Maharani - San Francisco

The Fantasy Room apparently has its own fixed-price menu. We ordered two servings of papadums (as suggested by the waiter), onion kulcha, lamb tikka masala, a milder lamb dish whose name escapes me, baingan bharta, and a biryani. When I tried to order a Flying Horse beer, the waiter asked if I'd prefer an Indian beer instead; they didn't carry Flying Horse and only had medium-sized bottles of Taj Mahal. The papadums arrived as broken pieces, totaling maybe one and a half papads. After two were served, we waited about five minutes for the other two. My lamb tikka masala, which had a tomato-like sauce that oddly reminded me of Campbell’s Tomato Soup, clearly had been cooked earlier and then reheated, as the tips of the few lamb cubes peeking out were burnt. I noticed that other reviewers had commented on the precooked food. The baingan bharta was acceptable, but I found Trader Joe's packaged version to be better. The onion kulcha was tough and dry, and the biryani was just regular long-grain rice, not basmati, and came with a gluey texture that was unappealing. During our meal, two more buses filled with what looked like Indian tourists arrived, making it clear that the menus we received were likely intended for large groups, which explains the pre-cooked offerings. The restaurant itself was somewhat grimy, a detail noted by others as well. The exaggerated descriptions of the ambiance and food quality seemed clearly written by the restaurant's owners or staff. - Anonymous from Oakland, May 18, 2008