JustinGN81
Google
Grocery store, restaurant, market and deli, whatever you want to call it, Namaste Spiceland has been an anchor of mine since moving to the area a few years back. In fact, we picked up food from Namaste the very first night we moved to Pasadena, and I've never looked back.
It's solid, good food. I love that they've got stellar Indian vegetarian and vegan cuisine plus a grocery store. I can place an order and shop around while my fresh naan is in the works. Yes, they have tables to dine-in, but this is mainly a quick food eatery. I'd guess most orders are to go. You know the type, all the food options are already made on a hot bar, and you just need to make some choices. Pick a combo, pick your rice, pick your dishes, pick your bread, and you are minutes away from a hearty, satisfying meal.
You don't have to go the combo route, items can be à la carte. Plus, they have samosas, pakora, and a hell of a lot more. Vegan mango lassi, you say? Yep. They make the most wonderful Indian pickles, in house daily, that come with the combos. I buy extra because they are fantastic with just about everything.
One observation worth mentioning is that the food isn't always consistent. It's always tasty, but I think the chefs have their own interpretations. Sometimes I'll get the green bean dish and it's nothing but savory, comforting, and mellow. Then the next week, the same dish might be so spicy I'm sweating my ass off on the couch while eating it. Again, both are good, but wildly different. Some chefs are a little heavier on the salt too, which I'm not a fan of, but that's rare. Ask for a quick taste of anything you're not sure about unless they're crazy busy. Even the pickles are different every time, but I'd never turn those down.
Namaste Spiceland is just one of those go-to spots that every neighborhood needs. It's not fancy, it's not going to win awards for innovating the next generation of Indian cuisine. But the food is damn good, and it packs flavor into every single bite.