Korean Girl's Review of India Palace in Woodbury, Minnesota

I am a "noob" when it comes to Indian food. I'm about as familiar with naan as I am with calculus (for the record: never took it, I barely passed algebra), so my knowledge about Indian food is sparse. I wouldn't know authentic Indian food if it hit me in the face. However, I do know good food when I see it, and India Palace in Woodbury, Minnesota was a huge hit with me. I visited India Palace on a whim while I was in Woodbury, and I can proudly say I'm now addicted to Indian food -- and India Palace. Here is a dainty little review of India Palace in Woodbury, Minnesota.

Review: The Atmosphere

India Palace is located in a strange area of Woodbury, positioned right alongside the strip malls that decorate most of downtown Woodbury. It's in the heart of Woodbury's Tamarack Village, although you wouldn't know from first glance. In fact, I could barely make out the sign at first. The interior of India Palace may not catch your eye, either. A few sparse paintings and a giant hookah decorates most of the interior, but for the most part India Palace is clean and not too heavy on the decor.

Woodbury's India Palace gets a 3 out of 5 stars in this category. (3/20)

Review: The Service

I have mixed feelings about India Palace's service. During my first visit the waiter was very unresponsive -- in fact, I didn't think he was even listening to me -- but I experienced better service during my second visit. Both waiters, however, were very helpful. They answered my questions completely, ranging from the completely stupid ("does Chai tea taste like cocoa?") to more complicated questions about the food and allergic concerns. Both seemed very knowledgeable about Indian food. I noticed both had trouble warming up to us, but I wasn't sure if it was shyness or something else. Maybe there was a leech hanging off me?

In any case, Woodbury's India Palace gets a 4 out of 5 stars in this category. (7/20)

Review: The Food

I cannot express how much I loved India Palace's food. The food is piping hot, overflowing with flavors, and is truly something you need to taste yourself to truly experience. I especially enjoy their vegetarian dishes -- tastes especially delicious when paired with jasmine rice. Their selection of food is slightly larger than other sit down restaurants, but I am very, very thankful for their vegetarian selection. Sure beats the vegetarian selection at TGI Fridays (a whopping one dish, and one that made me sick!). My biggest complaint is that their dessert and appetizer menus are a bit small -- not that I'm complaining it isn't good -- but I would have preferred a bigger selection to choose from. Otherwise I absolutely love their food and am proud to say I visit India Palace regularly.

Woodbury's India Palace gets a perfect score in this category, 5 out of 5 stars. (12/20)

Note: India Palace is a bit on the spicy side. I personally did not notice it as much (I'm Korean, after all, I live on Kimchee), but it may be too much for some people. If you can't handle spicy stuff, ask for a mild dish or chew on some naan.

Review: The Price

Most restaurants in Woodbury tend to be expensive, but India Palace is surprisingly cheap. If you eat takeout, you can survive a trip to India Palace. In fact, I would encourage going here instead of your local Chinese restaurant. Given the quality of food, eating here is a must for any budget. Prices range from $6.00-$12.00, but they also feature supersized family dishes (such as vegetable platters) from $20.00-$35.00. You really can't beat the price, but if you can prove to me another Indian restaurant exists with better quality food and cheaper prices, I'll go eat my Dramatic Chipmunk hoodie.

Overall, Woodbury's India Palace gets all stars in this category. (17/20)

Review: Woodbury's India Palace, Yay or Nay?

Final Score: (17/20)

I think it should be very obvious what I think about India Palace. The quality of food and the price beats practically every restaurant in town, and the food may actually help shrink that waistline too! If you happen to be in Woodbury, I highly recommend visiting India Palace to see for yourself why I love this restaurant so much. I'll toss some garlic naan to that!

Sources:

India Palace's Official Website (indiapalacemn.com)