- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Coffee & Tea |
- All
Saravanaa Bhavan
Categories: Restaurants Vegetarian Restaurants Indian Vegetarian, Indian [Edit]
1571 Sandhurst CirScarborough, ON M1V 1V2
Neighbourhood: Scarborough
(416) 293-7755
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11:30 am - 10 pm
Sat-Sun 10 am - 10 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
17 reviews for Saravanaa Bhavan
17 reviews in English
-
Review from Adhish V.
Toronto, ON
2/11/2012
This is one of my favourite places for dosa in Toronto mostly because of their lunch buffet which is great value for money. Though now that I think about it the food - especially the dosa in the buffet isn't all that great. It's really important to have a dosa crisp and straight off the pan which isn't always possible in buffet. Maybe they should have a dosa station llike an omlette station instead which would not only add to the experience but would also ensure that everyone gets fresh dosas. What the buffet does have though is hot puris that do not suffer as much as the dosas from being collected before being brought out and good south Indian food. I'm not the biggest fan of vegetarian cuisine but I wouldn't mind eating here from time to time. Not the biggest fan of their property to be honest which is a bit depressing. The mall that they're located in is just the same so i guess it can't be helped. The service though is great and the staff is really very helpful. So there you have it - not the best dosa in Toronto, but certainly good value for people in the east end of the city.
-
Review from Nav T.
Toronto, ON
3/5/2012
I can't believe I forgot to write a review for this place earlier. I really disliked a lot of things (service, taste, food quality, cleanliness etc). I think I may be a little harsh with the one star, but I have eaten at Saravanaa Bhavan in a lot of places, and expected the same food, but was so severely disappointed.
Tried the lunch buffet - food had no flavour, half the time the buffet was empty, they forgot half the things we ordered off the menu. It was crowded and dirty. I really can go on. But the most disappointing thing for me is the food itself. I dragged my family all the way since I am ususally such a big fan of the Saravanaa Bhavan restaurants, and was so embarassed.
Recently, I went to the one at Lexington in New York City, and remembvered why I love the food at Saravanaa Bhavan so much, and hate the food at this location. The NY location is clean and nice, and the food is DELICIOUS, fresh and good quality - all the things lacking at this location.
I can't believe people have rated it anything above 2 stars. This place is a shame to Indian food, Saravanaa Bhavan and south Indian food in particular. -
Review from Cherry M.
9/29/2011
Overall
* Came with a friend this week and thought it was just OK.
* I'd stop by again if I was nearby, but I wouldn't take another $30 cab ride to get here.
Food
* Paper masala dosa (for me) -- I love love love dosas and although I nearly finished it, I thought it was just really oily. I have had better.
* Thali (for my friend) -- He said it was good but was also unimpressed because the restaurant did not allow any substitutions.
Service
* Not very attentive. I asked for hot water at the beginning of dinner and only received it after I had finished my meal.
* However, they were kind enough to call us a cab. :)
Ambiance
* In a strip mall. Clean but nothing fancy.
* A corner of the restaurant had a sink to wash your hands. Convenient. -
Review from Elise R.
Pickering, ON
4/12/2011 4 Check-ins Here
Be prepared to eat with your hands! They have cutlery if you want, but the traditionalists eat with their hands! =)
I am not an expert when it comes to South Indian Cuisine, but they have made me a lover of the food. So that has to say something.
The Good:
1 - Vegetarian - so as a vegetarian I don't have to look through the menu for what I can and can't eat.
2 - The buffet is great, especially as a new person to the cuisine, it allowed me to try the different foods.
3 - There are two hand washing stations.
4 - There is plenty of parking.
5 - They have paan. This is not something I enjoy, but for those who grew up with this stuff, it is nice to know where you can get it. For those who are new to this cuisine, I wouldn't recommend this. It is the stuff wrapped in a leaf when you go out to pay and it costs $1.
6 - It is cheap! I don't recall the exact price, but around $10 for a buffet.
7 - I love getting the candy coated fennel seeds on my way out!
The Not So Good:
1 - Sometimes you have to wait a bit to get the dosas or puri, especially if they are busy.
2 - The idlis are not available with the buffet. They are at the Vancouver location, but not here.
For the Newbies like me, I would stick to either the dosas, idlis or the thali.
Give this place a try if you are looking for something different. For those that don't know, South Indian food is very different from the indian food you get at most restaurants.Listed in: Pure Veg...
-
Review from Pradeep J.
4/18/2011
4/18/2011 Visiting from US
Let me start by mentioning that the food was definitely good (& delightful to my sons taste buds) but for someone who has tried many a Saravana's in India, US & Canada (Mississauga) I feel they should do better. The waiter for one looked tired when we entered at 3pm today. May be he had to wind up all the buffet set up as the restaurant doesn't close in the afternoon (which was actually a blessing in disguise for us). Secondly, some items in the menu, esp. sweets were discontinued but still appeared in the menu (Badam Halwa). Third, the sambar in all Saravnas (US & Canada) seem to be always cold (I ain't generalizing but you may dis-agree).
