Taste of India

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Former Location
3047 W Henrietta Rd, Rochester, NY 14623
Status
CLOSED (as of April 2013)

See Gone, But Not Forgotten

It closed on April 15th 2013, per their [WWW]Facebook page.

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2007-08-29 14:47:34   We like this place, having followed the owner here from her old digs at India Cafe on Monroe Avenue. The food is good, and the owner is very friendly and open to her customers, including the deaf Indian and Pakistani students who like to go there and eat. —KatieSchmitz

2007-11-08 13:19:50   Not only is the food excellent and prices good for a buffet, but they have TV's here playing Indian movies and music videos the whole time which is just great! —GeorgeBluth

2007-12-08 10:23:18   The food here was good, but it was too awkward of an experience to go again. Having waitressed before, I understand if a waitress gets a little busy sometimes, but this girl was freaking out from having two tables, and her stress made the experience feel really awkward and rushed.

I also find the TVs (that George Bluth refers to) to be very annoying and a distraction from dinner and conversation.

It's a shame the food is good, but it's not worth the awkward dinner. I've been here twice now and both times have felt weird. —RochesterCalifornia

2007-12-08 21:23:40   I've only been here once, and that's because I agree with RochesterCalifornia that the TVs were annoying and a distraction.

I had the buffet, which was good. —StevenDibelius

2008-01-01 16:05:31   After eating at Tandoor of India, this place deserves more credit! Unlike Tandoor of India, where they put in fatty pieces of chicken into the chicken mahkani, Taste of India puts in lean chicken breast, and you really come to appreciate it when you don't want to start cutting off chicken fat when it's all covered in curry.

The food here is REALLY much better than Tandoor of India, and Tandoor has really good reviews (though I don't know why...I HATED everything about that place).

I thought the service was bad originally, which it was to some extent, but Tandoor was a LOT worse, and the food was terrible. Samosas weren't even cooked all the way though at Tandoor, and it tasted downright bad. YUCK! Not to mention, the Naan at Taste of India is SO much better than Tandoor. —RochesterCalifornia

2008-01-25 08:05:57   Food here is authentic, home-style Indian and the atmosphere is very intimate. RochCalifornia, about the waitress-she's not just a waitress, she cooks, takes phone orders, packs take-out and manages the kitchen staff...usually in the owners' absence. So just having two or three tables is usually not all she is doing. My girlfriend worked there and quit after three months. I give the girl there now a LOT of credit. My friends and I keep going back BECAUSE she makes it tolerable as well as because the food beats Tandoor. —SumeetGulati

2008-01-31 08:00:17   First-time diner in this lovely restaurant. My husband and I were shocked to see an American waitress. She was great, very well-versed in the food and the culture. The food was delicious, especially the lamb korma that my oldest son ordered. the waitress recommended that we come back for a Monday evening buffet and we are looking forward to it. The last few time we have has Indian elsewhere have missed the mark. —LaraDumas

2008-01-31 10:19:11   LaraDumas claims to have been here for the first time, but of another Indian restaurant page, she has knowledge of the previous ownership and what the owners are doing now. I suspect some shilling. —BadFish

2008-02-06 02:01:08   This place far surpasses Tandoor and Thali in terms of take out dinners. Sure, the decor is not much to look at, and the location is out of the way, but the food inside is as good as it get in terms of Rochester Indian. I used to take out from Tandoor a couple of times a week, but they were totally inconsistent with their dishes. On any given night, I'd ask that my dishes be prepared medium, and what I'd get was really anyone's guess. Some dishes came out with no spice at all, others were totally inedible. Frankly, I'm not sure why they even ask. Taste of India shows better consistency, and the chicken doesn't taste like it's recovering from freezer burn. —WegmansFiend

2008-02-07 13:44:19   Sumeet, thanks for the explanation about the waitress. My intention was never to attack her, but just to say that my experience during dinner was awkward due to her stress, which in my opinion is a very reasonable human reaction. All in all, she was very nice, and delivered the food while it was still hot. —RochesterCalifornia

