I didn't even check yelp before going to Amber. I was staying in one of the local hotels and popped on google to see what restaurants were nearby. I was tired after a long day and a lot of driving and randomly decided on Indian.
Boy was that a great choice! The dinner atmosphere was perfect, quiet, dim, and totally relaxing - just what I needed :) . The guys were incredibly polite. The food was superb and the quantities were massive compared to what I was expecting! The leftovers were great the next day and saved me from having to go out again the next day.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Amber is a fine Indian restaurant in the Carmel area.
It's located in a strip mall so it's not a terribly upscale kind of place to sit down for a meal, but then again, I always go the carryout route.
I've had a few of their Tandoori offerings as well as some of their vegetable dishes. Everything has been great on each occasion, no matter what I've brought home.
I like how both Naan and Basmati Rice is included with all of the vegetable (and meat, I would assume as well) dishes. But what really sets Amber apart in my mind is how they prepare their Tandoori Fish and Chicken dishes -- the meat is roasted with onions and peppers, rather than the vegetables being added to the dish raw after the fact. It really makes a delicious diffference.
Call-in orders are always prepared properly and on time as well.
Great Indian restaurant.... I'll be back!
Every now and then you find something new you have never seen before, or a place you have never been before. I had that experience yesterday on my first, but not last, trip to Amber's. On the TVs was a sport I had never seen nor heard of, it is a cross between tag and red rover come over! Any ways the real reason for going to Amber's was the food, I enjoy Indian food because of the spices that are used. Being that they have the lunch set up as a buffet I could sample a cross section of their dishes, and so I did, and did, and did!!!! The food is some of the best Indian I have ever eaten any where! The buffet was small but covered a great amount of dishes. None of the offerings where overly spiced or over done on the heat level. I'm a fan of spicy and hot dishes and would liked to have seen a little more of the heat, but I'm just one of the packed house they had so I can live with the heat! Even better then the new sport and outstanding food was the service, I can not remember the last time I felt so take care of outside of 4 and 5 star restaurant. The wait staff where on their game a proud
of the food and where they are working, and rightly so! I will make sure that before my next trip to Amber's I do not eat for a day or two!
Live well and eat well, and please no chains!
Amber is the best Indian in Indy. Â The lunch buffet is awesome and the service is remarkable. Â Everyone has their role down to a science (we get a kick out of watching the level of choreography and counting the number of people who you interact with during a dinner). Â We've only found better Indian when we head up to Chicago. Â All our Indian friends recommend Amber, which is always a good sign as well.
Review Source:When we saw this Indian restaurant opening up in Carmel a few years ago, we were cautiously optimistic. We had driven all over town in years past to satisfy our Indian food cravings, and though happy to drive, would have loved something closer to home.
Now that Amber Indian has been around for a while, we're quite happy to report we no longer have any need to travel for Indian food. The best Indian place in Indy happens to be in Carmel. How handy!
The lunch buffet is always yum. The garlic naan rules. The dude at the front counter (it's always the same dude) looks like he's angry you came to dirty his spotless establishment, which is spotless. His team of pressed and polished servers will keep your water glass full and your stains off the table. Oddly rundown little bathroom, but you didn't come here because of a cool bathroom, did you? No, you came here to eat. And eat, and eat. And eat you shall, until you are full, then you'll eat a little more just because you're worried if you stop now, you'll never have food this good ever again.
I first ventured into an Indian restaurant on the Westside years ago (whose name shall remain unnamed) which fell very short of expectations - poor quality food & service. Amber just blew my tastebuds away with it's wide selection of fresh, flavorful food and attentive service during their lunch buffet (Check out <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2FCoupons4Indy.com&s=f4cffc88d0cb2e689ad0019c7996e84867f4f4c3a7f9e44cdce10d7145c91929" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://Coupons4Indy.com</a>, they always have $1 off lunch buffet).
