this won't be my typical restaurant review in that everyone already knows that amber is a great indian restaurant and most people seem to say it's the best in the south bay. after all, it tends to... More

this won't be my typical restaurant review in that everyone already knows that amber is a great indian restaurant and most people seem to say it's the best in the south bay. after all, it tends to win readers' choice awards year after year after year. it does so justifiably. people in the know say that amber's good, not just people who find indian buffets convenient because they don't know how to order indian food. anyway, in mountain view, two indian restaurants get quite a bit of attention: amber and shiva's. between the two, i pick amber. i think both are good, but i think amber wins by a mile. now, i want to discuss the differences between the santana row and mountain view locations of amber. for a romantic dinner date, go to santana row. for a lunchtime buffet meal, go to mountain view. the decor is awesome at santana row, and i would say the santana row amber possibly wins the award for best restaurant in all of san josé, and that's saying a lot. in the end, i think i'd actually give that award to seven on the alameda, but still... the fact that i'd put amber in santana row at second says a lot about it. it's great. anyway, the buffet at the santana row location lacks and is overpriced, so at lunch, for a casual meal, go to the mountain view location!
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This is one of my favorite indian buffet places in mountain view. My first favorite place is Shiva's in castro street, but this is very good too. The butter chicken here is to die for. The naan... More

This is one of my favorite indian buffet places in mountain view. My first favorite place is Shiva's in castro street, but this is very good too. The butter chicken here is to die for. The naan are excellent. The desserts here are excellent too. I once ate Moon daal halwa here which is a rare item on the buffet menus. The buffet is a little pricey as compared to the other indian buffets in town, but the food quality is better than other places too. The ambiance of the restaurent is pleasing. They can accomodate large reservations better as compared to Shiva's
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I have only eaten there during the lunch hours for their buffet so my opinion does not represent their dinner or regular menu. I have been there several times for business lunch meals. Every time... More

I have only eaten there during the lunch hours for their buffet so my opinion does not represent their dinner or regular menu. I have been there several times for business lunch meals. Every time has been very inconsistent. My favorite Indian entree is the Chicken Makhani or Butter Chicken. The first time I visited the tandoori was very tender but every time after the chicken meat was way over cooked to the point that the dryness overpowered any spices at all. If you're going for the buffett make sure to avoid the 12:00-1:00 time frame and arrive a little early as there is very limited seating in this location.
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