Karavalli Indian restaurant in Latham (Albany)

[phaelon56]

I'm not typically a big fan of Indian type food apart from the Bangladeshi dishes I had at Mina Foods in Queens a couple years ago. but when my new lady friend, who lives in Troy, suggested a Latham Indian restaurant for us to try, it seemed worth exploring.

Karavalli Indian Restaurant

The acquaintances of hers who suggested it have traveled extensively, spent time in India and declared it to be the best Indian food they'd ever had in the US. After one visit I'm inclined to think they're right. I look forward to another visit and a chance to try more dishes.

Decor and atmosphere was pleasant, tasteful and on the upscale side with a distinct lack of cheesy elements. Service was friendly and unobtrusive. Although prices were just a tad high by the standards of the typical Indian restaurant (excluding haute places in NYC) the portiosn were generous and it was a good value.

The menu includes dishes from a number of regions rather than focusing on one regional style of cooking. The menu even includes a few traditoonal dishes from the old Jewish Quarter of Calcutta. My partner had Lamb Sagg, I had Chicken Ammwalla and we shared the Tamarind Eggplant appetizer and an order of naan.

In terms of having an intriguing combination of textures and flavors I think the eggplant appetizer may be the single best zppetizer I've ever eaten and most certainly the tastiest dish I've any kind that I've had in the past few years.

Definitely worth a visit and I look forward to going back soon.

[Beanie]

A friend of mine has been raving about this restaurant since he ate there about a month ago. He said it's unlike any Indian food he's ever had before. I can't wait to go.. maybe later this week. Thanks for the reminder, phaelon56. I'll report back.

[docsconz]

This sounds very promising indeed! It appears that they have been therre since at least 2005. I will have to make a point of going there, although I typically don't venture too far south of Saratoga.

[phaelon56]

This sounds very promising indeed! It appears that they have been therre since at least 2005. I will have to make a point of going there, although I typically don't venture too far south of Saratoga.

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It's worth the drive. Especially that eggplant appetizer. Not too hard to find.... go past the Starlight Music Theater and look for a strip plaza on your right. At the end of the plaza Johnson road Y's off to the right and there's a second smaller building with an upscale billiards parlor on one side and the restaurant on the other.

I think it would be a great place to try with a group so many dishes could be ordered and shared.

[docsconz]

I am sorry to say that I was there this past Tuesday night with my family but was underwhelmed. They did have an unusually diverse and interesting menu I thought the food, including the eggplant was good, but the execution nothing special. My measuring stick remains Hemant Mathur's and Suvir Saran's cooking. In addition to the eggplant appetizer, we had vegetarian samosas, squid and shrimp appetizers, onion naan, a goat curry and chicken tikka with mango-based sauce. I found the cooking to be rather heavy. My favorite dish was the goat curry despite it being boney (as one would expect in a goat dish). The service was very good and the room quite comfortable. I would go again if in the area, but I would not make a special trip. Though not as extensive or unusual a menu, I prefer the cooking at Little India in Saratoga.

Of course one sampling is not enough to fully judge a restaurant. The norm may very well be more along the lines of what was described upthread. Should I find myself dining there again in the future and find this to be my experience I will happily post that here.

[phaelon56]

I've never had the pleasure of dining at a "finer dininig" Indian restaurant such as Hemant's or Suvir's establishments. But the disconnect in our experiences may be more a matter of lack of Indian food experience on my part rather than inconsistency on the part of Karavalli's. That said - it's a darn sight better than any of the Indian places in Syracuse and the few that I tried in NYC when living in that area (apart from Mina Foods).

I'm due for a visit to Saratoga in late summer or early fall. I'll try to fit Little India into my schedule when I'm there - thanks for the tip!

[Lonnie]

...Though not as extensive or unusual a menu, I prefer the cooking at Little India in Saratoga.

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A student of mine who lives in Saratoga Springs said, last spring I believe, that Little India had closed. We were devastated, as it's been THE place we eat when traveling north of Albany. I wish we'd known they'd moved to Court St! Well... hoping that's still the case, we'll definitely search them out.

Speaking of Saratoga, is the gelato there particularly good or are we just that ready for a snack by the time we get there?

Lonnie

[docsconz]

...Though not as extensive or unusual a menu, I prefer the cooking at Little India in Saratoga.

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A student of mine who lives in Saratoga Springs said, last spring I believe, that Little India had closed. We were devastated, as it's been THE place we eat when traveling north of Albany. I wish we'd known they'd moved to Court St! Well... hoping that's still the case, we'll definitely search them out.

Speaking of Saratoga, is the gelato there particularly good or are we just that ready for a snack by the time we get there?

Lonnie

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The gelato I have had there is ok, but I wouldn't call it special. I can see the allure after a long drive, though.

[djzouke]

Karavalli is ok. I've only had the buffet 3 times. I've had much better Indian food in Boston and NYC. I don't know if I'd go for dinner. I'n not a fan of Latham. Where did Little India move to in Saratoga Springs?

Court? Thx

[docsconz]

Karavalli is ok. I've only had the buffet 3 times. I've had much better Indian food in Boston and NYC. I don't know if I'd go for dinner. I'n not a fan of Latham.  Where did Little India move to in Saratoga Springs?

Court? Thx

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Little India is on Court St. in the space formerly occupied by Eartha's.

[markabauman]

I heard unofficially today from an Indian friend that the people who run Karavalli's supposedly will be opening up another Indian restaurant (not sure if a branch or named something else) in the space formerly occupied by the now-closed Mino's Sushi.

[markabauman]

Apparently, it is official. Spoke to another friend who was at the restaurant recently and they are handing out brochures announcing their new restaurant to open in Saratoga, also called Karavalli. No opening date set, however.

[docsconz]

Based on my experience in Latham I do not expect it to supplant Little India in my estimation.

As for Mino's, I understand that they are moving to Beekman Street.

[docsconz]

I was down in Latham today getting my car serviced and being there around lunchtime, I thought I would give this restaurant another chance. I'm glad I did. They have an excellent lunch buffet at a very reasonable $9. The restaurant was busy enough that everything remained fresh. I ordinarily am not a big fan of buffet's but this one had good variety and reasonable quality (for the price point) with freshness maintained. Particular standouts to me were the vegetable pakoras - amongst the best I have ever had - and the fresh from the oven naan that was brought to the table. Of note is that a computer printout of Owen's eGullet Society report was posted prominently by the entrance to the restaurant.

So while my previous dinner experience left something to be desired, I thought the lunch buffet was an excellent value and one which I would happily devour again either in Latham or the upcoming Saratoga branch.

[markabauman]

John-

Did they happen to mention when they anticpated opening the Saratoga branch?

[docsconz]

John-

Did they happen to mention when they anticpated opening the Saratoga branch?

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Sorry, I didn't ask.