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Palki Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Indian Indian [Edit]
1130 Commercial DrVancouver, BC V5L 2N1
Neighbourhoods: Grandview-Woodlands, The Drive
(604) 215-1130
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11:30 am - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
18 reviews for Palki Restaurant
18 reviews in English
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Review from Wendy Y.
5/8/2012
The best naam bread I have ever had. *Hands flapping in the air*
My partner and I came here for a date night at this classy and modern Indian restaurant. It's easy to miss this place as the exterior is so camouflaged you can't tell this place actually serves food.
We walked in and noticed the dark hardwood floor and black wood-framed mirrors hanging on the eggplant-purple wall. There's a water feature by the washroom as well as scattered plots of green plants embellishing this establishment.
We weren't sure how big the portion of the VancouverEats coupon would be so we waited for our pre-set meal to arrive before ordering any add ons. Our pre-set meal came with a butter chicken, cilantro/bell pepper naam bread, a vegetarian samosa split in half, grilled green and orange pepper with grilled chicken and lamb served on a grill plate.
The butter chicken was served fondue-style, where there's a candle underneath the small pot to keep the dish warm. The cilantro-bell pepper naam bread was out of this world! That thing was "cooked" to perfection. Thin, light, not doughy, crunchy on the outside, soft and bread-like on the inside. The namm bread was so good to the point we ordered another one (garlic) half way through our meal to mop every drop of the butter chicken sauce. The grilled dish was lovely. I enjoyed how I got to sample a little bit of everything. I like how the spices used were not overwhelming or spicy. I felt like the spices were enhancing the food and not the other way around.
The food was excellent. The open concept of the space made dining very comfortable. I would definitely come back.Listed in: Indian Food
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Review from Renee P.
Vancouver, BC
4/6/2012
I love this place! My boyfriend and I had a lovely dinner experience there last night. It's a great (huge) space, they've got a decent drink list and excellent service. They are also very sensitive to spiciness - you can order as spicy or mild as you want. We stayed on the mild side last night which in no way meant that we sacrificed flavour.
We ordered chicken tikka (light and fresh), lamb korma (rich and creamy) with papdums to start and a side of perfect basmati rice. It was all excellent. We've also had the butter chicken before which is delicious.
BONUS: they have delivery! You don't even have to leave your cozy abode for a bite of this goodness. -
Review from May P.
Vancouver, BC
5/20/2012
Great service, good food and nice decor.
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Review from Malloreigh M.
Vancouver, BC
11/23/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I was really impressed by this place! They were totally aware of what did and did not have butter in it (by the way, the butter-free roti is to die for). Also, there's a great array of vegan-friendly curries to eat. We ordered Hari Bari Sabzi, Gobi Aloo, and Bhaigan Bhartha. All of them were flavourful and cooked to perfection. I have never had potatoes that are so creamy and flavourful. Incredible. Curries are served in little metal dishes over a tealight flame to keep them hot. The pulao (basmati rice with peas) is perfectly cooked with each grain of rice separate. Samosas are tasty and not overly greasy - they are served with mint and tamarind chutney.
The service I received on both visits was totally acceptable. Not crazy awesome, but acceptable. The beer is cheap - hurray! - and wine isn't exorbitantly priced either. Washrooms were in a bit of a sorry state on Friday evening but I think they didn't have quite enough staff on.
I would love to see this place succeed. The food is just incredible. Businesses tend to fail in this location unfortunately.
Edited to add: I have found myself having mad Palki cravings on a regular basis lately. I've been there three times now. Seriously, the potatoes, they are so perfect. You should try it. -
Review from Ronnie S.
North Vancouver, BC
3/25/2012
One of our easy favourites, nothing too classy, but good Indian food we always enjoy. They do a good job of matching requested "hotness" of food, and the Naan and rice are always fresh and nice.
Not the most elegant restaurant, but lovely tables by the window away from the noisier back of the restaurant for two, so while it may not be that romantic, it is at least enjoyable to spend a quiet evening with my wife.
The food itself is good Indian food, I'm probably not the most refined taste, but we both like it a lot. -
Review from A W.
Vancouver, BC
3/20/2012
Palki is so great! I love love love their Veggie Kofta so much and thats what i usually get for dinner along with some veggie pakora and onion cilantro naan bread. I'm also a big fan of their weekday lunch buffet! It's not your average Indian buffet, they make every dish in small batches so it's always fresh and they bring you hot out of the oven naan bread. I don't eat red meat or chicken and they have plenty of options at the buffet table for me.
The only item on the menu I really didn't like was their cod pakoras! But if you avoid them I guarantee a great meal! The restaurant is large so you never have to wait for a table and it has nice modern decor too.
BEST Indian on the drive for sure! -
Review from Pippa M.
Vancouver, BC
9/1/2011
The food is very tasting and wonderfully presented. There's lots of options for both vegetarians and meat eaters. The atmosphere is very calm and serene.
This restaurant is a wonderful addition to the Drive and offers good value, too. -
Review from Tara K.
Vancouver, BC
9/17/2011
I went to Palki a few months back and thought the food and presentation was good. The portions were small though. I liked the decor. I will give them 3 stars for that (the last time I ate there). I went during a day that was not particularly busy and thought the service was SLOW and lacked that personal attention to detail.
I decided to give it a second chance as I wanted to support a new local restaurant. I walked in with my aunt and the place was over powering of rose water incense which made us gag. I was to meet my husband there, and I know that this smell would give him an instant migrane. I asked the man (of Indian origin) who told me he was the manager about it, and he replied,
" Would you rather smell curry"... and proceeded to argue with me and talk really rudely accusing me of being some customer from the US who complained about them recently. I was shocked!
