New Ganges Restaurant

03/04/08

This restaurant is unforgettable!

by bpdesign at Citysearch

The first time we visited, the restaurant was closed?the owner took one look at our disappointed faces and opened the restaurant just for us!

I have to admit that I was a little put off by the flowers in dirty water on the table and I do suggest a bit of a face lift on the decor. However, the food was incredible. And my daughter and I loved the owners friendly humor and attention. I can understand that some people may be made uncomfortable by his interjection, however it made it an unforgettable experience for us.

My family is British and we have been eating Indian food for decades. We also cook it extensively and this food felt home made. The ingredients were obviously fresh, the flavors were original and it wasn't as oily as most restaurants. I was honored to be feed so caringly and will recommend this restaurant to all my friends.

• Pros: Wonderful food served with humor
• Cons: Ambience could use some attention

02/25/08

Freshest Indian Food around

by tjordre at Citysearch

New Ganges is a real gem. It is tucked away in a residential location between the Inner Sunset and the Haight (take the N-Judah line to get there- it is one block from the UCSF stop on Judah and Arguello). The food is insanely good. The owner believes whole-heartedly in using only the freshest ingredients for his dishes which are prepared with love by his wife and daughter (?). I've been there more than a dozen times since moving to the city 2 years ago and the food is ALWAYS amazing. I literally crave this food. The begnan pakora appetizer is special. Every main course dish I've had is great, with perfectly balanced seasoning. Try the Dal. This food is also free of that layer of greasy oil that sits on top of Indian dishes at many of the other joints in town. The whole wheat chipati bread is a fantastic alternative to the traditional bleached flour naan served elsewhere. I am always genuinely surprised that people don't know about this place and that there it is never packed. Don't wait any longer... GET OVER THERE AND TRY THIS PLACE SOON! You will likely be greeted by the friendly owner who is delighted to ensure you enjoy your dining experience. If you appreciate good food you will appreciate this place.

• Pros: Always great, never over crowded
• Cons: They don't serve alcohol or meat so your close-minded friends will need a push

02/13/08

Oily Indian Food

by nanceyg at Citysearch

I had the food from New Ganges delivered last week. It arrived about 1 hour later than promised. I believe the owner was the deliverer because he was telling me to promise to come in to the restaurant just once. I smiled and wished him a good eve, having already read the reviews here mentioning his patronizing behavior. I've eaten at other restaurants with this type of over attentiveness and it will keep me from returning. In the case of New Ganges, I plan to never eat on site for this reason first.

Secondly I won't be eating there again due to the food. It wasn't awful, but it also wasn't nearly as good as many other Indian restaurants in SF. As most vegitarians know, Indian Food is one of the easiest types of restaurants to order Vegitarian in. So to have a Veggie Indian Restaurant isn't saying much. If anything, I would hope it meant I have more options. That was not the case at New Ganges. In fact, there are less choices here.

The food itself was very oily. I ordered the # 8 with pakoras that were lumps of starch with no veg to be found and no flavor., #5 which had no tomato to be found, it actually seemed be potato dumplings that were just ok, # 21 that was again, ok. and #14also flavor was just ok. I also had raita which was ok and zeerta rice (though I only ordered plain rice.) Again the #5, 14 and 21 all were very heavy in oil. I reheated left overs and everything was swimming in the oil.

The heat levels are 1,2, 3, and 4. I ordered 3 and was flaming. The food had chili flakes everywhere. Just a warning.

The overall flavor of the food is rather simple and unrefined. Many reviewers have talked about it tasting homemade (or not). I would liken it to food at a potluck.

Do be cautioned that he tries to throw things in there and you'll be paying if you say yes to any of it. He also speaks very fast and I found him difficult to understand over the phone.

All in all, just ok.

• Pros: hmmmm
• Cons: oily, hard sell

01/14/08

Delicious homemade Punjabi food with attentive service

by cydur at Citysearch

The mango lassi was delicious...not painfully sweet, but just sweet enough to be delicious...not to mention the fresh curds. The food was absolutely amazing from the dishes pulkas, right down to the achar. The owner is extremely friendly, kind, and accommodating. This is the best Northwest Indian fare in SF, highly recommended for food and service.

• Pros: FOOD
• Cons: NONE

01/11/08

Fantastic food, comfortable setting

by markbsf at Citysearch

Not 10 minutes ago did I just finish stuffing myself silly at this fabulous restaurant.

The food was incredible. The samosa dough was tender, flaky and rich.

The mango nectar was flowing non-stop, and our host/waiter/chef was incredibly nice and jovial.

The cumin studded rice was soft and aromatic. The stewed mushrooms with peas was simple and satisfying, the cauliflower and potatoes creamy and flavorful. Every few minutes you could smell a fresh vaghar wafting through the dining room.