Now I introduce you to the buffet table. Meet the wonderful flavors of the chicken family: tikka masala, vindaloo, tandoori. They've got a goat dish as well! Then the many vegetarian options such as: palak paneer, vegetable pakora, potato pakora, chickpeas...and the list just goes on. They have wonderful chutneys - mint, mango, tamarind to go with your meals. What I love about this place is they make your naan as you order so it's always fresh. Get the garlic naan - it's to die for.
My absolute favorites are the chicken tikka masala, chicken vindaloo, vegetable pakora, and the goat dish. Why don't I just say everything is good. I actually jump back in line for seconds before realizing I'm actually full. Yet, it's so good that I actually stuff myself silly. Somehow I still make room for my extra stomach to finish off with dessert such as the gulab jamun (those spongy balls soaked in syrup), rice kheer, or the fruit cocktail in the mango puree.
You know it's good Indian food, when you walk out smelling like spices all day at work.
This is probably going to be my gold standard for Indian restaurants. No place I ever went to before Amber Indian Restaurant could compete. I went there for their weekend lunch buffet and the selection was enormous. I also really liked the fact that they brought you fresh naan to the table. That was really awesome as well.
I had went there for dinner once and thought the Amber Special (Chicken) was delicious. There was enough for leftovers (2 additional meals spread over my own home-made basmati rice).
Probably my favorite Indian restaurant in the Indy area. It doesn't help that I work .5 mile from here, but their lunch buffet is very good, always fresh, and always full.
Their garlic naan is amazing. Table service is great, always filling your water and taking dirty plates.
Have only had the lunch buffet so cannot comment on the quality of their dinner offerings and prices, but if their lunch is any indication, I would highly recommend this place.
Finally had dinner here on a weeknight & have proclaimed this our favorite Indian restaurant. Â We were greeted, seated, and sipping Flying Horse swiftly at a table with a white tablecloth. Â A plate of Papadum crackerbread and three dipping sauces soon followed.
Instead of ordering from the Appetizers, we chose to share a half-plate of Tandoori Chicken. Â Great smoky flavor, so tender. Â And the fresh Garlic Naan, roasted on the outside, soft inside, was more evidence of Tandoor oven masters in the kitchen.
Our Chicken Tikka Masala and Chicken Curry arrived with a bowl of fragrant basmati rice. Â The dishes were perfect in consistency and seasoning. Â Instead of a melt-your-tongue heat in the hot curry, Amber offers a layered red chili heat. Â It's escalated. Â You catch all the flavors and savor the heat instead of skyrocketing into the roof of the Scoville scale. Â
At Amber, they've mastered the art of seasoning where you can have your heat & actually enjoy it. Â Can't wait to try the buffet and bring friends.
This is our favorite Indian buffet. Â Like all buffets, go early while it's fresh. Â With Indian buffets, if you're there right before close, the meat and tofu are gone and it's all sauce. Â We've been there 6 or 8 times when my husband has business close by and it's excellent.
You are greeted when you enter, it's very clean, and white table cloths but casual. Â The servers are very attentive. Â -for me that means water refills without asking and being available for naan refills if needed. Â When you're finished, you get up and go to the cashier who has your bill, so there's no waiting for the check. Â (good system especially for the biz crowd) Â The buffet has more selections than any other that I know. Â The Naan comes out fresh and hot, and if you ask for a refill just wait a little because it's made fresh to order. Â Everything on the buffet is very good. Â I have prepared alot of Indian food at home and I like it a little spicier, but it still is very flavorful here. Â I love the lamb (they don't always have it so sometimes I call ahead). Â This is where I first tried goat. Â (yeah goat) Â It wasn't gamey or strong. Â We raised goats for milk on the farm in the 60's (I've since learned more) & some meat (if goat is too old) & cheeses (if aged too long) taste like a goat smells. Â (go figure,Yuk)
Disclaimer **Take heed** Â Don't come right before the lunch time closing. Â They seem rude (western standards), and tell you to hurry & get your food because they are going to remove all food shortly. Â -and they do remove it the minute they close. Â They make their point and since that happened to us once, we make sure to go early. Â I've watched it happen to others that came late when we were finishing. Â They left, and I'm sure many do not come back. Â (it's not our way to be rushed at a meal if we don't want to)
Go early and enjoy!