2008-02-08 21:32:04   What a yummy dinner tonight. Two friends (one from India, and the other from England, both of Indian ethnicity) and I met for dinner — we vegetarians were quite delighted with the selection of our vegetarian entrees and it was fresh and tasty. The waitperson told me that the samosas are made fresh every Thursday "for the weekend" — I came away sated and glad for my first time experience at this location — and it rates as one of the best Indian vegetarian repasts I've had compared to those of the other places. Yes, the TV was on, but it added to the ambiance. Service was efficient, prompt, and just right. My friends thought the leftovers worthy of taking home! —ChristopherLehfeldt

2008-03-11 18:55:16   A pleasant change from the area's Indian restaurants. The chicken kadai was delicious - spicy and flavorful. The chicken makhani wasn't that great but I am not a fan of that dish to begin with. We got the bread basket and it paid off. In my very biased opinion, garlicky naan is the best companion for chicken kadai. The kheer was a little too sweet for my taste but thoroughly enjoyed by the rest of the table.

The server was very friendly and kept the restaurant under control. She seemed to be organized - taking orders on the phone but never letting us feel ignored.

I kind of liked the TVs playing old Hindi songs. I didn't think the volume was at a disruptive level but I am sure they will lower it if requested. —OneLove

2008-03-17 09:33:20   The most authentic Indian food in Roc (Yes, I'm Indian). We eat here all the time and get them to cater all of our parties. Try the Chicken Kesari. It's not as fancy as the other Indian restaurants - but makes up for it with the food. —DesignDreamz

2008-03-29 11:08:30   I've never had the chance to visit India but I ate in several Indian restaurants around the globe (well, in the northwestern hemisphere...) I agree that Taste of India is a home-style Indian (I've been in more luxury ones), from the decor to the food, and prices are reasonable. Food quality is good (be aware that the hot scale is targeted low: mild was not hot at all and medium was just perceptibly hot). The owner (I presume) was very nice and friendly, took our order and brought us some of our dishes. I can see how some people might say that the waitress is awkward or stressed: yes, she's in charge of lots of stuff but that's not a problem. I think it's just her character that someone could mistake for an attitude. We chatted a little bit about us being from Italy and her experiences with European countries and despite she was telling funny stories she looked kinda melancholy. Even when we told her how we enjoyed the food, her expression seemed a mix of surprise and incredulity! We found her very nice and hilarious anyhow. The only annoying thing for us was the noise: there was a constant, loud buzz either from the drink fridge or from the TV (which was transmitting an Indian musical telenovelas). We hope it was just a temporary problem because we couldn't stand it for long. —AndreaCogliati

2008-05-23 11:58:25   I had been there with my family recently on a weekend during the last month and WE WILL NEVER GO AGAIN TO THIS PLACE. The food was very bad without any freshness,taste and it was cold too. We saw a couple complaining about the quality of the food to the owner and he was just nodding his head. I also called the owner and then complained about the food in a very polite manner but he got angry and was very rude with me. He was not
trying to pay any attention to what I was saying. All he said was... if you don't like the food don't eat it. My wife got really upset with his behaviour and we walked away from the restaurant immediately. Befor leaving, I challenged him I will do a stop payment(which I did) with my credit card company for the poor service/quality of food. Tandoor of India is a far better place to eat and we have been going there these days. I have been sharing this horrible experience at Taste of India with all my friends/colleagues and they have been passing along this info to their friends and co-workers. My sincere advice to everyone on this forum is not to try Taste of India. —Prashant

2008-05-23 20:42:48   Prashant, sorry to hear about your experience at Taste of India. I've been a semi-regular diner there for several years now, and have never been disappointed with the food. —NathanHenderson

2008-06-18 20:45:52   I came here with a coworker for the lunch buffet today and I found it to be very good, and very similar to the buffet at Thali of India. They had just about all of the same dishes available that they had at Thali, and to be honest, they tasted and appeared virtually identical. My only gripe with both of these place's buffets is that the food is so underspiced and there are not at least a couple more meat based dishes(I did not like the Chicken Makhani). But I guess that's a common problem. I had a couple plates and sampled just about everything at the buffet. It was all great! I loved their nan and the onion fritters especially. They had decent offerings for fresh salad too, with a variety of dressings, sauces and chutneys, which I appreciated.