There is a reason there are signs in offices etc. to not use perfumes/ fragrances... people have allergies. And YES - give me the smell of curry any day!!
I walked out and ate at Sunrise Pizza instead... so nice and cosy!! The food at Palki may be good, but there are tons of amazing restaurants, that really pay attention to service. I will never go back to Palki. I do wish them well and hope they retrain staff.
To date, in all my years, this is the first place I have walked out of. -
Review from Isabelle G.
Vancouver, BC
9/26/2011
When you claim that you have the best Indian restaurant, one whom has the culinary pallet such as I was intrigued to see if they were able to match their so called claims. I've had a lot of Indian food both outside and in my own home, however, rarely are restaurants worthy of the title of "The Best". The vegetable curries are awesome, however, they're not the best in the world. I've had the best Indian food and sadly this place doesn't compare. Don't get me wrong, it still has some awesome merits and satisfies the tooth, however, don't make a claim that you can't live up to.
The atmosphere is really really nice. It is nicely decorated and dark. The bathroom for an Indian restaurant was also nice.
The service seemed impersonal and like the review before, it seemed a bit "strange." He seemed more interested in doing other things that being a good sociable server. He did all the things right, however, went through the motions, however, didn't go through the emotions.
The guy that I am dating and I went for their Lunch Special which was reasonably priced for $10, however, the menu prices although standard pricing seemed decent, the portions that were being served were too little for the prices that they demanded for the price. -
Review from Aimée S.
Vancouver, BC
5/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
Had two dishes; one lamb with spinach and one with four veggies in a cashew sauce. The lamb was very tasty and tender even though it was also slightly dry. The cashew sauce was not so much to my taste, but I think I just don't like cashew sauce; my date was very impressed by it. The veggies were perfectly done: firm and flavourful.
They must have read the earlier review that complained about the service because they were fairly attentive throughout the meal. I did have to stare the waiter down (as he chatted with the host) for a chance to order an extra dish and to get the bill, bit not for so very long. -
Review from Jacob K.
5/23/2011
For those looking for the sweet taste of India, then look no further than Palki. What it lacks in selection, it makes up in quality. Most Indian buffets offer far too many choices for the customer to effectively appreciate just how full of life Indian food really is. This is not a concern at Palki.
The food tastes fresh, as if just made. The staff confirmed that the menu changes, which means that I can come back and explore the variety that Palki has to offer. The dishes are of traditional Indian variety.
The decor is very classy, which makes it a great location for a first or second date. Coupled with the funky vibe that is the Drive, makes it a great place to go for a deal. -
Review from Bart E.
Vancouver, BC
10/24/2011
Delicious food with unique naan choices made this a very enjoyable experience. A good mix of traditional Indian cuisine and some distinctive dishes. Limited wine list. Ambiance is warm and food arrived quickly. Good value for money.
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Review from Danielle M.
Vancouver, BC
Yay! Absolutely delicious and authentic Indian food on The Drive.
This is a tough space to fill (Old Lime, Rime...) and I hope Palki can withstand the fickle nature of the restaurant biz.
The menu is clear and simple with ample dishes consisting of traditional preparations. Tandoori, biryani, vegetarian etc. All straightforward in their description but incredible in execution.
My date and I sampled the chicken tikka masala and a vegetable biryani - both outstanding.
Give this place a shot. It's worth your rupees. -
Review from Emily S.
Vancouver, BC
11/5/2010
Came here for the lunch buffet for $10. First impression - the place was very clean and spacious. There's a cool table in the middle of the room that seats 4 people on 2 couches.
At the buffet, they had about 7 main dishes and about 3 different kind of salads. Lots of naan was brought to the table, but it tasted more like a croissant than the dough-y naan that I'm used to. And be prepared for the questioning. We had to get up and ask (every instance) for the table to be cleaned, more plates, water, and a refill of the long-empty water glass. Everything was brought immediately after asking and with a smile, but this kind of service is exhausting to me.
The food wasn't what I'm used to, it doesn't mean it's bad, it just wasn't the flavor I was looking for. -
Review from Marc I.
Vancouver, BC
11/3/2011
Been here a couple of times and the food has been great every time. Service is very professional and the polite. They are bought everything on the menu and when we asked questions about the menu they were quick to answer. Food came out quickly on a packed Saturday night and we didn't have to call the waitress over for refills of water. The restaurant had a great ambiance and decor, most Indian restaurants are so boring and bland. Also, had a huge selection on different wines (both red and white) to compliment the food. This is the best Indian Food in town, unlike Vijays who over prices his food. Try it out and I guarantee you will love it.
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Review from Nathan D.
Vancouver, BC
5/9/2011
I would highly recommend to anyone looking for higher quality north Indian food. Love their curry!!!
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Review from Steff K.
Vancouver, BC
5/2/2011
Lovely, contemporary atmosphere on Commercial Drive. Super fresh and always flavourful. They make so many yummy dishes, but personal faves of mine are their Butter Chicken- very tasty, Dal-nice and creamy, and all their desserts! They make all their desserts fresh on location and have passionate chefs in the kitchen, which your taste buds will thank you for. :-)
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Review from Isabel P.
Vancouver, BC
3/17/2011
Great food! This place is a little gem that a lot of people have yet to discover. The food is great and the food presentation is great too.
