Kohinoor of India - Thousand Oaks
We moved to Thousand Oaks 3 ½ years ago. We tried Kohinoor of India shortly afterwards and found it totally poor in service and taste. Surprisingly they were quite busy, but we did not like it and never went back. It was especially disappointing since we moved to TO from West Hills, where we had several good to very good Indian Restaurants (Shalimar, Anarabagh, Taste of India, Delhi Palace, Woodlands, etc.)
Since it burned down over a year and a half we were hoping that when they re-opened they would have a new chef and we’d finally have a good Indian restaurant in the neighborhood.
It reopened last week, and we went last night with high hopes. Unfortunately, for starters, the service actually declined. Without going into great detail, there were 4 tables occupied (we were #2), all with menus, and 3 of the restaurant staff walking around doing ‘stuff’, but no one taking any orders.
Finally, after many minutes someone went to the first family, then someone went to one of the other tables (of someone who just had walked in). Finally someone (they now had 3 waiters/waitresses) came to us (we had waited about 10 minutes) so we decided we’d better order our dinner and wine at the same time, which turned out to be a wise move. We asked the waiter if they had a new chef and he said no, the same one (darn!).
My wife thought the prices were a little high, but I thought they pretty much in line with the other Indian places we used to go to.
The wine took about 5 minutes to get to us, and the dinner about 20 more.
When we were served, I was shocked at the size of the portions!! Here are my comments and their prices:
Chicke Tikka Masala - There were literally 4 pieces of chicken!! I ordered it very spicy and it wasn’t hot at all. I’ve had frozen CTM dinners which were much better! $13.95
Vegetable Briani – This dish was basically ALL rice, hardly any vegetables. I kept thinking that this dish at any of the other places is overflowing with vegetables! $9.95
Raita – A big portion but no taste at all. Very runny and more like milk than yogurt. $4.95
Onion Kulcha – A very small about 5” round cut into 2 pieces. Very ordinary, not much flavor. $4.95
Total bill (with 2 cokes) $50.00 + tip = $55.00
When we go to any of the other Indian places and order the same thing, we always have leftovers to take home. Not this time.
Needless to say, we will not be returning. Sadly, still no good Indian food in TO.
By LesThePress
on Aug 25, 2008 09:11 AM
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Sad to hear it has not gotten better. I go to Apna Spiceland deli in the Palms center on TO Blvd. for a plate of hot oily Indian food. It isn't great, but it is $5 and satisfies my fix until I can get to Woodlands.
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Yes, Snackish, I live near Apna but we like the entire dining experience (ambiance, wine, service, tablcloths, etc.). I've gone to Apna to order to go and bring it home, but now I get the CTM frozen dinners at Whole Foods on Moorpark and they're surprising good, but again, only for eating at home. There is no sit down option in TO for Indian
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Yurgh. I too had high hopes that the fire might have consumed the former Kohinoor’s recipe archive and the reopening would be a renaissance. I’m disappointed, although not surprised, to hear that this is not the case. Many thanks for saving me the trouble of finding this out myself the hard way.
Indian Haweli in Simi provides a passable sit-down Indian option closer to TO than, but still inferior to, Woodlands.
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LesThePress, I also thank you for posting. I have been anticipating their opening, merely hoping that they would be better.
I like Woodlands in Chatsworth and think it is worth the trip. No, it is not amazing, but it is really good. I don't know any other Indian restaurant in our area...RIP Raj in the WaterCourt Plaza on Hampshire Road (where Pookie's sushi bar currently is). That was wonderful food, even though the service was agonizingly slow.
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I had hopes for Indian Haweli in Simi Valley but ate one quick meal there and it wasn't very good - there was some sort of grit in my food and it made the whole experience unpleasant. The service was very good and the people were so nice that I feel bad about not recommending it.
http://www.indianhaweli.net/
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I have done the weekday buffet there and it is lacking a lot. When I do takeout the food seems better but the food is always 45 minutes behind schedule. They say to pickup at a certain time and it is 45 minutes beyond that time. It irritates me because this situation is always happening and as a diabetic I try to keep on schedule with my meds. I am sure the problem is that they tend to the diners in the restaurant before they tend to my order. Simi has nothing better right now.
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