Charlotte N.
Yelp
I am a bit puzzled for why this place has such poor ratings. While it might not be the ideal location for a first date, it is so darn authentic and delicious. It gets a perfect 5 in my eyes for amazing food, non-fussy, almost hole-in-the-wall atmosphere, friendly service, and online ordering system. I admit that there might be some bias as Halal Indian is among the on-call stables for the poor souls who are not, or could not leave Longwood, and thus might have earned an extra star in my book for a non-hospital-cafeteria option which could be acquired within the 10 minutes a lowly resident could afford to be away. And yes, its clarified butter content makes me feels ashamed walking past the Shapiro cardiovascular building, but I can't help it! I crave their lamb korma wherever I go.
Anyhow, here is the break down.
-- Food: sinfully good curry! Our fav are lamb (or beef) korma (creamy ground cashew sauce) and dal makhani (lentil in creamy tomato sauce). The vindaloo and masala are also reliably delicious. But boy, the korma and dal makhani are JUST. SO. GOOD!!!
The meat cuts they use are of good quality, relatively lean and without stringy fascia. Food are definitely prepared fresh per order, which you can see/hear/smell from the counter. Level of spiciness is authentic, as in the medium spicy is actually spicy! There are also little things suggesting of a well done execution, like how their vegetable pakora has bell peppers in it and yet it is perfectly crispy, most likely because someone took the extra step to salt out the extra fluid in the vegetables.
-- Service: this is a place where you order at the counter and pick up the food, either to eat inside the store or take it home. So no table service, but the people behind the counter have always been attentive and friendly for any issue.
We love being able to order online to save time waiting. Have never gotten our order mixed up. Apparently they also deliver.
The to go packaging is awesome! Super efficient, stable, and never any spill. This is a must for a place like this
-- Pricing: pretty typical for Indian food, between $10 and $15 for most entrees, plus appetizer, drinks etc, looking at about $20 a person. Portions are quite large though, and can be easily divided into multiple meals. Therefore excellent value. Plus you don't need to tip as much as there is no table service. They take credit cards.
-- Location: at the Brigham circle. Easy to find, but street parking in this area is terrible. However it is convenient to walk here if you are already on Longwood campus
-- Ambience: decently clean, basic and simple, but that is about it. Not a place for a romantic first date, unless he or she is also on call, then it is a total win-win!