The medhu vada and idly combo was fresh, so was dosa & mini ghee idly's. Saravana Spl meal (lunch) was so-so.
Overall, I would rate it between 3.5 - 4 for the $$ you pay. I'll re-visit after 3 months to see if they are doing any better. -
Review from Jenn G.
Scarborough, ON
10/7/2010
I was a regular here a while ago...
Their food is close to perfect, not too spicy and everything is vegetarian
YUM
My fav is the mutter paneer with plain naan along side a glass of mango lassi
however, service here is not my fav
i really have a problem when men waiters in particular are always nice to my (now)-ex because they think he's always paying (so they suck up to him -if that's the right wording) and most of the time ignore me, yet when they find out i'm paying, all of a sudden they treat me ever-so-kindly
*rolls eyes*
eventually, i stopped going as much as I used to because I got annoyed when that happened..
I'm probably going to go there on the weekend w/my friend and HOPEFULLY service improved...I'll be sure to give another update
***NOTE: AFTER 6pm (i believe), is when they bring out the mouth watering TANDOORI MENU and the portions are pretty big and filling
and
remember, they serve the special weekend & holiday lunch buffet between 12pm-3pm
and the smaller weekend buffet from 10am-12noon
and the weekday buffet from 11:30am-3pm. -
Review from Vikas I.
Pickering, ON
9/6/2010 5 Check-ins Here
An authentic Vegetarian South Indian Restaurant.
There were no fleas, fruit flies and my food was served hot and didn't appear to be re-heated from the day before (Just wanted to clear that up before I started my review)
If you have ever been to a South Indian restaurant in India you would love this place, because they have everything setup just like you are in South India, they have a hand wash station (Yes people still eat with their hands in South India, and a few do in this restaurant, if it bothers you then I suggest you do not go here).
The food is authentic and is priced right, there are tons of Vegan options, this is a vegetarian restaurant, so if you are vegetarian you don't have to worry about anything just order anything from the menu.
There is plenty of space to sit and lots of parking in the mall's parking lot. The place can get busy on weekends. If you have never had south Indian food before I would highly recommend you try the Masala Dosa as your first dish.
Everything here is served in stainless steel dishes, (if you were in South India it would be on Banana leaves, seeing as we won't have Banana trees in Toronto anytime soon, Stainless steel will suffice)
Service is mediocre, if you want something after you've already ordered and received your food it can be a challenge to get the server's attention depending on how busy the place is.
Try something new and different and you will not be disappointed. Meat and potato lovers stay away, this is not a place for you.Listed in: Indian Restaurants in Toronto
-
Review from Jennifer K.
Markham, ON
12/14/2010 9 photos
I think is me.. I am not impressed at all with Sarvanaa Bhavan's lunch buffet. ($9.99)
The food is quite good.. and the spiciness level is excellent.. my friend was like eating them and have runny nose and tears in her eyes..! :P
The waiters always around and bring freshly made dosa and bread from the kitchen.
I think I rather coming for a la carte instead for dinner, because the food in the buffet area I found them lukewarm.. especially when outside is freezing cold... and you really want your food HOT, not just spicy hot!
There is an area on the side that has sink to wash your hands before and after your meal.. that's a good idea but it really gross me out when I can hear people rinsing their mouth and making disgusting noises right when I am eating my food! -0.5 star -
Review from Maritza L.
Scarborough, ON
10/29/2011
Vegetarian only. I've been to their buffet, great selection with friendly staff. But I found it very very greasy!
-
Review from Min Min T.
Scarborough, ON
11/17/2009 ROTD 1/18/2010
About ten years ago, I had an appalling first encounter with south Indian cuisine. I'd become so terribly biased and favoured only northern cuisine that, although I can cook from scratch dhal, bhindi masala and aloo ghobi, I didn't dare put a dosa to my lips. Only after reading reviews by other Yelpers have I finally decide to give it south Indian cuisine a second chance.
I finally ventured here to grab takeout, the mini tiffin set ($8.50) for lunch one afternoon. It included a masala dosa stuffed with lightly curried potatoes, rava kichadi, sambar and idlies. I had no idea what I was eating until I came home and did some research on the internet, but the whole time I said to my mom aloud, "I don't know what I'm eating, but it's really good!"
The dosa here are crafted, not just made, and you can sense the care that the chefs here put into their work. The sambar was absolutely outstanding and something I crave to have again.
Definitely bringing a crowd back to sample the buffet!Listed in: Herbivore Heaven, Scarborough Hangouts
-
Review from Helen L.
Toronto, ON
9/4/2009 3 photos
A friend of mine recently became a Pescetarian and recommended Saravanaa Bhavan for Vegetarian fare so we went to check it out. It was a weeknight so the restaurant wasn't busy at all.
