Curry Leaf Indian Restaurant
2510 E Grant rd,Ste 100, Tucson, AZ, 85716
Curry Leaf Indian Restaurant Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Tucson for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Tucson for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Tucson for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
2510 E Grant rd,Ste 100
Tucson, AZ, 85716 - Phone (520) 881-2786
- Website https://www.curryleaftucson.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
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Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : No
Dogs Allowed : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
Categories
India is the birth place of Chicken Tikka Masala and Curries. Indian foods are prepared with a blend of finely mixed spices quite popular across the region. The spices develop the rich taste in Indian food enough to boggle your mind. The ever-increasing fan base of Indian food around the New York city is steadily increasing because of the large number of Indians who traveled to the land of dreams. The Indians also brought their very own vibrant, colorful, and aromatic authentic dishes for the people in the West. While most of the Indian population is Vegetarian, Indian food is great for people who are looking for vegan or vegetarian food option. If you are a Meat lover, don't get disappointed yet. Indian food also boasts of some popular non-vegetarian dishes too. Few examples are the famous Butter Chicken, Mutton Biryani and Tandoori Chicken are enough to satisfy your taste buds.
Indian food has gained reputation all over the world especially in the United States. You can find many places serving the appetizing Indian food across all major cities in the US. India is a diverse country with different food culture originated from different parts of the country. While the Northern region boasts tandoori dishes and korma offering royal taste, the Western Ghats offers sea foods that is made in naturally sweet tender coconut milk. The South Indian food servers a quality of different dishes made from rice accompanied with spicy chutneys, curries and famous sambhar. Also, the Indian sweets are a delight to relish. If you ever want to have a burst of sugar syrup in mouth, don't forget to try few Bengali Sweets. Be it spicy, tangy, or sweet flavor, you can find everything in the Indian cuisine. Be assured that the melody of spices will surely bring delight to you.
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Daniel W.
Every time I go in, the place is either empty or nearly empty. That's too bad because the food is pretty good! I'll be going back frequently.
(5)Corinne T.
Terrible. The papadam tasted like French fries. The rice was overcooked short grain. Chana masala not as bad but not very good.
(1)Misha L.
My husband and I tried Curry Leaf for the first time today. Great food and excellent service. We had the chicken tikka masala and masala dosa - both excellent! We will definitely be back again.
(5)Chris M.
I'm pretty new to Indian cuisine--only other time having it was in Kuwait--so keep that in mind as I go on to rave about this place. While currently located in a small town, my buddy and I find ourselves wanting more diverse and unique food options. Good Indian food was brought up in conversation. Thus, our journey begins. We do research on Tucson's Indian food offerings and The Curry Leaf was the first round pick. An hour and a half drive later, we find ourselves in this quaint little restaurant. I like the vibe. Smaller places like these have me thinking that it's all about the food; not the show. Our waitress assures us that we'll enjoy their food after we inform her that it's our first time here. We're off to a good start. We want to make this trip count, so we order quite a bit. To start, we go with garlic naan and paneer pakora. The naan was garlicky, warm, and delicious. Finding garlic cloves within the dough was a pleasant touch. The paneer pakora reminded me of a McNugget substituted with tofu--a tofu nugget, if you will. I don't know how, but it worked. The green chili(?)-based dipping sauce was awesome. I decide on the shrimp tikka masala for my main dish. I regret nothing--it was fantastic. The kind waiter/host asked me how spicy I wanted it beforehand. Due to my indecisiveness, I respond with a simple "spicy." And that's just how it came. It contained a good amount of spice that had my sinuses open, but no sweating and/or begging for more water. This spicy and somewhat sweet dish went very well with the basmati rice it came with. It almost reminds me of the Japanese-style curry dishes I've had while in Korea. You know you're enjoying your food when it brings back fond memories. My friend enjoys the food so much that he orders another entree for dessert! The man can definitely eat. I decide to split an order of gulab jamoon and kheer with the other buddy. Again, I'm new to this stuff. It was pretty damn good. If I had to compare the gulab jamoon to anything, I'd say it's like a donut hole swimming in simple syrup. It works. The kheer was the more complex of the two desserts. I enjoyed every bit of it. This chilled rice, milk, cashew, and raisin dish was much like homemade bread pudding I've had. Needed to google "cardamom," which this ginger-like spice brought the delightful complexity to it. Our adventure ends and it's time to pay the cashier. I feel a subtle warmth in my gut. "Ooh, this feels kinda nice." As we take turns paying, the chef enters the dining area and asks if we enjoyed the food. She appreciates our enthusiasm for her cooking and tells us to come back again. We definitely will. Great food and great service from a friendly staff. I think Indian cuisine found a special place in my heart. Now, should I venture out and see what others can offer? Is that even possible? I just might be stuck here for a while.
(5)Giselle O.
The worst Indian restaurant I been too!! I am from the Bay Area and know what good Indian food is. The tika masala was very watery and the naan was burned!
(1)Arun P.