I love the weekday lunch buffet, it's always fresh with a wide selection that varies daily, with a few regular staples. Â It's all good, from the garlic naan to the Bollywood movies playing on the TV's. Â My only complaint, they drop off a basket of naan whether or not I request it ... even if I specifically say I don't plan to eat it. Â Not enough of a crime to knock off a star, but it's a bit of a waste of food.
Review Source:Ever-changing selection on the buffet means you can visit twice a week and eat totally different lunches. The staff is unobtrusive and service-minded; your water glass will not go empty and you will not be pestered as you dine. The food is flavorful and not greasy, the naan is fresh-made and aromatic, the vegetables are crisp and fresh. Each dish on the buffet tastes of distinctly different seasonings than do the others - unlike some buffets where it seems everything is the same flavor, Amber Indian chefs must pride themselves on producing a variety of dishes each unique. If you are new to the cuisine, you can't go wrong with the buffet. If you find yourself facing a menu, the chana masala is my recommendation. Both the menu and buffet have a full compliment of vegetarian options also. Finally, you can be entertained by the frenetic bollywood-style media available on the multiple tvs as you eat.
Review Source:As an guy of North Indian/Punjabi extraction, I have to say that the standard for "good North Indian" fare is different for me as it is for others. Â That said, I think Amber is the best choice for Indian food in Indy simply because they don't overdo it with dollops of grease and butter in their food among other reasons.
Although I like food spicier than the average Midwesterner, I don't like it flaming hot either (not like other Indian people) and that's why I think Amber reasonably spices the dishes: you won't be breathing fire and slaking your thirst with gallons of water as with your prototypical Indian place. Â The naan is nice and chewy, as it should be, and all the curries are fairly authentic I have to say. Â The tandoori chicken is my favorite in Indy and is a must-have. Â As I said before: they don't load it up with grease and you won't see it pooling on top of the saag or the chana masala as with other places. Â This place won't punish your digestive tract as a result.
For nine bucks, the lunch buffet is a good deal and the variety of veg and non-veg stuff is great bang for your buck. Â The ambiance is just like a standard Indian place in a strip mall, nothing special but nothing that takes away from the experience. Â I would definitely go to this place over Shalimar or India Palace or India Garden anyday!
Dining for only one should be easier. Â None of the entrees are served in smaller portions thus limiting my meal to just one item. As an out of towner doggy bagging is not an option when staying at a hotel without means to reheat the next day. Â 3 stars for service for not offering half portions, though the food was tasty and merited another star. Tuesday night, I was the only one in the restaurant, but 2-3 take out orders were picked up.
Review Source:Seriously, whoever gave this place under four stars should just not attempt to enjoy this type of cuisine, and maybe stick to Texas Roadhouse.
Hands down, the BEST Indian food in Indy, and better than most places that I have visited anywhere, in any state.
The restaurant was very clean, and the staff were attentive and enjoyable.
Buffet RULES! I hate to admit it, but it blows away Shalimar and India Garden on every level.
I have only been there for their lunch buffet, and it's excellent. There's a pretty wide variety and the food is of fairly high quality. My favorite is the lamb curry, which is chopped up lamb with bones in a savory sauce that's excellent with the rice or the naan (garlic, of course). For about $9, it's a very good deal. Â
My only issue is that none of the dishes are really spicy. That's not atypical in the midwest, but it would be nice if there were some spicy dishes. Quite a few of the patrons appear to be ethnic Indians, which says to me the food has not been Americanized too much.
