Indian Cuisine, Part III

Good Indian food is hard to find.  Not that there is a lot of ways to go wrong but there are some distinctive differences that can make or break a dish.

Some of the best Indian food that I've had is in San Francisco, California.  But that doesn't mean that good Indian food can't be found in other places.  And this doesn't mean that Indian food in London, England isn't as good either.  In fact, it's quite good and worth going all the way to London for.  But what about here?  Santa Barbara, California has a good selection of places to choose from.  And each one is uniquely different.

On that list we have:
Spice Avenue
All India Cafe
India House
Flavor of India

Spice Avenue:
Quaint location on State Street and probably the most expensive of the four, though still reasonable.  They have a tasty lunch buffet as well as some exquisite menu options.  Their curries also tend to be a bit spicier than the other locations in the area.  This is a location that should not be missed.

All India Cafe:
Located on Lower State with a classic restaurant ambiance.  Review currently pending.

India House:
India House's ambient setting is perhaps, by far, the best of all the other locations in the area, lending itself to the feeling of an Indian Bazaar.  Located on Lower State across from All India Cafe, their curries are good but still not as good as the other locations in the area.  Though, they do boast the country's best lunch buffet.  They are worth checking out if only for the atmosphere.

Flavor of India:
This restaurant has a normal restaurant setting but the appearance is definitely not an indicator of the quality of food.  Flavor of India has been described to me as equally good as those found in London.  Located on Upper State near San Roque, they meet the expectation of the aforementioned description.  They have a variety of naans to choose from and if you choose to go for their lunch buffet, they will bring you unlimited plain naan during your visit.  Their rice pudding is also of a thicker consistency which makes it one of the better rice puddings over the other locations.

My personal favorite:  Spice Avenue for Dinner.  Flavor of India for Lunch Buffet.