the top spicy. I also tried the Peshawari Naan. They have a good short wine list and a full bar. I had a pinot gris which was a good match with the spices. The rice with the dishes was fresh and flavorful (it had bay leaves & cardamon I think). The entree portions were large. The next time I go, I would be tempted to order only from the small plate section of the menu. The service was a bit slow here and there, but quite solicitous. They did stay on top of keeping the water glasses full and offered an additional glass of wine when I was just about finished with the first. The lunchtime buffet was fairly standard/mainstream Indian offerings and was enjoyable. A big step up from most Indian buffet offerings. The store is wheelchair accessible.
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Caroline Fry
Awful experience - I walked in this restaurant with 2 7 years old and 2 12 years - The buffet looked barely fresh, the chicken was uncooked - When it came to pay, the waiter handed me the check for 2 adults and 3 kids - I complained and he said one of the one older kid ate a full plate - I asked what was the age for children to get the children rate - He said it doesnt work with age, they just decide whatever they want - I was quite upset as you can imagine - 2 younger kids ate only the rice as the food was too spicey - The waiter was so rude, I said I would not come back to be treated like this - He said he couldnt care less - SO if youre looking for a place to eat with dishonnest waiter/owner, ready to rip your off and not caring about your experience - This is the place ! There are better place to eat indian food too. 1 star is too much.
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A Private User
Our favorite restaurant closed, Classic India out in Quincy, so weve been looking for a new one. We had the buffet. The pakoras were slightly on the bland side, but still quite good. The saag paneer passed muster with a very satisfactory spinach mixture, although the chunks of paneer were fewer than they should have been. But thats the good news. The chole seemed as though it was missing something, and the kheer was bland and sticky. Also it took too long for them to refill the water. If we were in a little burg where it was the only Indian restaurant in town, I would cheerfully go back. But in Boston Im sure we can do better.
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A Private User
I have been to probably at least 10 different Indian restaurants in the Boston-Cambridge area over the years, and the flavors at Rani are perhaps the least interesting. This is based on my one meal there. The Rani Plate, consisting of all of the fried vegetarian appetizers that I love, was all bland. The vegetable korma, which is usually a savory cream-based sauce with nuts, was remarkably unflavorful. My recommendation: you can find better - in fact, the chances are excellent that if you close your eyes and pick an Indian restaurant out of the Yellow Pages, it will be better. Oh, and its overpriced, too.
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A Private User
We are from Hyderabad in India, and this is the only Indian restaurant that we heartily recommend to our friends, and the only one we regularly go to. The dishes are fleshly prepared, and not over-spiced and oily like most of the typical Punjabi restaurants. The decor is nice, but not over-the-top, and the wait staff are reserved but competent. If you like the super-spicey and extra-rich Indian food found at other restaurants, this may not be for you, but if you like a more subtle, fresh approach with more variations on the menu, I definitely recommend this restaurant.
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Tan Dang
We arrived at 9 PM. Restaurant closes at 10 PM. Chicken Tikka Curry had two much butter and they advertise Entre served with rice and lentils. The quantity of lentils served is like one spoon. Maybe they should advertise served with rice . Waiters changed in shorts and t shirts and were ready to go home at 9 45 PM and we had to go and get hold of the waiter so that he could serve us more rice. We were disappointed. Below Average food and substandard service and they added 18% Service charge for a service that deserved 5%.
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YCThomas Paik
I just came here for buffet. $14.50 for sunday lunch isnt it a little bit higher? Nan was too hard to chew. Water glasses were dirty. Food was not warm enough, however. When i asked to change it, they changed it right away. The inside restaurant is a pretty nice. I believe that they probably spend more than $100,000 for interior design. I thought about a Indian restaurant in India. But it is too bright. Too much. This restaurant needs a curtain asap. I am eating lunch, but i feel that i am sitting in a closing restaurant.
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Charles Bosse
While you wont feel like you are sitting down to a fancy dinner in this mostly-buffet restaurant, its a great place to grab a quick meal, especially if you need to cater to several dietary restrictions. My mother is gluten-free and my wife and I are vegan, and this restaurant was easily able to accommodate all of us with several selections off their regular menu. If you want something quick, good, and accessible to a range of diets, Rani is one of the better options in the area.
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David Diez
Great Indian food, reasonably priced, and consistently excellent service. It is often difficult to find good Indian food, but everything Ive tried here has been excellent (four vegetarian dishes, the naan sampler -- the raisin and nut naan is the best, and the vegetarian appetizer sampler). I havent tried any meat dishes but the other folks I have gone there with that had meat enjoyed their meals.
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A Private User
I found the ambiance good from outside and walked in but had to wait for 15 min even before the menu was given to me even though the restaurant wasnt very busy. The staff gangs up and chit-chats and ignores customers. On politely complianing about it while walking out evoked no response at all.. It was acutally humiliating that I compalined.. Find something better, not worth the dime.
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Eric Nieminen
Great lunch buffet with a balance of very flavorful vegetarian and meat dishes. They usually have seven main dishes, chutneys, iceberg lettuce salad, and cardamom rice pudding for dessert. Ive never had better pakoras (fried veggie fritters). Never eaten a la carte, but the service during the buffet is good. Their mango lassis are a bit pricy but fantastic.
