“Fortunately, the long drought for great Indian food is over in Monterey! Having heard that Ambrosia India Bistro opened recently, my friend Eric and I went for dinner on Tuesday and were absolutely and utterly delighted with our dining experience. The atmosphere is pleasant, inviting, and warm. The service is great. They have a great wine list and, most importantly, the food is fantastic!
We had a samosa appetizer. They were perfectly fried, not greasy at all, and wonderfully crisp. The vegetables in the filling were delicately flavored with cumin and set the stage for the amazing meal that was to come!
For dinner, we had Kabuli Chana, Kurkuri Bhindi, and Gosht Kali Mirch Ka. I was particularly fond of the Kabuli Chana, garbanzo beans in a deeply flavored sauce that features ginger and cilantro, along with a variety of Indian spices. I have had chana dishes elsewhere and the garbanzos can often be undercooked, or have mealy texture. Not so at Ambrosia India Bistro! The garbanzos were prepared to an almost creamy texture that carries the flavor of the dish as a whole to every corner of your mouth for maximum impact. Delicious!
The Kurkuri Bhindi was another big hit, as Eric and I are both big fans of okra. This dish, too, was intensely flavored, with its sautéed onions, red chiles and other spices. Okra is a seasonal vegetable, so check to be sure they have it available and, if so…ya’ gotta try it!
The lamb dish (Gosht Kali Mirch Ka) was exquisite. The lamb was fork tender and enhanced by a yogurt-based sauce with ginger, chili, and freshly ground black peppercorns. The proportion of meat to sauce was just right to have enough sauce to eat with rice or naan, but not so much that you end up feeling slighted by getting more sauce than meat.
I can’t think of any drawbacks, except that we may have ordered too much dinner, as we were too full to try dessert. Next time, for sure!
Ambrosia India Bistro also has a lunch buffet from 11:30–2:30. We stopped to talk to our waiter again, as we were leaving, to send our compliments to the chef, who is also the owner of the restaurant. We were also told that they offer brunch on Sundays. I won’t be in the area that much longer, but I plan to visit Ambrosia several more times before I go to try out all the options I can.
Please make a visit to give Ambrosia India Bistro a try. We need some great Indian food around here! You can find them at 565 Abrego in Monterey (where The Clock restaurant used to be).”
“Since you opened we’ve eaten at your fine establishment every weekend. It’s what we look forward to the most. The food is exceptional, the wait staff impeccable – friendly, timely and actually knows what I want without having to say a word. We are absolutely delighted and grateful to have you here. Thanks so much for making our Saturday nights romantic again!”
“Ambrosia India Bistro serves authentic Indian food at its best. The well-balanced flavors and perfect spiciness of Chef Singh’s dishes will have you returning over and over again.”
“I can’t tell you how long I have been waiting for a great Indian restaurant to open on the Peninsula. Eating there for the first time was like being in India again. I eat at Ambrosia India Bistro several times a month.”
