Rubal Kaliron
Google
Absolutely the Worst Dining Experience – Avoid at All Costs
I don’t usually leave reviews, but I feel compelled to share our experience so that no one else makes the same mistake we did. Despite the overwhelming number of negative reviews, my husband and I decided to give New Delhi Restaurant in San Francisco a chance on Saturday, June 7, 2025, at around 7:45 PM. We were swayed by the owner’s defensive yet oddly confident replies to previous complaints and thought perhaps those were one-off experiences. We could not have been more wrong.
We were promptly seated and initially received courteous service from the floor manager and waitstaff, which, in hindsight, was the only remotely decent aspect of the night. We ordered the vegetarian chef’s tasting menu expecting a refined, thoughtfully curated experience. What we got instead was a disaster course after course.
Entrées:
• Chilli Cheese Pakora: Completely dried out and flavorless. Could not even identify the filling.
• Aloo Chaat Croustable: A cold, unpalatable mash of spiced potato in a tough pastry shell. It was served cold and stale.
• Harra Kebab: Inedible. It was so dry and rubbery, I genuinely feared for my dental work. Absolutely no seasoning or freshness – clearly days old.
Plates were cleared promptly but – shockingly – we were asked to keep the same used cutlery for the next course. For a place that claims to be “fine dining,” this is completely unacceptable and unsanitary.
Adding further insult to the “fine dining” claim, water was served in glasses carried out by hand – no tray, no hygiene protocols, just bare hands touching every rim. This is not just unprofessional; it’s deeply unhygienic.
Mains:
• Tamarind Eggplant: A gelatinous mess drowning in a sugary-sour tamarind paste. It tasted artificial, stale, and so overpowering we couldn’t take more than a bite. This is NOT how Indian eggplant curry is made.
• Mustard Gobi: A total misrepresentation. No mustard flavor whatsoever, just limp cauliflower tossed with jalapeños and random lemon pieces. Not only inauthentic, but utterly unpleasant.
• Coconut Cilantro Goan Kofta: Frankly, disgusting. The dish looked grotesque and the taste was even worse. The kofta was frozen in the middle – clearly microwaved and not even fully heated. How a restaurant dares to serve defrosting food is beyond comprehension.
We were served a so-called Lucknowi pulao that was nothing more than plain boiled rice and basic naan that had zero finesse or texture. We didn’t touch the rice. Couldn’t even try to finish the curries. The food was so offensive to the senses that we had to stop eating altogether.
Dessert:
• Kheer: Cold, runny, bland.
• Gulab Jamun: Slightly better taste-wise, but also served stone cold, which ruins what is meant to be a warm, syrupy indulgence.
To top off this abysmal experience, tea was served in a glass, again carried out by hand, without a tray or saucer – yet another reminder that this place’s idea of “fine dining” is nothing but a hollow label.
Final Thoughts:
The meal was a complete disgrace. I left feeling nauseated, disrespected, and honestly, insulted. What makes matters worse is the owner’s repeated defensiveness in responding to critical reviews instead of showing any intent to reflect or improve. This restaurant is not number one by any stretch – not in San Francisco, not in Indian cuisine, not even on the street it’s located on. Claiming otherwise is both misleading and delusional.
New Delhi Restaurant desperately needs to overhaul its menu, food preparation, hygiene practices, and – above all – its attitude toward feedback. Until then, I urge you: Do not waste your time, money, or palate here. Dining here was one of the worst decisions we made on our trip, and I sincerely hope others don’t repeat our mistake.