Excellent food. I love the south Indian food here and every time I visit Tucson I have to stop in to have my fix. The pokoras are also very good and not to oily. All in all it's a great place and I would definitely recommend to those who want to try Indian food that is not like the rest.
(5)Melinda P.
This place is around the corner from me so I WANT to like it. I don't. The first time I went, I had some kind of Groupon or Living Social discount. I took my son & his girlfriend, my daughter and my father - it was a special family evening out. The service was uncomfortable. They sat us at a table for 4 and it was too small. The owner sat at a table near the back and stared at us throughout our meal, the waitress seemed very uncomfortable. The dishes were unmemorable, portions were small but we still didn't finish our food, and did not take the leftovers. Then the owner told us that if we wanted the discount it would come out of the waitress's pay!!!! Yes, he said that! We paid the bill in full and chalked it up to a language difference, and I called the originator of the coupon and told them what happened, and forgot about it. About a year later my father wasn't feeling well and asked for some soup. That was the closest place so I ran over there. I got a cup of some kind of soup, can't remember anything except it was $7 for a tiny portion, and I had to wait almost 30 minutes. Okay I WANT to like this place, so my daughter tried it one more time. IT WAS NOT GOOD. Again the owner sat and stared at us. There is no music so our dinner conversation was whispered - each time I've been there, there's only one or two other tables being served. Also at night it's too dark to see your food. And again, way overpriced. Even though it's 2 blocks away I'd rather drive a few miles to Gandhi of India or even our favorite "fast Indian food", Kababeque by the UA. Both have generous portions for reasonable prices.
(1)Kelsy B.
My boyfriend and I decided to try this quaint little Indian restaurant and it was overall an enjoyable experience. The staff was friendly and helpful as we looked over the menu and the atmosphere was subdued and relaxing. I ended up going with the lamb saag which was tasty but not out of this world delicious. Maybe if I would have asked for it to be a bit spicier it would have hit that mark. My boyfriend chose the chicken tikka masala and it was nice and creamy but lacked some complexity, again probably relating to the fact we went with the more mild version. We'll know better for our next visit! The mango lassi was a sweet and creamy treat; a great way to end the meal. As I said before an overall enjoyable experience and we look forward to trying it again.
(3)soho m.
I chose this place to dine with a friend when spending a night in Tucson (LOVE the landscape here). I hope this little restaurant was having an off day b/c we had a bad experience. The food was under cooked. Found a hair in dish. The worst part as the hostess/waitress who was indifferent and borderline rude from the get go. And they were barely busy so not sure what the deal was. Basically paid $40 for mediocre food & unpleasant experience.
(2)Michael G.
Seriously, Tucson, start making the right restaurants popular (and start eating here more). You do have good food in town, but the mediocre joints are the ones you so often patronize. *OK, brush that chip off my shoulder* Sorry. And on with the review... I can't believe it took me so long to try Curry Leaf. I've eaten here twice now and the food has been excellent. Good samosas, good distinct curries, good naan. They have a whole section of dosas I haven't tried yet. The ingredients are treated with respect. The preparation is light and healthy, the way Indian food should be. Not the heavy, greasy preparations found at the NY style Indian places in town. It's hard to believe people have gotten bad naan here, but every restaurant sends out bad food sometimes, so I'll believe those reviewers. However, both naans I've gotten here were perfect. Crispy bits on the outside, fully-cooked but steamy and pliant on the inside. The garlic naan had a hint of fennel that made it beautifully balanced. That sense of spice, coupled with the lightness of the preparations makes me suspect ayurvedic techniques at play, but that's a bit more than I understand about Indian cuisine. That quality and level of thought in the food makes the smaller portions/higher prices thing well worth it; you actually feel good after eating here. That said, the gulab jamon was second, or even third rate. Hard and dense in an uninteresting syrup, but truth be told, I've only once in my life had this dessert at a restaurant and thought it was better than second rate. So getting that dish right is a bonus, not a necessity, in my book. Missing one star because of the dessert, and I'd like to see a few other dishes on the menu, but maybe I'm being unfair on both counts. This might go to five after a couple more meals.
(4)Leah B.
After dining here, my search for "my" indian restaurant continues ... I was impressed that they offer both north and south cuisine, so we tried one of each. The masala dosa was average, a huge portion, which is typical. Yet what was offered in size, lacked in flavor. It was served with two dipping sauces, the peanut one being very thick and odd. I was pretty disappointed with the chicken tikka masala. The sauce reminded me of something jarred, rather than home made. The chicken was all evenly cubbed, yet was quite dry. On a positive note, beers start at $2.50, rice comes with entrees and the naan was good.
(3)Terrence H.
