Essence Of India - Garibaldi Highlands

We loved Essence of India before we got vegan and we still do. Many of the dishes can be made vegan, some are naturally vegan. The staff is very accommodating and helpful in finding options. We love the pakora, the aloo gobi and the ghana masala. Sure, the options are limited to vegans, but the dishes that are made vegan or can be delicious from this world.

Our love for Essence of India remains strong even after transitioning to a vegan diet. Many of their dishes can be modified to be vegan, and some are already vegan-friendly. The staff is incredibly accommodating and helpful in suggesting options. Our favorites include the pakora, aloo gobi, and ghana masala. While the vegan choices may be limited, the flavors of the dishes that are available are truly exceptional.

The food at this restaurant was surprisingly fantastic! I hope to have the opportunity to dine there again in the future.

We visited this restaurant on a Monday evening after facing a wait in the restaurant down the block. The service was a little slow at first, but the server was very good when she got to us. She asked how spicy we wanted the food (butter chicken and lamb vindaloo) and when I said not, for the lamb, the kitchen took me seriously to the point I wished I'd asked for mild. It was absolutely delicious none the less with flakey buttery naan and very tasty rice. We had a mango lassi, for him, and salty lassi for me. I hadn't had a salty lassi since being in India. The food was better than some that I had in India.I would definitely recommend this restaurant.

We went to have a very late lunch so there was just one other table. We ordered the chicken tikka appetizer and it came out and was actually very unconventional Indian. It has onions and peppers grilled on the skillet. It was very good just different plus it was a big portion. We then shared the butter chicken and it was one of the best butter chicken I have had. It was not oily at all which I really liked. This is a must eat spot.