The first notable pieces of this experience at Tamarind begins with the smell of fresh food and an impeccable standard of cleanliness. You can smell “clean” at the front of the restaurant with a follow up punch of savory decadent aromas of fresh food being prepared. The area was VERY clean, VERY inviting!! The front person, which I assume is the owner; engaged in polite and friendly conversation at every table. That was pleasant and refreshing to see!!The front area is very simple, “no frills” it is just that. However, simplicity at a very high standard and this makes a very classy and cozy atmosphere. The service is order at the counter and pay then, they will run the food to your table of course. The price for the quantity and quality is solidly fair. Very good pricing to say, under $37 for 2 drinks, 2 plates, and an appetizer.I am not vegetarian/vegan and they have an extensive selection to keep a person in that lifestyle very happy. The samosas are a grand slam, very crisp, aromatic and above all flavorful. I find that the Samosas are very fulfilling and very satisfying compared to other appetizers at other venues.For lunch an order of Butter Chicken and Chicken Biryani we’re ordered. I have been to a few of the Indian/halaal/Bangladeshi restaurants, and Tamarind certainly sets itself apart and above them. The Butter Chicken was creamy, the sauce was firm and not separating, nor was it gritty. It was flavorful, you can taste the spices and certainly not overly done. The chicken was very tender and seasoned right. The platters were not salty at all…none needed. The Biryani was excellent, I ordered as “very spicy”….I have a good tolerance for hot/spicy foods and this caught me off guard. I had to ask the owner what his tactics are and what type of pepper they use, and I am glad to know that fresh green chilis are used to elevate the heat vice “powders”. They are finely minced and folded into the fare. At the first bite, the basil, cilantro, onions are very fresh…and you get the “bright green” fresh flavor of the peppers. Very well done. I have a bit to go to try everything on their menu…..but I’ll get there!I like to visit establishments and give them a try 2-3 times before a review is dealt. If it’s that bad, well obviously you want to give the warning at first chance. This is well past the 4-5 time and at least a 5 star rating is needed, I wish I could give more. Tamarind and it’s team deserve it.1. Cleanliness2. Hospitality3. Quality food4. Great atmosphereThat’s Tamarind. Highly recommended!!
Please do yourself a favor and don’t order entree from here. You will have a very different understanding of Indian food.We ordered some snacks to have for dine in and some entrees for carryout. The snacks were really very average.When we reached home we were taken aback. We found the serving size to be really really small and half of the box was filled with rice. With great dissatisfaction we started eating. At the first nibble, we realized we made a really poor choice for food today.It was missing1. Salt2. Proper spices3. Any flavor of any kindAnd also the price of the food was more than decentIt was the most bland Indian food we had.For this case, I thought the google rating is not at all helping people trying to find good Indian food
Great location. Amazing food. Friendly staff. Indoor and outdoor seating. Centrally located location within Norfolk, Virginia Beach and Chesapeake. Authentic cuisine.My experience was awesome and I highly recommend that you give this place a shot, I will definitely be going back because of my experience.
Absolutely amazing! The initial appearance may not be what you are expecting but the food was very good and the customer service was great.My only criticism was with the naan, it seemed to have been premade and not what I have enjoyed at other restaurants.I was enjoying dinner with a vegan person and they had plenty of options to choose from.
I wish google would let me give 10 stars for just one review. if they did, I would choose Tamarind. Amazing food, a plethora of options, and the staff answered all my questions with recommendations. CHECK THIS PLACE OUT! Worth a drive!
Absolutely one of the best restaurants around. Food is fantastic owners are super friendly and the place is always spotless.
Fabulous yet unassuming restaurant. Amazing, mouth watering smells and flavors. Try the street food and some tradtional dishes. Staff was prompt, courtesy, and helpful with extra requests. Don't miss this gem. Indoor and outdoor seating
Absolutely amazing! The initial appearance may not be what you are expecting but the food was very good and the customer service was great.My only criticism was with the naan, it seemed to have been premade and not what I have enjoyed at other restaurants.I was enjoying dinner with a vegan person and they had plenty of options to choose from.
This was my first visit to Tamarind Restaurant. Based on reviews I wanted to give it a try. I ordered chicken biryani, chilli paneer with hakka noodles both were below average. Chicken Biryani is not exactly our regular dum biryani it's like masala rice mixed with chicken gravy. Chilli Paneer and hakka noodles were not at all tasty. Falooda was ok and the vermicelli inside was horrible. Totally disappointed with the taste.
My fiancé and I love this place! We are fans of the chilli paneer and it’s usually what we get but the samosas, briyani and butter chicken are also great! Definitely recommend this place to anyone in the area. The staff are very friendly and the restaurant is always spotless, probably one of the cleanest I’ve ever been to.