Haven't had Indian food since moving to Tucson. Thought we would try this place. I drive by it all the time. The reviews are good. It was the worst Indian meal I have ever had. The palak paneer was especially disgusted. The garlic naan was dry and flaky. I don't remember the last time I left garlic naan on the table. I would add that the ambiance was really odd. The servers were really annoying in a bubbly airhead sort of way. When our server asked how the food, we told her it wasn't very good. She giggled and ignored our experience. Okay. We hold this isn't the best Indian food Tucson has to offer. Gross. This is a response to the owner's response to my review posted on 11/22/2014. So it took the owner 7 months to TROLL my honest review of the worst Indian dining experience that we have ever had. This suggests two things. First, the owner doesn't care enough to check public reviews of his restaurant. Second, the owner has no idea how to respond to public criticism. Here's a hint: trolling is not the answer. Ultimate Conclusion: Loser behavior from a loser restaurant.
(1)Christina K.
Let me start by saying that I moved here from a city that had almost as many indian restaurants as american, so I realize I'm polarized for having that luxury. I ordered for two to-go. I ordered spicy (~7-8/10) madras curry and my boyfriend ordered spicy korma (also 8/10), and they were honestly really underwhelming. We asked the waitress what she thought of the spice scale and she said to her, something incredibly spicy would be a 9, so we thought we'd go just slightly below that to make sure we were on the same page. First, neither of them were even remotely spicy. I realize spice is a little objective, but if someone asks for a 7 or 8 out of 10, I expect to at least need a glass of something cool to drink. The actual spices in the dish were right, but the portions of them were wrong. There are many kinds of korma, some creamy, some less sweet, I've tried a lot. This didn't really taste much like any korma that I've ever had, the anise was more overbearing than other flavors so it lacked a lot of depth that kormas usually have. The Madras curry was honestly all right, but nothing special. I wouldn't order it again. Additionally, the portions were seriously disappointing. For $40, we ordered two entrees (with rice), peshwari naan and kheer, but when we got it, there were maybe a total of 7 bites of the entrees (each), three bites of the kheer and the naan was one piece cut into halves. For the price, that feels a little unreasonable. Unfortunately, I wasn't impressed enough to go back.
(2)Hassan A.
In Tucson and want to try something new and light? Dosas at Curry Leaf are a good option. I've been there twice and here are my three pointers about this restaurant: 1. The dosas are freshly made and they are really really good. My fave: Mysore Masala Dosa for its amazing flavor and aroma. The sauce it is served with is decent as well. 2. It can take a good 25-30 mins for food to be served. I mention that because unfortunately, serving time can make or break a persons experience. The folks who do serve are the nicest though. 3. They're closed on Sundays! I wish this wasn't true but it is what it is. Sigh.
(3)Wendy T.
Really good! Satisfied my craving. I just wish it was more affordable. Good quantity, good quality .. just a tad pricey.
(4)Tony K.
Had lunch here yesterday--Aloo Gogi Thali-style $7.99. What an incredible plate of food. There were at least 9 different items on my tray including an awesome, non-greasy samosa and the best naan I've ever tasted. The Aloo Gogi (potato/culiflower in curry sauce) was good especially when combined with the rice, which was a bit dry. I don't even know the names of everything that I was served, but it was full of color and very tasty. Meal, tax, and tip = $10. Best $10 lunch in Tucson IMO. I'll be back . . . with friends.
(4)Kim L.
The food was very good. The veggie samosa's were something I have never tried before, and I enjoyed. The Aloo Mutter was spiced just right, and was enjoyable. The service was mediocre. The waitress was short, but not unfriendly. The atmosphere could use a little help. I went with a friend who said the soup she had was way too spicy, and there was no offer to replace it, or take it off the bill.
(3)Ed A.
Curry Leaf offered a lunch buffet 2 or 3 years ago, but for unknown reasons, the owner stopped serving buffets. This occurred just as a local weekly gave rave reviews for their buffet! I have been HOPING they would crank it up again but so far it has not happened. Shri Punjab and Gandhi ... and places like Sneha in Santa Clara... long ago... have spoiled me. Ala carte s*cks. Great CURRIES here! And nothin' like a Madras or Bangalore version of spicy Vindaloo or a creamy, dreamy Korma! I get red as a beet when the HEAT LEVEL exceeds what is normal for human survival, but more rice.. more rice... ah! ...and a few more of those garlic naans... will bring me back down from the stratosphere. I must explain: the reason why I'm not giving this 4+ stars is because they no longer offer a buffet! I'm a big guy, I often love quantity.
(3)Sara V.
I REALLY hate to say this, especially with this being the only South Indian restaurant I'm aware of in Tucson, but I just wasn't impressed. The masala dosa was pretty good and included all the right spices, but I didn't care for the sambar that was served with it. It seemed very watery while sambar typically has a thicker consistency. I also did not enjoy the chana masala I ordered. It seemed like it was just chickpeas in tomato sauce straight from a can, no spices at all. I asked for my dish spicy, and what I ended up with was some chili powder dabbed in the middle of dish; not mixed in at all. I didn't realize it right away and thought my dish was burning hot, until I took another bite to find that it didn't contain even a trace of heat. I also found the pakora to be a bit dry. The one thing I think they really did right was hot cup of masala chai I ordered with my meal. This is a decent place to come for dosa (when I'm too lazy to cook at home), but I'd be hesitant to recommend anything beyond that.
