Naan-Academic Interests: Indian Food

Got a hankering for Indian cuisine? We’ve scouted out the best eats in the city.

By Bridgette Atallah, Fall 2009

I’ll admit it—I’m an Indian food junkie. I have tried an embarrassing amount of Indian joints throughout the city, so here’s the dish on what to hit and what to skip.

Kennedy’s Irish Pub and Curry House -
(North Beach) This place gets points for being the closest Indian food to school, plus being open late at night. The ambiance is interesting. It’s an Irish pub and curry house, so it’s like a large bar, with an eating area. The food is pretty good—not the best, but again it’s the only curry in the area.

Indian Oven -
(Lower Haight) This was my first favorite Indian food restaurant in the city. I still love it—the Korma is the best I’ve ever had—but it’s pricey. Each dish is $12-14, plus rice. The service is good; the ambiance is great. It’s a nice date place if you go in the evening (but plan ahead, it gets busy).

Great India -
(Outer Richmond) This restaurant didn’t impress me. It was edible, but not incredible. The price is comparable to other restaurants (particularly India Clay Oven, its Outer Richmond competition), but there’s definitely better food out there.

Chaat Café -
(SOMA) This place is really Americanized. They have chicken tikka wraps, which some might appreciate. I, however, go to Indian food looking for curries, which are sparse here. It’s not authentic, as you might imagine. It’s ok, but feels like a fast food, American lunch joint.

Rotee -
(Lower Haight) I was led to Rotee by Yelp!, but was really not that impressed. It was decent, but didn’t have the best flavors. The atmosphere was fine, but nothing to write home about. Bottom line: it’s just okay.

Sultan -
(Civic Center/Tenderloin) This is my current favorite Indian restaurant in the city. I’ve only gone for the buffet, which is $12. But, it is the best buffet I’ve had! The Chicken Tikka Masala is to die for, albeit a little spicy. I haven’t had a thing here that I didn’t love. The service is amazing, and the atmosphere is great. However, it is on the borderline of the Tenderloin… so maybe go during daylight.

Naan N Curry -
(Various locations) I have been to two locations, once for the buffet and once for a la carte. Naan N Curry is cheap…and not much else. My general opinion is to steer clear. The buffet is slightly better, and gets points for being available for dinner. The a la carte, you should just avoid. No flavor, no spice—just empty calories.

India Clay Oven -
(Outer Richmond) My current neighborhood Indian fix—this place is pretty good. They have a lunchtime buffet that’s $10, and the food is awesome. The setup is classy, and this, too, makes for a nice dinner date place. However, the food isn’t that great of a value if you don’t do the buffet. It runs around $13 per dish, plus rice. Good service, though.