Expect a warm welcome and wonderful food from this hidden gem restaurant!

--Mark

11/24/07

Best Veggie Indian in SF: Order Take Out, Don't Sit Down

by sfrhodes at Citysearch

Very good food, some of the best Indian food in the city! But... the guy talks a little too much and the ambiance has much to be desired. My first experience was as follows: My wife and I walked in off the street and were seated promptly. There were a few couples there already. In order to read the menu, our host turned the house lights on, shedding light on the menu but removing the little bit of atmosphere in the place - taking some of our seated neighbors by surprise... He took our order, turned out the main lights, and gave the disclaimer that if we didn't like it he would take it back. He meant it. The first 2 dishes came out nice and hot. He proceeded to feed my wife her first bite, scooping up with the spoon on the table a bite of dahl. The only thing missing was the Cho Cho sounds... We both felt a little uncomfortable, but were trying to be open to the new experience. He then went in for a follow up, and I said to him we could take it from here.

In summary, Great Food, but call ahead and order take out.

• Pros: Amazing Food, Fresh Produce
• Cons: Poor Lighting, A little too in your face service

06/07/07

Best vegetariancuisine and best indian cuisine

by goddamnit at Citysearch

What an experience! From the outside you think one of two things: this is a hidden gem or this is the only time I'm comin' here. I'll tell you right now that this place is the rock of girbraltar as far as gem go! this is my awesome experience as tight as I can get it:

I sit, sip water and I think I taste mangoes. It must be in my head. I order; I decide to treat myself to some samosas---fresh taste of herbs and spices. You can taste each herb and each spice seperately. The owner is a treat. Very generous and very passionate about the food. He garauntees each item as you order. I think he may have been half the delight. My man meal has taken me to India. I make it a point to savor every bite so that if I were taken out by a bus after walking out of the door, I would die with no regrets.

the freshest tasting, homemade food I have ever eaten. Nothing is frozen. He doesn't even have a freezer at the restaurant! Name another like this. I challenge you.

Number one suggestion: Try the mango lassi!

03/30/07

Great Service, Fun Host

by pinklady56 at Citysearch

I'm not vegetarian, but this was a place even a meat eater would enjoy. Especially, enjoyable if you love spicy food and cozy surroundings. My bf took me for my birthday and the host was so kind as to entertain us with jokes and told us how to really enjoy the food=eat with your hands. All the food was new to me, but I loved it. Gotta try that mango lassi...it was heaven!

• Pros: quiet, cozy, and great service
• Cons: parking

03/11/07

If you enjoy eating. Highly recommended

by luige1 at Citysearch

My date and i had a wonderful time at New Ganges vegetarian near GG park the other day. it's next to the shivananda yoga center and across from the native plant nursery ( check out the plants growing next to the sidewalk across the street),the whole area has a pleasant vibe to it. And the food is very tasty, authentic and served with great care, humor, humility and pride. so sauce up your samosa, spice up your sag paneer and sip your mango lassi. best Indian vegetarian. highly recommended

12/21/06

WOW! SO FRESH,YOU CAN ACTUALLY TASTE ALL THE DELICATE SPICES! PLUS ART OF EATING TIPS

by mariposawild at Citysearch

I have eaten here 2x and both times was really really knocked off my chair by the flavor of the food. I especially appreciate the epicurian tips from the Waiter/Owner who is a food specialist and taught me how to eat to maximize proper digestion and he taught us how to enjoy our food every bite of it, without rushing.. how to really eat like a epicurian should. The ART of EATING> He was very friendly and offered us impeccable service. He told us if we did not like the flavor of any dish, we can tell him and he will not charge us for it. He also would make vegan option dishes for my friend who didn't eat cheese but wanted the spinach dish.

Quaint, cozy, romantic, FUN experience, and the Samosas are so fresh and delicious. Having a friend with me who was Indian, and also an organic vegan, give it a 5 star rating proved that I was not the only person who could taste the difference between FRESH food and premade sauces. EVEN THE CHAI is fresh.. every cup is made fresh when you order it.

We had the vegetable dish and spinach dish. It was so light and airy and not overpowered by spices, we could taste every spice. By the way, THEY GRIND THEIR OWN SPICES DAILY SO ITS VERY FRESH AS WELL.

I have been to India 3 times and stayed there for a year, and have eating Indian food all over Los Angeles in Beverly Hills as well as India, and I really found the flavor of the food here to be quite a delicate balance of flavor and purity. I would even venture to say that I felt a higher vibration in the foods because after I ate it, and I did eat alot! i WAS SO full, but i wanted to keep eating because it was so good. However, afterward, I noticed I didn't feel like I had overate, instead i felt light.. the same feelign I get when I eat at Gourmet Raw Food restaurants like Cafe Gratitude.