The thing I loved the most was that it was not crowded. At Thali, we had to wait for about 15 minutes to be seated, jockey for our place in the buffet line and wolf our food down in order to get back to work in time. Too hectic for my liking, I get enough of that at work.

This place offered the same quality of food(and it was better in some instances), and I enjoyed my meal much more because I could eat and converse in peace. The Indian movie played at a very low volume was a nice diversion, and appreciated by my coworker and I.

I eat at all the Indian restaurants in the Henrietta area for lunch regularly, as I work there and I found this place to be on equal footing with the rest of them. I get a different experience every time I go to each one of them, but I generally come away satisfied.

I think I may make this my favorite Indian joint for lunch as it's not overwhelmed like Thali. —AlexD1234

2008-07-29 12:24:01   I have eaten here twice now, and I was pleased both times. The atmosphere is very nice; it isn't too crowded, and the Indian TV shows add a nice touch. The food was also very good. The food isn't too heavily spiced, but it certainly isn't bland. Most of the dishes were at par with other Indian restaurants. However, I do think there Chicken Mahkani tasted a little "funny". I'm not sure why, but it didn't taste as good as say Thali's. On the other hand, I definitely think their Gulab Jamun is the best I've ever eaten. This place has it's pros and cons, but overall, I would recommend giving it a try. —TomWise

2008-08-15 15:59:29   I have been there once for the lunch buffet. Honestly I don't have very high expectations from buffets. The food was decent and the place was kind of crowded, which is usually a good sign. Overall, I was NOT disappointed. —DeepBhatt

2008-12-03 23:21:52   I like this place a lot. Lots more than Thali of India. Ive only tried the lunch buffet but it was very good. The food is tasty and dishes are actually SPICY!
never had a problem with low food levels and refilling dishes. Nice owners too. —Drogean

2009-01-03 12:48:31   Went for lunch a few weeks ago. Buffet was good but I felt like the options were limited. Curried goat was great, chicken makhani was not as good as Thali's. Free naan on the buffet, which was awesome. Chai stunk. I'd probably go back, but I wasn't blown away. —foxual

2009-01-27 16:33:30   I enjoyed being able to watch the music videos as I ate, and the chana balti was well done. —EvanPeacock

2009-06-18 13:39:12   judging as this is the only open Indian restaurant on W. Henrietta rd., I think this is the one referred to in this article about how the owner allegedly raped an employee there recently.

[WWW]http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20090618/NEWS01/90618006/1003/Henrietta-restaurant-owner-accused-of-rape —AlexD1234

2009-07-27 10:36:39   Alex D, you are right, the owner of Taste of India is the man who is accused of raping his employee. He was just indicted by the Monroe County Grand Jury last week. Not eating there anymore. I go to Shinwari Kebab House on South Clinton. —Everyonesacritic

2009-07-27 10:43:05   [WWW]http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20090618/NEWS01/90618006/1003/Henrietta-restaurant-owner-accused-of-rape —Everyonesacritic

2010-02-15 23:06:04   LOL

The above comment is why, while everyone may attempt to be a critic, the real ones have a little more knowledge about their subject matter, as well as a background in the practice of research. First of all, "Shinwari Kebab", was not an Indian restaurant. There are Pakistani Shinwaris and Afghan Shinwaris, but you will be looking a long time if you go searching for one in India. Ironically, you'll also have a hard time finding the above mentioned Shinwari Kebab in Rochester. It's closed already, so that may tell you something about the recommendation.

The Taste of India restaurant serves Indian cuisine. Though I may know a tiny bit more than the critic directly above about India itself, I am no expert on Indian food. My husband and I ate dinner there for the first time last week for his birthday.