In the suburbs it seems the best indian restaurants are in strip malls and I'm A-OK with that. This place is solid. It's very unassuming (both indoors and out) The menu is the usual fare with some indo-chinese fusion dishes thrown in there. There were a few appetizers missing like papdi chaat, etc but that's ok.
I ordered the onion pakoras for an appetizer which was a bit salty but seasoned very well. For mains I had the lamb curry and garlic naan. I asked for the lamb to be at a medium spice level and it was dead on accurate. The sauce was a perfect viscosity (appetizing word right?)
and the naan was soft and fresh. For dessert i had the keer which was not super sweet like a lot of Indian restaurants i go to. I've grown up eating the best indian food on the planet and I would gladly recommend this place.
Knocked a star off because of the lack of a full bar, ambience, and missing menu items.
I will be the first to admit that I am a newbie to Indian food. Â But I really like this place. Â The naan is hot and delicious, especially the garlic variety. Â I really enjoy their Mango Lassi drink, which is a mango-yogurt-smoothie-type-party-in-your-mouth. Â It is also the best thing ever for putting that fire out after a spicy meal! Â My favorite thing here is the chicken tikka masala with medium spice. Â The waiters are very friendly and helpful, and the food always comes out hot and fast. Â Definitely worth checking out!
Review Source:I've eaten here three times: twice for dinner and once for the buffet. I totally don't agree that this is the "best in Indy." I think it's fairly similar to other Northern Indian restaurants like Shalimar or India Garden--but with a fatal flaw. Read on.
THE GOOD
For dinner, they bring out tasty papad and chutney. For dinner and lunch, they bring out a generous basket of piping hot nan. It's A- nan in my book, but it's fresh (unlike the nan of many other establishments who leave the bread to languish on the buffet).
The food is of pretty good quality. The staff is cheery and attentive.
So what's not to dig?
THE BAD
The food is SALTY, man! It just destroys me. My girlfriend and I split a fish pakora and a goat curry for dinner recently, and I think we lowered the water table because we were drinking so much. Crying out for ¡EL AGUA!
Yes, Indian food is not usually your first choice for low-sodium fare. But having half an appetizer and entree and feeling that bad is unacceptable.
It's a shame, as their food is pretty well-prepared, otherwise. For example, the ajwain seeds in the fish pakora were a nice touch (by the way, I think the majority of the saltitude was in the curry, not the pakora).
THE BUFFET
People have given the lunch buffet high marks. I had it today and was unimpressed. There was no more variety than at your typical Indian joint in town. There were no dishes that really blew me away. It was just average--except SALTIER than average. (In fact, I tested out the buffet today even after my previous, salty experiences precisely because so many people were lauding it.)
For Indian food in Indy, I recommend Passage to India (my favorite--vegetarian with lots of Southern food, great soups), India Palace (huge lunch buffet with substantial meat dishes), Taj of India (simple but good quality for lunch or dinner), and Shalimar (decent lunch buffet, nice dinner service with good thali).
I have only been there for lunch, but their buffet is AWESOME. Â Never had to wait and their wait staff does a great job keeping your water glass full.
Note : Coupons available at <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2FCoupons4Indy.com&s=f4cffc88d0cb2e689ad0019c7996e84867f4f4c3a7f9e44cdce10d7145c91929" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://Coupons4Indy.com</a>
Maybe a 4.5. Â Note- this review is specifically based on the buffet.
400- BOOM. Â Thought I'd mark this milestone with one of my favorite places in Indy. Â A friend (yes, he happens to be Indian) recommended this place to me. Â He claimed this to be the best Indian in the naptown area. Â I had to examine the claim.
AMBIANCE- The place is in a strip mall, but when you walk in, the place is bright and open (unlike many Indian restaurants I've been to). Â Seating is probably about 50-60ish, though they may have a backroom (I cant' recall).
SERVICE- for a buffet, I didn't really expect much service. Â The servers were friendly though, and were very quick to replenish the naan (more on that later).
