Palo Alto, CA 94301
(650) 329-9644
junnoon.com
Updated Review 1/30/2010
First review, on 7/29/2009, follows.
Wow. What a difference service (or in this, case lack of service) makes.
Tonight I had the same dish as last, but our server was different, and acted a bit like she was too good for us.
The rice I ordered didn't come so I flagged her to tell her.
Moments later, I am still nibbling on my food dying for some rice. Everyone else has started eating and I am trying to look like I am eating so they don't feel uncomfortable.
Unbeknownst to me, the rice has arrived, but went to the wrong person, who has started working on it, thinking it was his.
(Since I had just met this person, it was awkward to ask: "Hey, is that mine by chance?" especially since he was farthest away from me.)
I flag the server again. She says the rice came, but was brought to the aformentioned party. She offers no apologies. Also doesn't acknowledge that 1/4 of it has been consumed.
Good service would have taken notice, replaced it right away, and apologized.
Having had a big, late lunch, I only ate about 1/4 of my meal AT MOST. It was good but I just wasn't hungry. So I had just a bite of my paneer cake and a few spoonfuls of my lentils and roasted eggplant. I only had a taste of my raita.
And yet, when I came home I discovered that most of my food hadn't been transferred to my to-go containers. ╩I had a lot more left over than what was in those boxes! I was counting on a whole other meal with my leftovers, especially having spent $30.
Too bad. My first visit here was very good, but this past visit leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.
First Review - 7/27/2009
Non-Indian Indian food fanatic here!
Don't go if you want traditional Indian eats or atmosphere. As the restaurant proclaims, it's "modern." "Bold." It is not in the same sub-genre as Amber or Hyderabad, or Darbar.
Case in point: there is steak and pork on the menu....dishes flavored with cream cheese...rosemary naan! (Chuckle)
But if you're in the mood for chic and experimental with Indian/Pakistani flair, then this is a fun place to check out.
Saag- silky smooth and light
Raita - same. It almost had a chiffon like quality to it. And it was delightfully mild, but effective in clearing out spicy flavors between dishes.
Eggplant crush (love the name)- Oooh, yum. This savory treat was ever so slightly sweet. Delicious with naan. Possibly my favorite, but hard to say since the competition was tough.
Black beans - Also delicious with naan or rice!! Mild-flavored.
Dumplings - I think they were good. Ordered by my discriminating dinner companion who knows I don't eat pork. But they were nice looking dumplings. And they vanished quite quickly.
The vegetarian plate, which I got, was generous for one person. I think that even if I were quite hungry, I would have had difficulty finishing that. I am a smallish woman, but still. I can put it down.
The paneer cake was the centerpiece of the dish but was just A-OK. I was less crazy about the tomato-onion sauce it was served with. But I have enough leftover to have another Junnoon appetizer tomorrow!
Next time I would like to try the Delhi chicken. (Slobber, slobber, slobber just thinking about it. It was a real toss-up for me: veggie plate or the chicken.)
We went at around 8PM on a Monday. There were Indian people there (good sign) and others too. We were seated at a table that seemed comically long at first. It reminded us of a medieval table and we thought we'd need loudspeakers to hear each other. But it was quiet enough, and private enough that it wasn't necessary. In the end, we realized it was necessary to have a long enough table for all our plates!
Another perk about Junnoon: our waiter was a doll. I didn't get his name, but he was blond (hey this is a fusion kind of place!) and self-effacing and sweet. In addition to the eggplant, black beans, raita, and saag I plan to order next time, I hope we can get him again too.
Tonight I had the same dish as last, but our server was different, and acted a bit like she was too good for us.
The rice I ordered didn't come so I flagged her to tell her.
Moments later, I am still nibbling on my food dying for some rice. Everyone else has started eating and I am trying to look like I am eating so they don't feel uncomfortable.
Unbeknownst to me, the rice has arrived, but went to the wrong person, who has started working on it, thinking it was his.
(Since I had just met this person, it was awkward to ask: "Hey, is that mine by chance?" especially since he was farthest away from me.)
I flag the server again. She says the rice came, but was brought to the aformentioned party. She offers no apologies. Also doesn't acknowledge that 1/4 of it has been consumed.
Good service would have taken notice, replaced it right away, and apologized.
Having had a big, late lunch, I only ate about 1/4 of my meal AT MOST. It was good but I just wasn't hungry. So I had just a bite of my paneer cake and a few spoonfuls of my lentils and roasted eggplant. I only had a taste of my raita.
And yet, when I came home I discovered that most of my food hadn't been transferred to my to-go containers. ╩I had a lot more left over than what was in those boxes! I was counting on a whole other meal with my leftovers, especially having spent $30.
Too bad. My first visit here was very good, but this past visit leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.
First Review - 7/27/2009
Non-Indian Indian food fanatic here!
Don't go if you want traditional Indian eats or atmosphere. As the restaurant proclaims, it's "modern." "Bold." It is not in the same sub-genre as Amber or Hyderabad, or Darbar.
Case in point: there is steak and pork on the menu....dishes flavored with cream cheese...rosemary naan! (Chuckle)
But if you're in the mood for chic and experimental with Indian/Pakistani flair, then this is a fun place to check out.
Saag- silky smooth and light
Raita - same. It almost had a chiffon like quality to it. And it was delightfully mild, but effective in clearing out spicy flavors between dishes.
Eggplant crush (love the name)- Oooh, yum. This savory treat was ever so slightly sweet. Delicious with naan. Possibly my favorite, but hard to say since the competition was tough.
Black beans - Also delicious with naan or rice!! Mild-flavored.
Dumplings - I think they were good. Ordered by my discriminating dinner companion who knows I don't eat pork. But they were nice looking dumplings. And they vanished quite quickly.
The vegetarian plate, which I got, was generous for one person. I think that even if I were quite hungry, I would have had difficulty finishing that. I am a smallish woman, but still. I can put it down.
The paneer cake was the centerpiece of the dish but was just A-OK. I was less crazy about the tomato-onion sauce it was served with. But I have enough leftover to have another Junnoon appetizer tomorrow!
Next time I would like to try the Delhi chicken. (Slobber, slobber, slobber just thinking about it. It was a real toss-up for me: veggie plate or the chicken.)
We went at around 8PM on a Monday. There were Indian people there (good sign) and others too. We were seated at a table that seemed comically long at first. It reminded us of a medieval table and we thought we'd need loudspeakers to hear each other. But it was quiet enough, and private enough that it wasn't necessary. In the end, we realized it was necessary to have a long enough table for all our plates!
Another perk about Junnoon: our waiter was a doll. I didn't get his name, but he was blond (hey this is a fusion kind of place!) and self-effacing and sweet. In addition to the eggplant, black beans, raita, and saag I plan to order next time, I hope we can get him again too.