The gracious owner (a woman, by the way) made us a special taster's platter so that we could try many of the foods which we were unfamiliar with before we ordered. The vegetables were fresh, and the spices were amazing. It was a wonderful experience.

I am assuming there is a reason why none of the gossip driven links posted here about the restaurant owner's husband work. I can only imagine who would want to post slanderous information about a local small business owner's family on their business public comment site. Would it be for the purpose of hurting their family business?

By the way, there are indeed other Indian restaurants on West Henrietta. That is not directly relevant, but it does show why it is so important to check facts and sources, before coming to any conclusions.

If googling, cutting and pasting required skill, talent or taste, we'd not only all be critics, we might even be food connoisseurs!

2010-02-20 19:44:22   A couple of points - first, there is no other W. Henrietta Road Indian restaurant. Namaste burned down well over a year ago. Second, Shinwari Kebab had a misleading name, but the food was straight-up Indian (too bad about its closing, it had good saag paneer). Finally, why would people post links news links about the place? Isn't knowing the character of the male half of the ownership as important to people as knowing hours or prices? Shouldn't people know what they're doing when they lay down their hard-earned cash on a meal out?

2010-02-20 20:03:50   The [WWW]WHEC 10 06/18/2009 2:27 PM Item - "Brighton man arrested for rape" reported that "A Brighton man has been arrested and charged with first-degree rape. Police say 49-year-old Sulinder Singh, owner of Taste of India, raped a female employee on June 9." and the item contains his photo as well. I was not able to find any news reports of the result of the charges. We do need to follow our forefather's caution, however, Innocent until Proven Guilty. —BradMandell

2010-03-17 22:31:14   I don't know anything about the owner/rape story. I do know that every time I have been here, I have been served by/ spoke to the really nice woman who is an owner. She has always treated us well and the food here is awesome. I will continue to give them my business —beetlebetty

2010-03-19 16:11:02   She really is very nice—the owner, I mean. After reading this, I decided to stop in the other day. What I find most interesting is that business has really picked up. She's doing something right. —Siren

2010-05-11 13:30:15   To: BradMandell apparently the case is going to trial in the near future and the prosecution's case looks solid, DNA evidence the whole bit. It was that pretty blond girl who was a long time employee that is the supposed victim. According to a friend in the DA's office, Singh is looking at twelve years. It's a shame. I won't bring my family in there anymore. To those who think the woman owns the place, no her husband does, she's just out in the dining room more, because he's cooking. —Allicechang

2011-04-07 01:12:19   two days ago we tried two dishes with my girlfriend and we enjoyed following the waiter as he told us which dish would be better for us and also the beer picked for us was excellent, hopefully were planing to give them more business in the future —jasonmiller2001

2011-07-28 15:20:33   Excellent food; I've been to most of the Indian restaurants in the area (Tandoor, Thali, India House) and this is my absolute favorite. In the times I've gone, the place has been virtually empty, save for customers coming in and out for takeout orders. We've never had problems with service, though we haven't seen it at its busiest. Their vegetarian options are numerous and varied, and so far everything I've tried has been enjoyable. Portion sizes are reasonable for the price, which is not overly expensive, and I always leave full and happy. —tnflnt

2011-08-29 11:48:41   I've gone here several times for takeout. Fantastic Chicken Xacutti and probably the best onion bhaji I've ever had. I really need to try the buffet one of these days.

The 2011-2012 Entertainment Books have a buy-one-get-one deal, and there are also coupons on the TasteOfIndia website. —TimCrist

2012-03-13 13:37:42   We had a delicious meal last Friday evening. Dishes were well prepared and nicely spiced. Portions were generous enough that we brought another dinner home with us. Service was attentive and friendly. We found out that the management is actually Afgan, while the cooks are Indian. The only disappointment was that they were out of the beer I wanted off their service list. —JGerek

2013-05-05 17:32:42   Is this place closed now? Too bad if it is; they had some of the most succulent chicken tikka and richly seasoned chicken mahkani! —URalum