(2)Katrina P.
I enjoyed the curry leaf very much. They could have added a little more meat to the plate but none the less it was a very good home-made tasting meal. I had the chicken tikka masala and my boyfriend had lamb vindaloo. There was a lot of flavor in both and there was a special that made it super affordable!
(4)Jr. Z.
When I feel that food is not good to me this is one place I can always find a dish that satisfies my tummy. Not to add that the service is wonderful in the cook is great at what he does thank you Papa.
(5)Charina G.
We have eaten at this establishment when it was Amrutha, and then changed to curry leaf. Have gone here a few times before and it was great, but we came here for lunch after running errands and it wasn't as good as before. Got the tadka lentil thali, and it was very mild. When i mixed the sambar with the tadka lentil (hey, they're both lentils right?), it instantly gave it flavor and a tiny bit of heat, which made it taste great. Why couldn't it taste great without me having to mix the sambar in? I think that's all I can really remember from it all. Pakora was okay, but I remember it being cold. Samosa also okay. I would have liked a little more flavor. And what gives? We didn't get any chutney with our meals like we have done in the past.
(3)Rob G.
Friendly, Delicious, reasonably priced. I arrived 20 minutes before closing time and was a bit apprehensive to be that guy, but, man, was it worth it. I've never had South Indian food before, but i had the Lamb Dosa, which was delicious: crispy and flaky on the outside but still spongey and tender on the inside. the lamb was wonderfully seasoned at a great point for my taste: spicy enough that it's "just a little too hot" but far from inedible. The Coconut chutney and the sambar were both delicious too. Both people I dealt with, the waiter and the man behind the register (Whom I assume is the owner?) were very friendly and I had 0 complaints. Will definitely be back.
(5)Marina M.
The first time I visited Curry leaf I experienced really strange service. After being moved to another table, I was asked by the waitress to fetch my own silverware from an adjacent table. And when I finished my meal, I was asked to hand all the plates myself to the waitress one by one (including the dinner plate, the naan serving bowl, the rice plate, etc)- all while the waitress just STOOD THERE. It was super weird. The table was small, so it's not like she couldn't reach. I realize that I kind of sound like an overly-entitled American ("how dare you ask me to do these menial tasks for you?!") but these are all in the waiting staff job description. I wasn't mad but slightly confused. However, the food here is great and brought me back. I prefer Saffron but Saffron is a 30-40 minute drive for me. Their chickpea dish is a favorite, as is the tikka masala. The medium heat is nice and not overpowering. I like their dinner special: 2 entrees, some yummy side-dishes (dhal and raitha sauce) and 2 desserts. All under 30, not bad. I especially like their rice pudding dessert. It rivals that of Saffron. This place is always pretty dead for dinner so I hope they are doing okay. Curry leaf no longer does the buffet many reviewers mention.
(4)Amanda B.
Overall a good meal. Had the vegetable samosa, Lamb Saag, and some Garlic Naan. The spiciness is ordered my mild, medium, spicy, very spicy. Myself and another had the spicy Saag, but hers definitely had more heat. So I am not sure about consistency. But, mine was good, and I really enjoyed the naan. The prices are average ($13.99 for lamb). They have a very limited beer/wine selection, but prices are good.$4-5 dollars.
(3)Elvia E.
LOVE this place! The food is tasty and fresh. They are the only Indian restaurant that serves Dosas! Delicious Vegan dishes. Nice and friendly service. Overall Awesome!
(5)Roland W.
The lunch specials are awesome! I took my kiddo here and ordered chicken masala. The server asked me how I wanted it, and I replied hot, and that I would be sharing it with the munchkin. He expressed concern that it would be too spicy for him, so I decided to downgrade to medium. Now, a lot of times Indian restaurants 'hot' isn't really that spicy. I've got to say though, their medium was delicious with just the right amount of zing to it. The kiddo helped me devour every bite, along with the garlic naan. Dinner looks a bit pricy, but nothing outrageous. I'll definitely go back and check it out.
(4)Kristy N.
Decided to give this place a try since its near my office. I walked in and placed an order to go. I ordered chicken curry and chicken tikki masala extra spicy and told the guy "You cannot get it too spicy, we love spicy food" and he tells me that he's had customers complain before when the food is too spicy which I replied "that won't be us, we love our food hot and we eat ghost chiles" to which he replied, "okay, I will make sure it is extra spicy". It wasn't spicy at all. But that wasn't the only disappointment, it appeared that the food was taken out of the cooler and microwaved before boxing it up. I say this because the chicken curry sauce was hot but the chicken and veggies were ice cold. Not good. The chicken tikki masala seemed to be mostly heated through but lacked flavor and this is not because I was hoping for it to be more spicy, it just did not have the typical chicken tikki masala taste that I love no matter if it is mild or spicy. I also ordered some type of crepe with curried potatoes (don't remember what it was called) but it was so dry and had no flavor whatsoever that it was actually inedible. I ordered garlic naan and was the best part of the meal but I have enjoyed way better naan elsewhere. I do not recommend this place.
