Swagat Indian Cuisine

Doesn't Recommend

dualactionblend

Joined 6 years ago

You're better off at Hot Dog on a Stick. I rate Indian restaurants based on the samosa's they serve. A theory of mine put into practice and never fails. Going to Suraj, I tried it out. I ordered both meat and vegetarian samosas. The meat samosa has what seems to be the trend among new Indian restaurants--meat that is more paste than ground. As for the spice element, the vegetarian samosa failed that test--bland and mostly potato based (they completely forgot the cauliflower). The masala dosa was almost an empty crepe and all chutney's were sweet and not spicy. The staff and their grim faces didn't help matters. Just one disaster after another. I guess being Indian makes me a bit over critical, but other restaurants have met, matched and sometimes exceeded my standards (i.e. Pasand, Sneha etc). This place has the potential of turning off the beginner to Indian food. They do have a full bar, so I'll give them credit for that. CAUTION: This place is not representative of Indian food, only a bad restaurant. 1.5/10 (they get the .5 for the full bar).

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maitai326

Joined 7 years ago

Will be coming back. This was my first time visiting an Indian Buffet, and I am extremely satisfied. My boyfriend suggested it as he's used to be somewhat a regular there. His former co-worker who's indian, recommended this place for their lunches. We went there for a Saturday lunch buffet. I liked everything there, and we went back for seconds immediately. Thier lamb curry is better than the one I had earlier that week at an indian white table cloth restrant. This is such a good place, i cant wait for the occassion to come back again. The buffet was only $10 per person. Also, the setting was really casual. Big resturant, with many small rooms made for a cozy abieance.

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redanita

Joined 7 years ago

The best Indian food in the area. I am Indian and can truly say that this is some of the best. The food is authentic and includes both north and south Indian delicacies. We travel over the bridge from the east bay for this food! I highly recommend this restaurant for excellent Indian cuisine.

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Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

No frills or thrills here, just good northern and southern Indian cuisine.. Swagat specializes in both traditional northern and southern Indian cuisine, with chefs from northern and southern states in residence to ensure authenticity. The name means "welcome" in Hindi, and that's just how you'll feel at either comfortable location. Service is attentive and decor is clean and simple. Dishes from the south are more unusual than those from further north. Delicate Madras "dosas" are crepes made of everything from lentil to moong bean flour. "Utappam" is a crisp, manhole-sized, American-style pancake flavored with onions, chilies, cilantro, and cumin and served with rich coconut, spicy mint, and tart tomato sauces. A more acquired taste, "idli" are steamed rice cakes also served with the trio of sauces, but even a rookie can appreciate the sambar, South India's classic rice-lentil-tomato soup. Northern tandoori dishes are also worth sampling and are sometimes on offer in the $8 lunch buffet.--Laura Reiley