K S.
Yelp
First, I have to say I am very happy to have a Indian restaurant in Conifer. We do not have a lot of variety and often have to drive 30mins or more for restaurants. There are good options in Conifer, but another option is always a good thing.
We are lovers of Indian food, and have eaten at some very good Indian restaurants over the years. Plus, we have a lot of Indian friends who either cook for us or take us to their favorite restaurants. So, this is a cuisine we know very well.
Spice Ranch is good, but not great. Perhaps it is just because they are just getting started, but in general, the food lacked the spicy punch you associate with Indian food.
FOOD - We ordered the Lentil Soup and Onion Pakoras to start. The soup was bland, almost watery, lacking in a lot of hardiness you associate with a lentil soup. The Pakoras tasted good, but the onions were chewy. When I've had them at other restaurants, the onions are usually very soft under the crunch of the batter. For mains, I had Vindaloo and my partner had the Chicken Tikka. The vindaloo was good, though unlike any vindaloo I've had before. It was very tomato-y, almost a Marinara with some Indian flavors and none of the richness I associate with a vindaloo. I asked for a spice level 3 (of 5) and it was spicy, though for a vindaloo, not as spicy as I expected. My partner's Chicken Tikka was the best dish we had, with the chicken well seasoned and well cooked, through the sauce was a little bland. In general, I get the feeling the spice - and I don't mean 'heat' - has been toned down for American tastes. Also, they call themselves a "Fusion" restaurant, and as far as I could see the offerings were fairly standard Indian dishes.
SERVICE - Overall good. We were only one of 3 tables in the restaurant and the staff were reasonably attentive. We had two minor issues, first, no one was watching the door when we arrived, and we stood there for several minutes waiting for someone to come out of the kitchen to seat us. And, my partner had to ask for new silverware since her spoon and knife both had fingerprints all over them.
CONCLUSION - If we decide we want to eat out and want to stay in the Conifer area, then Spice Ranch will certainly be one of the options we consider. The food is good enough to go back. However, if we do feel like driving, we will likely go to one of the other Indian restaurants we frequent in Golden or Littleton.