Reviews

ZAGAT SURVEY 2003

"Heaven for your taste buds" according to fans who say it rises "above the usual humdrum routine" with its "spicy, flavorful and delicious bargain fare" and "lovely hosts" who make sure there's "rarely a wait".

ZAGAT SURVEY 1999

"What a find" exclaims fans of this "small but crowded" Montclair Indian restaurant where "they treat you like family", count on "good variety", "subtle flavors", "very courteous service" and "enough food to take home". Excellent food -Zagat Survey 1999.

"Top 10 New Jersey restaurant for best buy" -Zagat Survey 1999

"In an area brimming with Indian restaurants, Montclair's Taj Palace shines like a culinary Star of India. To its faithful clientele, many of whom have been frequenting this popular eating place since its opening 14 years ago, the reasons are obvious."

"It's the quality and freshness of its food and the excellence of its preparation, combined with the service and ambiance, that make eating here memorable."

"Every dish that came to our table was an example of Indian cuisine at its very best."

"The chutneys are perfect accompaniments for the heavenly Indian breads on the menu, particularly the puffy, hot naan, a traditional tear-drop-shaped bread, or the alopratha, stuffed with mildly spiced potatoes."

"The chicken is fork-tender, with a heavenly taste. For only $9.95, the dish is simple, elegant and perfect.  Seafood lovers will love the Shrimp Dansik at $14.95, and cooked with lentils."

"From eggplant dishes to lentil specialties and a fragrant vegetable biryani, there's lots to fill the vegetarian palate here."

"Taj Palace is a cozy little place... and the aroma of exotic spices perfume the room."

"...it demonstrated the genius of Indian cooking: a marriage of complex textures and tastes that complement, without overshadowing, one another."

"... our meals were equally delicious."

"Wonderful!"

"Standouts include the special appetizer, masala dosa ($6.45), a thin crisp crepe-like pastry filled with a potato-pea mixture; sag panir ($7.95), a blend of spinach and homemade cheese, and the dal special ($7.95), lentils in butter with tomatoes and onions."

"Don't leave without trying the mango lassi ($1.95), a delightful blend of yogurt, mango and rosewater; or the rice pudding ($2.45), a generous serving of smooth, creamy sweetness punctuated with pearls of chopped nuts and soft grains of rice. This dish turned two rice-pudding foes into pudding fans."

"...an ethnic restaurant with an air of gracious authenticity is a rare and valuable find.  One such gem is Taj Palace, an Indian restaurant just up the hill from Montclair's main shopping district."

"The Taj Palace boasts a faithful and hardy following."

"One especially tantalizing selection is Chicken Tikka ($9.95). This dish, made up of pieces of roasted chicken topped with slices of onion and lemon, arrives at your table on a sizzling platter."

"Despite the royal tag, the Taj Palace doesn't aim to impress its patrons with exotic names or high prices. The menu offers a wide selection of generous chicken, lamb, beef, fish, and vegetarian entrees, all explicitly describe and reasonably priced from $7.95 to $13.95."

"Inside, the décor is smart and subdued: peach table lines, crimson cloth napkins, brass accents, and tasteful eastern wall hangings."

"This unassuming Indian restaurant serves absolutely terrific food. The cooking is lusty and delicate, heady and light. Taj Palace is the best Indian restaurant I've visited so far in New Jersey. And except for a prudent caution regarding the fieriest spices, it's the equal of highly touted competitors in New York."

"...this Montclair restaurant is worth a special pilgrammage".

"Service is swift, adroit, and immensely attentive."

"But the food is sensational. It's bracingly fresh, brilliantly seasoned and artfully prepared. The multitude of flavors, textures and temperatures play a counterpoint on the palate as piquant as sitar and drum."

"Incidentally, the kitchen employs no additives, and prices are wonderfully low."

"The best plan is to bring along a group of friends and graze one's way through an entire garden of delights."

"...the ingredients are exceptional and the cooking hand-crafted. Spices are combined with a jeweler's touch. At this restaurant the swirl of cumin, garlic, cardamom and ginger enhances a basic excellence, rather than masking routine ingredients."

"The meal comes to a palate-cleansing end with a complimentary dash of fennel and coconut."

"Taj Palace should satisfy both old-timers and newcomers to this rousing cuisine."

"A few meals at Taj Palace could have the same effect on even the most timid taste buds. A visit here is like an exotic vacation. And, as fall turns to winter, it's the most delicious form of central heating that I know."

Return to Taj Palace Homepage