MENU- this place has to have one of the more exhaustive selections as far as a buffet goes. Â Many of your favorites can be found here- palak paneer, rav korma, pakora, tikka masala, goat curry, tandoori chicken etc.... Â They have an interesting "Chicken 65" which in my opinion is like boneless buffalo wings Indian style. Â Standard desserts such as mango pudding and kheer (rice pudding) can be found, as well as chai to finish up the meal. Â Oh yeah, the naan. Â They bring out fresh orders of naan (either garlic or regular) with the buffet as well.
FOOD- most everything is delicious. Â I must say I was a little disappointed with the palak paneer as it seemed to be a little too pureed in my opinion, and it being a buffet, the food tends to lack a little heat, but you can always add some spice if you need to. Â The garlic naan is really strong, but very good as well. Â The kheer has raisins, but you can pick them out if that ain't your thang.
OVERALL- come hungry, leave happy. Â This place rocks. Â $9 for lunch (plus you can get a $1 off coupon at <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Findycoupons.com&s=d83a12cd90911ecbe79b7e19fd99d2020379ca658bfae8e237452688262b9438" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://indycoupons.com</a>) is money well spent. Â If you've been wanting to try Indian food, or are just looking for some good Indian food, this is your best bet. Â Do it up.
Celebrity Rating- DJ Khaled
I gotta give this place a BIG 5! I went there for lunch and there was a great variety of foods and everything was fresh. For about eight bucks you can have a quality Indian buffet.
The Naan was made fresh and brought to the table. They made plain naan and garlic flavor naan. I like the plain naan best. This place can stand head to head to all of the Indian restaurants that I have been before.
One of the best places for Indian food in the Indy area. Â Brett C. and I just revisited them this past Sunday and were, once again, very happy with the quality of the food and the variety of items offered on their buffet. Â
The goat curry is one of my favorites and the gulab jamun was the very best I've ever had. Â Their wine selection isn't bad considering most of the area's Indiana restaurants have very few offerings. Â
The staff is lovely and don't make you feel rushed even though they had quite the crowd. Â You can even catch some football, or Indian tallent contests if your lucky, on one of the TVs they have. Â Wish things were a little more spicy, but then again I'm a bit of a chili-head plus they have onion chutney to help in the heat department.
This is my Carmel friends' favorite Indian restaurant. Â (I haven't checked to see how many Indian restaurants there actually are in Carmel)
It's in a strip mall, but that's Indy. Â The ambiance is generic, but that's most Indian restaurants in the U.S.
What matters is, the food is good.
My carnivorous friend raves about the meat selection, which apparently is wider than in other Indian restaurants.
And for those who can't spare a minute away from a game, they have a TV so you can have some football with your chana masala.
These guys have a buffet for lunch and dinner. It's somewhat reasonably priced and offers your typical Indian fare. The first time I came here, I had only eaten Indian food once or twice. I'm happy to say that I liked it! Â However, I quickly found out that the food from this place empties my intestinal tract.
So I thought to myself, "maybe it's just me." Â I found out the next 3-5 times I visited Amber that, no, in fact, this place destroys my insides.
It's like eating an entire bag of Sun Chips.  It sounds like a great idea, but  a few hours later, you and your colon regret it. Â
If you can stomach Indian food, this place is great. Â The flavors of all the glops are great... Seriously! Â Just remember you'll be crapping it out soon after.
Amber Indian is worth the drive to suburban hell--it's by far the best Indian in the metro area! The weekend buffet was beautiful--spicy chaat, pickles, onion pakoras, nav rattan korma et al. Everything was intricately and uniquely spiced; I usually find saag paneer and channa masala somewhat pedestrian, but both dishes made my tongue dance at Amber Indian. It looked like there were a ton of options for meatitarians as well. This buffet rivals my faves on Devon Avenue in Chicago. It's a must-go for anyone who enjoys Indian.
The only downside was they had two TeeVees playing some really inane-looking Tim Allen movie. Blech.