(1)Lindsay W.
Being new to Indian food, I was worried about trying it at a restaurant without knowing much about the food itself. My server could not have been more helpful. She answered all of my questions and explained to me what was in the dishes. I had the chicken tikka masala and it was delicious. It had just a little spice to it which I enjoyed. I had to take some to go because the portion was pretty large but it made an excellent next day lunch. I will definitely return to Curry Leaf or order to go now that I know something about the food. Thank you to the helpful waitress for taking the time to help a new and novice Indian food eater like myself.
(5)Katie H.
My boyfriend is South Indian and this is the only Indian restaurant in Tucson where he will eat. They definitely don't have an Americanized version of dishes, if you want some authentic South Indian food this is the place to go. For someone who doesn't know a lot about Indian dishes, it can be a little complicated to order as their menu is a little vague with descriptions. I've always found the service to be great however and will go out of their way to describe things to you. I brought a few friends here, and they even brought out a variety of the sauces before we ordered so they could taste them before ordering. They will also pretty much always alter dishes (sub meats, veg, make spicy etc.) to how you would like if you ask. I'd suggest trying some of the dosas and paratha if you've never had South Indian before (it's a good appetizer). It's something a little different than just the naan (which is also very good) that I haven't seen anywhere else. My boyfriend loves to get a super spicy Madras curry, and my favorite is the tikka masala or korma. The mango lassi and mango ice cream are also both delicious!
(5)Kirstin B.
This unassuming little restaurant in the corner of the half vacant strip mall is a real gem. We've driven past many times, always meaning to stop in and give it a try. Tonight we finally made it over and my husband and I left full and happy! The menu boasts many different types of curry available with different meat or vegetarian options and varying spice levels. I had the lamb makhani since I've not seen it listed at other Indian places in town. It was a creamy tomato and coconut based curry (think tomato bisque meets spicy goodness). My husband ordered the chicken curry and a side of onion naan. Both dishes were fresh, perfectly spiced, and delicious! Next time we go, it'll be difficult to forgo the makhani in order to sample the korma and saag. But, if they are on par with the makhani, I know I'll leave happy again. Check this gem out!
(4)C D.
We came here for the first time several weeks ago to appeased our cravings for Indian food. I heard they served southern Indian foods & I ordered the Vegetarian thali while my husband had the meat option - a chicken thikka thali, I think? The service was good & the waitress was nice; food was served in an appropriate time frame & they tasted fresh & full of authentic spicy flavor. This restaurant is a keeper, we will be back!
(4)Chelsey T.
So delicious! I had lunch here and was shocked at the quality (and quantity) of food for how little it cost. I got the Aloo Palak. Every part of the meal--which had maybe 7 components--was spiced differently from the rest and was delicious! I plan to be a regular.
(5)Meredith R.
I've been to India, and I'm in love with authentic, spicy, flavorful Indian cuisine. Maybe my single visit to Curry Leaf for dinner was bad timing, but I was unimpressed. Prices have increased from the menu pics here on yelp (navratan korma and paneer tikka masala were $11 each, as was a paneer dosa). Presentation was weird, as the curries came in individual-serving plates that were half rice, half curry. They had to bring extra plates so my husband and I could share properly, and we nearly devoured the first dish by the time we got the second. Before our food came out, we heard someone at another table send a dish back because they'd ordered mild and thought it was too spicy. (This boded well!) But our food was BELOW mild, even though we asked for "medium plus." It was almost bland. I asked if there was any hot sauce I could add to the food, and the waitress said no, adding "I don't know what's up with my chef tonight." Not good. Still, our dosa was delicious and authentic. It came with a sambar-like soup and a peanut chutney. The mango lassi was very good (though not chilled) and the garlic naan was fine. The overall meal was just overpriced and underwhelming. I hope my experience was an exception and not the norm.
(2)Kandarp S.
Amrutha (as it was called earlier) was still acceptable with it's amazing dessert, Rawa Sheera, and decent quality of south indian cuisines. Curry Leaf has successfully touched a new low when it comes to Indian cuisine. I have had way better Indian food in Tucson, in India and in places where Indian food is rarely a sight. To begin with, I ordered onion pakoras, which were really really bad. I would have still been okay with them, but $5 for such nasty pakoras is like daylight robbery. Then me and my friend ordered Chana masala and Dal for main course. While the Chana was still okay (below standards but acceptable considering the bar is not set very high), the dal was disgusting. It looked nasty, tasted nasty, and doesn't deserve to be called Dal at all. So we ordered two entrees, one appetizer (the quantity wasn't overwhelming to be honest) and couple of naans, and our total bill was $30! (combined) I can think of a thousand different places where I would have been more satisfied with the food for a fraction of this price. Any saving grace? The music maybe, only because I like old (around 90's) hindi songs. So if you are looking for Indian cuisine this weekend then I wouldn't suggest Curry Leaf. It isn't satisfactory for your taste buds or wallet.