Saravanaa Bhavan is a vegetarian South Indian restaurant. They do lunch, dinner and even caters (Dosa party, anyone?).
To start, we decided to get the Idly & Vada combo appetizer. Idly is a fluffy white cake and Vada is a lentil donut. They were both good but I really liked Vada and will probably just get that next time.
For our meal, we decided to get a Masala Dosa and a Saravanaa Special Meal. The Masala Dosa is a paper thin crepe stuffed with potato and onions and it came with 3 chutneys (tomato, mint and coconut) as well as a lentil soup on the side. The chutneys and soup is the same as the ones that came with our Idly & Vada combo appetizer. Saravanaa Special Meal is much more complex. It has a small portion of probably everything on the menu so we were able to experience all kinds of different flavors.
Overall, it was a good first visit to the restaurant. We've only tried Dosa one other time in San Francisco but the tastes between the two restauarants are very close and I believe both are authentic South Indian food. -
Review from A.J. S.
1/15/2010
Food - The food at this restaurant is usually pretty decent. While I was here last time I had the Kedu Vada, Idly, and a Dosa. Which was all pretty good, pretty standard fair for South Indian food.
Service - The service here is hit or miss at best. The last time I was here, I ordered a coffee, they charged me for it, but didn't actually give me the coffee, and the manager didn't really seem to care. He gave the most perfunctory apology I have ever seen for such a screw up, he even implied that I was lying, and asked me if I was "sure" I didn't get a coffee. I mean seriously? The manager of this restaurant, called me a liar.
Appearance - The restaurant was pretty messy, none of the tables were cleaned up, there was a mess everywhere, and the servers were pretty much standing around, while one guy did everything, and this is pretty common.
In conclusion, the food is good here, everything else, lacks. -
Review from Roma M.
1/28/2010
I'm quite familiar with South Indian food, and the Saravanaa chain in general. I used to frequent the Richmond Hill location, like Ariel G., and was sorely disappointed when it closed down.
This location is pretty clean, well-maintained and very well staffed. I usually get excellent service, and I've seen the waiter return frequently to check up on the customers.
What gets me going East to this location is their Rava Kesari (dessert) it's heaven-sent and probably loaded up with clarified butter. Nevertheless, I'll eat it till the end of time.
I've tried the lunch buffet($9-11) and I've been here for dinner. Both options are just fine, but I tend to prefer a la carte. The Special meal is an assortment of items on a plate, and it's a good way to give everything a sample if you're not familiar with the cuisine. The Chana Bhatura($8) is a North Indian addition to the menu, but what I loved was how round and fluffy the flatbread is as it comes to your table.
The Masala Dosa is a classic dish and Saravanaa really knows how to dish it up, and for those concerned it's gluten-free as it's made of ground lentils and stuffed with spiced potatoes.
If you're spice-averse, I'd probably recommend ordering off the menu, since I tend to find the buffet a little heartburn inducing on an empty stomach.Listed in: Indian Food, Gluten-Free
-
Review from Ariel G.
5/26/2009
Accidentally came across this restaurant at their previous location in Richmond Hill. At the time we knew that Indian vegetarian food was interesting but I was not prepared to have my foodie's anti-vegetarian bias annihilated.
At lunch they feature a modest but varied and plentiful buffet, while at supper the fare is a la carte.
The dosas are amazing. These thin rice crepes and their wonderful fillings are a meal in themselves. Their Lentil Soup (Sambar), is a joy to consume.
You will taste spice and spice combinations that I have rarely come across, and even the meat eaters will leave satisfied.
This place was a real eye opener for me, and we have returned several times, although we miss the location in Richmond Hill. -
Review from Naureen H.
3/1/2010
Ohh the weekend lunch buffet...for a mere $10.99 plus drinks you get the most amazing buffet of south indian veg. items.......dosas, kothu, vada, chutneys, curries, vegetables, papads, puris, rice, halwas, dessert etc.
During your meal they keep coming around with the fresh dosas and puris and everything else is self serve.....sooo good! The buffet is from 11-3pm and is constantly being replenished.
The restaurant is clean and well staffed and has plenty of seating. You must get their sweet lassi with your meal and the masala chai to top it off.
I know its in Scar. so its hella far from everywhere, but hey, add a hindi film from the theater next door and you have a wonderful weekend afternoon! -
Review from Stephen C.
Scarborough, ON
Updated - 7/13/2010
Fleas, fruit flies, fleas, fruit flies,fleas...
more fleas than the flea market were flying everywhere...
I tried moving tables and seats, but they were everywhere.
The food was only luke warm, and clearly sitting in a pot for days and just dished out when ordered.1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
4/22/2010
I've been eatten here twice. Both times I had fruit flies buzzing everywhere around me.
I think… Read more »
-
-
Review from Arun P.
Toronto, ON
I love the weekend morning buffet here... you get to taste almost all of the South Indian breakfast dishes, like idli, dosa, vada, sambar, pongal, poori etc.