Solid choice for Indian food in the Indianapolis area, and just about the only option outside of Broad Ripple or downtown. Â Vegetable Samosa is a great appetizer, Chicken Tikka Masala, Makhani, and Korma are all very well prepared and tasty. Â They generally are spot on with the heat level as well, so if you can take it, tell them to turn it up a notch. Â The Basmati rice is always light and fluffy, something I can never replicate at home. Â Try the kashmiri naan (I believe that is the name) that puts cherries and almonds in the naan dough. Â Delicious.
Service isn't super fast, but efficient and courteous.
I found out about this place because anesthesia attendings at the VA don't work a lot. Â Let's face their jobs are cush. Â So they sit around all day talking about Indian food. Â I'm not kidding. Â Everyday Indian food was discussed and everyday it ended the same way: Amber is the best in town. Â They even paid to get a catered lunch one day. Â No special occasion, they just love it.
A bit of a drive from Indy, but it is well worth it. Â The flavors are fantastic. All my Indian attendings agree that this is the only good Indian food in town. Â Much better that the rest of the other Indian offerings in Indy. Â Try it and you'll taste the difference.
When I couchsurf in Indy, I make it to cajole and beg my hosts to cater to my culturally deprived palate. Â The dearth of spice and subtlety in Muncie is characteristically appalling. Â That said, my dining buddies and I grew weary of Shalimar and their predictability.
Amber offered us, for my money, a superb lunch buffet. Â $7.99 is a tick high, but the vast expanse of their steam table more than made up for the price. Â I'm a glutton, hands down, but I frequent buffets not for the sheer volume one can stuff down his craw, but for the breadth of flavor combinations. Â Amber has more options than any other buffet I've seen in greater-Indy.
All the standards were up to and above my expectations. Â Veggie options seemed substantial (dal, sag paneer, aloo chat, veg korma, et al) and chicken and lamb entrees were aplenty as well. Â Samosas were conspicuously absent, but the pakoras and aloo tiki were solid.
While it seems some competitors deep fry their naan and throw it willynilly on the steam table, Amber serves their naan - plain or garlic - fresh to your table. Â I've seen piping hot naan come right out the oven from Paki cab stands, and Amber's is just as good. Â This little touch goes a long way to please. Â
The deserts were all tasty (I never eat that mango pudding), especially the gulab. Â I make a better carrot halwa, but I was pleasantly surprised.
Based on plaques by the register, the owner/operators are Punjabi. Â If ordering off the menu, consider Punjab specialties. Â
All in all, this was a great find. Â I hope they don't succumb to pressure to bastardize their recipes for Carmel's dumbass tastes.
Indian restaurants are somewhat scarce in the Indy-north 'burbs and Amber is the only one I know of in Carmel proper.
Located in a small strip center at the northwest corner of Carmel Drive and Meridian Street, this unassuming Indian eatery combines efficient service with decent fare.....if a bit pricey. Then again, given the price of gas lately, a short drive to Amber more and more frequently trumps the longer drive to some of our more wallet-friendly Indian haunts in the city.
The food does not disappoint and personal faves include the Nav Ratan Korma - a vegetable curry that is creamy and deeply satisfying - think Indian comfort food! Lamb Vindaloo is usually what my better half chooses here - so spicy he needs a refreshing Mango Lassi (yogurt and Mango puree -based drink) to vanquish the flames!
One thing not to be missed, in my humble opinion, is the Kashmiri Naan bread. It's a bit sweet thanks to its nut, shredded coconut and dried cherry stuffing and boy does it ever pair well with the savory side of the menu! Â Also, be sure to try the Gulab Jamun (mini fried dough balls in cardamon-infused honey syrup) or Kheer (Indian rice pudding - I often get extra for breakfast the next day..LOL) for dessert.
Amber is open seven days per week and offers a lunch buffet from 11:00-2:30 pm. Catering is also offered, though I've not tried that yet.
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