(1)Jo Y.
It was terrible. We went for dinner on a Thursday night. We walked in and it was so silent you could hear a pin drop. We waited probably about 15 minutes just to get water. The place wasn't packed (only 3 or 4 tables including us) but the server was non-responsive. (In her defense, she said she'd only been there for 2 weeks... which is still 2 weeks...) The food was uniformly spicy (despite selecting "medium") and tasteless. We were all very disappointed. I still regret it.
(1)K P.
Great place! Very tasty home style indian cooking. Simple barebones decor but great food!
(4)Kevin C.
This place is awesome! My new favorite Indian restaurant. I had the lamb Korma and it was perfect cooked with all the right amount of spices. My roommates mainly ordered for our table and I forgot what they had but everything was great!
(5)Melissa J.
I travel all over the US and have hadloys of Indian food and so i ordered my favorite Tiki Masala and its Very bland. No real flavor and the garlic naan was off also. Very disappointed!
(2)Jenni L.
The Curry Leaf is a great little restaurant but for those not familiar with Indian Food it is tough to order. Short descriptions for those of us non-Indian patrons would be incredibly helpful. That being said I still really enjoyed what I had and I cannot recommend enough to order a Mango Lassi- it's a yogurt based smoothie and in case you order something a bit too spicy it will help cool your palate.
(3)Kacie G.
The food was so good that I forgot I was in Tucson for a moment. Ok, not really, but the food WAS amazing. You can't go wrong with this place.
(5)Leanne R.
This is our favorite Indian place in town and we've tried them all!!! Happily its within walking distance from us too. They have idly and sambar and amazing dosas!! The lunch thali is a great price and enough food I can share with a friend! Also, veg pakora is fabulous and made with chickpea flour so gluten free friendly! Along with Papad which is lentil flour ;)!! Yummmmyyyyy!!
(5)John N.
I arrived at Curry Leaf just after seven in the evening and was greeted by a gracious young waitress and the proprietor, Vara Prasad. Wanting to compare the samosas with those of several other Indian restaurants, I ordered those first. They came fried, very hot in temperature, but not too greasy. Their presentation was very pleasant. They were not too spicy and I will certainly go back just because of samosas. The next dish to be tried was served on a SIZZLING Plate was the Tandoori Chicken, and the small portion of four was chosen at $8.99. This was a very good choice, and the leg pieces must have come from the most tender and giant chickens in the US. These chicken legs are bone-in, marinated in yogurt, ginger and garlic, then grilled in clay, definitely the best deal for meat eaters. This portion was so large, I took enough home to feed two other people. Curry Leaf also serves lamb, vegetarian and Vegan dishes, typical of South India. All of the customers I observed seemed very happy with their orders and ate at a relaxed pace, with good attention from the service crew. I will definitely return to Curry Leaf to enjoy more samosas, as well as more of their vegetarian voices. If you like your food strongly spiced and peppery or mild, just tell the staff and that's the way your food will come. The owner, Vara, and his wife Anne are genuinely interested in pleasing their customers. No beef on the menu. Curry Leaf has Take Out Service and will do for a reasonably priced date. Closed Sundays, they are open for lunch from 11:00 to 2:00 pm, and dinner is served from five to nine and a tad later on Fridays and Saturdays. Try different items from their menu and expect them to be savory and enjoyable.
(5)Peri C.
The Curry Leaf has been around for a while but got better after taking away their lunch buffet. Now you can get a personalized Thali plate for under $10. The Thali comes with your choice of main entree (a selection ranging from vegetarian to lamb) rice, nan, raita, lentil soup and Tandoori Chicken. If you ask, you can substitute the chicken for excellent veggie samosas. The owner has a much appreciated policy on wasting food. Let's face it, most Indian food buffets are overrun with people who waste and eat fast without savoring the flavors. Which would you rather have, warmed over buffet variety or fresh spices cooked as ordered? Thumbs up on the chai tea too. Be warned though ...no alcohol. Once again, this goes along with the owner's personal philosophy. ****update: The owner has informed me he's getting a liquor license. I don't really care so much about this for lunch. It would be nice to have the option of Kalyani Black Label for dinner. (hint) *Third update: I honestly don't think it gets much better than The Curry Leaf for Indian food in Tucson. I waited until I tried their dinner to give a full 5 stars. I am fully convinced. My husband is particularly picky, and he is in agreement.
(5)Cindy M.
My experience here is with early lunch on two separate occasions recently, and I absolutely loved it both times. Their lunch specials essentially come in two versions; an inexpensive version, and the slightly more expensive "Thali" version that comes with a variety of sides. Fans of Indian buffet should consider this, as it's quite likely what you'd get, except that it's always hot and fresh. And in the case of this place, very good. Had the Palak Paneer Thali last time, and it was probably the best single dish of Indian food I've had anywhere(though I'll admit I'm not an expert on Indian food, by any means). Service was great when I've been there.
