Punjabi Dhaba

"This is probably going to be a very unpopular review for die hard Punjabi Dhaba fans out there but someone has to be real. I’ve eaten a few times here and have always wondered what the hype is. Yes, it’s a casual no frills derelict looking “dhaba” like eatery in busy Inman square in Cambridge, very popular with the college crowd & young professionals who find the food good & the cost cheap. Anyhow, being Indian, a darn good cook myself, I find very few dishes that meet my high standards. We ordered dal Punjabi, Masaledaar choley, half tandoori chicken and aloo gobhi. First off, I’ve always lamented the fact that every Indian restaurant is so stingy with portions while charging $$$ Punjabi dhaba is worse. Their portions are tiny, meant for one person, maybe two can share if you order multiple dishes like we did. $11.99 for dal, watery choley, and overcooked gobhi aloo that came in a tiny take out container and $13.55 for dry, overly salty tandoori chicken that clearly was old, was quite disappointing. Usually their dal is delicious, but yesterday it was just thick and unappetizing. The only reason we ordered from Punjabi dhaba was that we were in the area & craving Indian food. Indian restaurants aren’t my first choice to go to & there’s a reason for it. Most restaurants are mediocre or just awful."

"A very simple place but the food is great. I ordered the goat vindaloo and absolutely enjoyed it. Only thing I did not like is that I have to order it together with rice and naan. I really wanted to only have naan with the goat vindaloo but the person taking my order said it comes as a set and I need to have it together. Otherwise, good food and I enjoy it."

"Ordered pakoda, chai , panner chili curry ; everything was pretty good. Garlic naan was too thick for my liking but apart from that everything was good. They don’t take cards so you need to have cash handy if not there’s an app that takes apple pay and order togo."

"I've lived a mere two minutes away from this restaurant for a year and passed it daily on my walk to work. Despite six years in Boston, I'd never ventured in, mostly due to seeing a predominantly non-Indian crowd – a potential sign of inauthentic Indian cuisine. Tonight, I finally gave it a shot, with little expectation given my past experiences with Indian restaurants in Boston. Though recommendations leaned towards parathas and Chole bhature, I ventured to order a Bathura and Chicken tikka masala. The latter came as a thali, complete with rice, salted yogurt, and pickles. A generous portion, it mirrored what one might find at an Indian dhaba. While the presentation was authentic and appetizing, the chicken was unfortunately cold and clearly looked like it had been prepared hours before. Given the late hour, I won't dwell on this too much. What caught me off guard was how delicious everything tasted, and the texture was also so good! The staff, however, left a bit to be desired in terms of warmth and hospitality. The space is compact, with some outdoor seating available. The place is cash-only, and I didn’t know that beforehand, so I didn't have enough cash to tip them sufficiently. Without hesitation, this is the best Indian food I've had in Boston. If you ask me, "Will you go back?", yes, absolutely, and I can’t wait!"

"Good old rustic style Indian Dhaba. The kitchen was surprisingly open for viewing right behind the cashier which was great and a rare sight. The first big bummer is that they only accept cash. I think the Indian owner is trying to save some taxes at the expense of their customers time and painful atm visits Coming to the food. We ordered chole bhature , alu paratha , tava roti , lassi and shahi paneer Chole bhature : The bhature were fresh and had a good homely vibe to it. The chole were good but not exceptional. It felt a bit bland with very little spice or tadka if you may. Alu paratha : The paratha was freshly made which was a good thing but again the taste was a bit bland. The filling was heavy but low on taste. Could have been better. The size was huge and can be more than enough for one person Shahi paneer : Shahi paneer was a swimming pool of fresh cream. The cream over powered the entire taste of the dish. I could not taste any spice any masala other than the cream. Cream is good to add for some good layer of creaminess but dont cooke your food in cream. The good thing about this the fact that it was served with a lot of add ons. Paratha , rice , onion , raita and an onion pickle at no extra cost. Again a rare sight. Felt very dhaba style and was happy with it Lassi : The lassis were very fresh and tasted good Tava roti : Fresh , big and good. Add some makhan to give it a dhaba feel may be Overall a good raw experience with basic decor. No parking. We parked at a nearby Walgreens which was a 2 min walk. They can def work on the taste of the food and for the love of god keep a credit card machine."