(Photo courtesy Yelp user Anthony M.)
My brother and sister would like to see my Yelp reviews here, so I shall oblige.
I have a standing weekly dinner with three buddies. Each week, one person picks and pays. This week, Jason H. picked Junnoon in Palo Alto. Here’s my Yelp review of it:
Tasty, although certainly not authentic Indian. (My ex-roommate Shanthini R. would concur, I’m certain).
Junnoon occupies the space formerly occupied by a bad sushi restaurant just off the corner of University & High in downtown Palo Alto. The interior has been redecorated with modern furniture and rich colors, and the lighting might be good for a first date, I would think. The ambient noise is just right — not so noisy that conversation is difficult and not so quiet that the conversations of adjacent diners are conspicuously audible.
While waiting for a table, we tried the mojitos, which obviously aren’t Indian. But the bartender made a very good one here. And once seated, the waitress immediately brought roti and a addictive dipping sauce with peanut and coconut.
The menu markets. Conforming to the wisdom described in the book Mindless Eating, each item is described with positive adjectives.
For appetizers, we ordered the Darjeeling Steamed Wontons, Bombay Crab and Cob Cake and Tangy Semolina Shells. All were just a little bit different and interesting and good but not particularly special. I’m not sure what about the wontons and seafood cakes were Indian, if anything. The semolina shells reminded me of deep fried risotto or mac & cheese.
For main dishes, we ordered the Tandoori Black Pepper Steak, Old Delhi-Style Chicken (tikka), Rice-Flaked Sea Bass, Prawns in Coconut Mustard Sauce, and Junnoon Chicken Kaathi Roll (egg-washed paratha bread filled tandoori chicken tika and mint chutney). I thought the pepper steak was tough and tasteless, but one of my fellow diners (a beef fanatic) liked it best among all the entrees. The Delhi-style chicken was the most traditional dish we sampled and my favorite. The sea bass was okay, I recommend against the prawns and the Kaathi roll was different and worth trying.
Overall, I thought the service was great, the food good and the prices a bit steep for Indian. If I really wanted Indian, I’d go to Amber or (formerly) Sue’s in Mountain View.
See all of my reviews on Yelp.