(5)Joshua B.
Like their predecessor Amrutha Cuisine, Curry Leaf just goes from bad to worse. Their biggest weak point is what the owners' of Curry Leaf tries to pass off as service. Now to be fair, I have to break my review of their service into two parts: the owners' service, and the waitress' service. The owners' do not seem to care about the customers, and just do whatever they feel like. (Including deciding how to charge you, and what foods you'll order.) The actual service staff, a young blonde waitress in our case, actually tried to make a favorable impression on us. When we first pulled up to Curry Leaf, they had two lighted signs saying they were open and two signs beneath each which stated they would not open for another 45 minutes. We went inside to ask if they were open, and were told they were. My guest and I stood near the door for two minutes while an older gentleman stared at us. Finally, he told us to sit anywhere we liked in the completely empty restaurant. The older man walked away, and an older woman came out to give the two of us one menu to share. We would later learn these menus were new. Which I guess means they are incredibly valuable, and not to be handed out lightly. While looking over the menu, the woman just stood at our table, waiting to take our order. Talk about awkward! We spotted a few dishes that seemed interesting, but then saw a two person dinner. This seemingly good deal had less interesting choices, but still good standards of Indian cuisine. We decided on the two person dinner because of the deal, instead of getting the more interesting items. The "non-veg family dinner (for two)" comes with a plethora of items (rice, naan, dhal, raitha, soup of the day, a choice of two selected entries, and a dessert). The older woman took our order, mumbling and nodding the whole time. There seemed to be some confusion, but the woman would just nod and mumble. When she finally appeared to understand our order, we asked to hang onto the menu for a little while. She just nodded and left. The mango lassi we ordered appeared almost instantly, which is rarely a good sign of quality food. This was no exception. The lassi was warm, too sweet, and tasted slightly metallic. Before we had taken two sips of the lassi, our entrees arrived. The other items did not come with our food. When we asked about the missing items, the older woman shook her head. I pointed to the menu saying we were supposed to get other items, and she pointed to the same place. I asked if it was a choice of items, she nodded yes, grabbed the menu from my hand, and left without a word. We were confused and disappointed. The portions were really small, but I attributed that to the fact it was a shared dinner instead of individual portions. About this time, the blonde waitress I mentioned earlier walked through the door. It was at this time that the quality of service went way up. After checking in with the owners, she came to check on us. We asked the waitress about the missing items, and she apologized. She said the same thing had happened the night before. They didn't have the proper plates for the dinner for two, so they were not offering it yet. (Surprising since we had just ordered it.) She said she would make sure our bill was corrected, and went to argue our case with the owners. The waitress really took good care of us. She earned this restaurant the only star it gets in this review. Looking back on the food, I guess those tiny portions are the general dinner serving sizes. How sad. My guest and I were both hungry the rest of the night, but had already purchased tickets to see a movie after eating. By the time the movie was over, both of us had really low blood sugar levels. Eating at Curry Leaf literally ruined our whole night. I guess the only good thing about the food is that there wasn't much of it to eat. The Lamb curry was mostly tasteless, until we got to the bottom of the bowl. At the bottom the curry tastes only of disgusting heavy oil. The Chicken Tikka Masala was neither good nor bad, it merely existed on our table. Seriously, even the naan was bad. It was under cooked in the middle, and tasted like doughy pizza crust. I am so tired of thinking about how terrible everything was that I don't have the energy to complain more about the food. This is the worst Indian food in Tucson. If you want good Indian food, go literally anywhere else, like New Delhi Palace, Gandhi's, or my personal favorite Saffron. When the bill came around, the waitress apologized again for the misunderstandings. We left the waitress a tip, in cash, and ran out of the restaurant as fast as we could. I was embarrassed for the waitress, and for guilty for leaving her there. I will say again, the waitress was the only saving grace at a restaurant with terrible food and contradictory signs/menus/owners. I have tried both incarnations of Curry Leaf and Amrutha, and I can honestly say that I hope to never step foot in that establishment again.
(1)Emily F.
Bay Leaf Cafe is a small restaurant, but don't let that diminish your expectations for their big flavored food! While their service was more "A-OK," their food definitely made up for it. Their portions are more medium and manageable (as in I can actually finish it) than other Indian food restaurants I have come across. And there's definitely something distinct about their use of spices that I found better than other joints. I don't believe they have a lunch buffet, sadly. Their quiet and comfortable ambiance is conducive for an intimate conversation with a friend or group of friends. I've only been here for lunch, but seeing their beer and wine selection, I'll definitely make a point of going here for dinner sometime soon!!
(4)Monica F.
My friend and I made a spur-of-the-moment choice to lunch here. The interior is pleasant, the waitress was exceptionally perky, and the lunch menu was reasonable. I had palak paneer and she had chicken vindaloo. Lunch specials were well priced, came with rice, a flat sort of pakora and half a papadum. The food was tasty but not terribly spicy. Could be more flavorful. Service was fast. Good choice for a quick lunch.
