Amber India Restaurant

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lorianderson34

Joined 6 years ago

best service. best service ever .they had a long wait but we were finally seated, our server arrived within seconds greeted us and poured water .he was a tall slim good looking guy of Indian decent, neatly dressed .he was back after some time to take our order ,he asked us whether we would like to start with some drinks and appetizers ,he showed us some of his favorites and also helped pick a good pinot. When asked about his fluency in the English language he mentioned that he is a grad back home and he currently studies at City College. Most of the time in Indian or Asian restaurants it is very difficult to communicate with the servers this was pleasant exception. The food suggestions were great and the service extraordinary from start to finish

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lanbeam

Joined 7 years ago

Good buffet, more choices. Had tried ala carte dinner and lunch buffet. Place was not crowded. Good place for going as a group.Buffet was ok, choices seemed limited compared to mountain view. Fodd is not spicy, but some of the curries were creamy. Definitely worth trying.

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foodiesj

Joined 7 years ago

best indian restaurant in bay area. i have been dining in the best of indian restaurants all over the world(all thanx to my travelling job)...when i am in my new home town sanjose amber india in santanarow is my favourite restaurant.my view is this is one of the best indian restaurants in the bay area.

we were group of 4 in our last visit,it was a saturday night ..but were seated in a nice corner,our waiter was knowledgable about the menu....the menu has lots of thought behind it,the dishes found here is not to be found in any other indian restaurants in this side of the country,i had the calamari......which was sauteed with bellpeppers & tangy tomato sauce...this is the best calamari i had in long time...the others in our group seemed very happy with their appetizers....for entree i had the kohlapuri chicken ...wow it was spot on ....this is from a foodie who has eaetn in kohlapur in india and it was as if i was eating back home just great...my friends ordered various other dishes including few from the contemprory section ...they were these plated entree which had all the indian elements in them...like the spice roasted halibut,with shrimp coconut sauce ...the perfectly roasted halibut lay over lemon rice and was well presented ,the plate by itself is sufficient for a person,the presentation can compete with any of the western restaurants in bay area...that is the beauty of thus restaurants menu...there is traditional stuff as well as contemprory cuisine.......it really uplifts indian cuisine to a new level

for dessert i had the mango strawberry kulfi....kudos to chef what a brilliant combination....the kulfi had two layers one of mango & other was of strawberry.. it was marriage made in heaven...finally there is an alternative for the boring malai kulfi.

before heading to amber i had checked out citysearch ...it says this as an expensive restaurant

but according to me if u want exclusive food good service and posh restaurant then this is not that expensive....

Doesn't Recommend

thesjcritic

Joined 7 years ago

Overpriced & Overrated. Many reviewers say that Amber India Restaurant in Santana Row is the Best Indian Restaurant in San Jose and I respectfully disagree. For full disclosure I should state that when myself and 3 of my friends ate dinner at Amber, we were treated to a well decorated but ultimately stomach wrenching experience. Something went drastically wrong in the kitchen at Amber that night, because after dinner, all four of us were left flat on our backs and running to the commode with upset stomachs. However, since everyone else I've talked to about this restaurant says that they've had no stomach problems, I must assume it was just an off night.

So, let me talk about their food. The small portion sizes are going to be an issue for many at Amber, especially when flavor, taste and originality is absent. The Samosa was small and uninspired as a starter. The Tandoori Chicken was also extremely pedestrian in taste (compare the Tandoori offering at Zaika Indian Restaurant in Berkeley which uses the finest cuts of meats and uses an abundance of seasonings). Additionally, a crucial test for an Indian restaurant is its Naan; Amber's was plain. The Butter Chicken is equally unmemorable at Amber (compare the Butter Chicken served at Straits Cafe around the corner in Santana Row; Strait's version is supple, well-balanced, flavorful and a delight with each bite). The bottom line - pass on Amber India in Santana Row; stick with your neighborhood Indian Restaurant that charges you reasonable prices. For the special occasion Indian Restaurant that uses plenty of the best spices and the best cuts of meat and produce, travel north to Berkeley to Zaika and experience what Amber claims to offer, but doesn't (look Zaika up in CitySearch for more details.).

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nfdias

Joined 7 years ago

Total ambience. I had never had Indian food before and was pleasantly surprised. The menu has a large variety and does not forget the vegetarian patrons. The most impressive thing about Amber is the ambience. Although, it can be loud at times it is almost mystical. The decor is impeccable. We had a large party and our server was very accomodating with all of our needs. He was eager to offer up suggestions as well. I would definitely return.

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animalloversj

Joined 7 years ago

Good high end indian. This is a good high end Indian restaurant. The stuffed tandoori portabello is terriffic. The eggplant was also great! The cauliflower was overcooked and mushy, which is unfortunetly very common in indian restaurants. The breads were light and fluffy, right out of the oven. It's a nisce place inside and the service is professional.

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Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

Editorial Review. Upscale, eclectically decorated Indian fusion restaurant mixes in Western flavors and presentation; features a lunch buffet with over 20 dishes.

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desiman

Joined 7 years ago

Best Indian Food Outside of India. I have lived in the United States and London for more than 30 years and I have finally found a restaurant that can compete with the 5 star restaurants in India. The staff was highly knowledgable about the cuisine and recommended the butter chicken. This item at Amber is actually BETTER than anything I have had in India! The food was absolutely amazing and I highly recommend this restaurant.

This is also probably the most beautiful restaurant I have been been inside! The door man told me that they spent more than $2 million giving it an urban feel!

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someone_for_everyone

Joined 7 years ago

User review by someone_for_everyone. Nice indian food. But, expensive. Just a vegeterian dish costs about

$13.00 and non-vegetarian dish about $17.00. Ironically, there is no

other indian resturant in south Bay which serves food of that quality.

We felt like we ate in Hyderabad, India.

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lavidaloca

Joined 8 years ago

Delicious and excellent service. We loved the food and our server was very attentive. I haven't eaten at any local restraunt where the wait staff actually "serves" the food, meaning they put it on your plate for you. I was impressed!