(3)Jennifer D.
YOU NEED TO EAT HERE! How often can you get great indian food in Tucson?? Well in my case not that often. The Tiki masala is soooo good I just want to drink it, and with the rice together you have the BEST CARB MEAL EVER!!!!!!
(5)Mary C.
Best Southern Indian food in Tucson, hands down! Oter reviewers are right to suggest that the generic veggie entree dishes may lack in flavor, but this is the only place to get a Dosa, and their Dosa's are amazing! Great Sambar! The other menu item I can't live without is the dried fruit stuffed Peshawari naan. Try it!
(5)Jeff R.
Awesome food in a nice atmosphere. The samosas are the best in town and be sure and try the Dosa. We didn't know what is was when we ordered it (and are still not really sure) but it was DELICIOUS! Big enough for two or three people. Vindaloo, Masala and Makani were all delicious. Wonderful mint chutney and raita. The naan was very different but fabulous.The one food negative was the Tamarind - it was not a favorite. A little too much vinegar. Service was ok She was trying really hard but it could have been better. I know this is a little picky but they could clean the sugar dispenser. It was a little crusty.
(4)Julie T.
Really pleasant surprise and great way to kill time during car wash. Nice small family-run feel and good food. Candidly, my expectations were low and Sher ePunjab is my usual go-to but this was every bit as good, a tad cheaper and very friendly. Ordered my chicken curry medium and they nailed it. Garlic naan and a great pakora.
(4)Corey D.
Southern Indian + no dish above $9= amazing new discovery.
(5)Brenda S.
Pretty great curry and garlic naan. Tried the saag lamb and tikka masala curry which were both yummy! I believe this is a sit yourself restaurant as when we walked in we perused around a while until we sat ourselves awkwardly at an unclean table. Looks like it's family owned as the older gentlemen got on the two young female waitresses about not bussing the tables in a timely manner. The food took a while to get served but tasting the quality was worth the wait. Definitely worth the money although a little pricier than expected. But will definitely be going back again for more saag curry and naan.
(4)Matthew M.
Great lunch deals! The best food we had while we were in Tucson. Some of the best Indian food I've ever had and it's very reasonable.
(5)Cadence C.
I went here bc I really missed the great Indian food in San Jose. Not the same, but I'd give it a four star. Attentive staff. Greeted, seated wherever we'd like. Chicken Makhani: four star Chicken Tikka Masala :three star Mango Lasse : four star Free rice, complimentary naan (flax seed) : bonus star avg: four star The complimentary naan was excellent. Had bits of flax seed in it so had bit of a kick. Mango Lasse was Excellent. Very sweet. The Maknani was flavorful. The tikka masala... was kind of runny. I liked the chicken bc it tasted processed (I would rather have processed smooth food rather than texture inconsistency and tendons pop out every now and then) I personally prefer the tikka masala at Tandoor Times in Scottsdale, but everybody makes food differently. grand total about 30 USD after tax, before tip. Would recommend the Makhani and Mango Lasse.
(4)Priya S.
Recap: Delicious food, service will improve When I first looked up the Yelp reviews here, all of the reviews from the summer were negatively rating the place based (it seemed) entirely on the service. And I thought, please! Who goes to an Indian restaurant for the service? It's the food that matters! And having gone within the last week, I can say the food was excellent. There were so many options on the menu my table decided to go family style on four dishes so that we could each try a few. For appetizers, we split a masala dosa (which came with a variety of chutneys to dip). We also each had a samosa, which came with the spicy green chili sauce, and the sweet date sauce was brought out on request. The mutter paneer and saag paneer were wonderfully creamy, the paneer was lightly seared, and the vegetables bright and fresh. The chicken tikka masala and the madras chicken were also delicious and spiced well. Granted, service wasn't the best. My friends who had gotten there ahead of us said they had waited by the door for an awkward while before being seated. The waiter seemed to still be learning the names of the dishes, which the owner explained was because it was his second day. I'll give him a break for that! The owner took an interest in our meal as it came out, and offered more rice near the end of the meal (though that rice never appeared). Our water glasses were also only refilled if they were toward the edge of the table. However, I'm sure they can continue to improve the service to make the experience an all-around good one.
(4)Luis S.
Best curry in Tucson, hands down (and I've looked). The food is cooked impeccably, the service is a bit slow but incredibly friendly. The naan is delicious and the chicken Makhani is five star all the way. Really well done southern Indian food in the heart of midtown: you can't beat it.
(4)Alec B.
This place doesn't even deserve 1 star it deserves zero. I know authentic indian food, i have indian friends, i know how to cook basic food like rice, eggs, etc. and i have plenty of experience w/ restaurants. Unfortunately this place is a rip-off. I only went in w/ my partner because: i wasn't the one paying, driving, we were hungry, and we wanted to try this place that looked new. It's a rip-off because 70% of the food is rice and the rest isn't that good either for the amount they charge. I can make what they make with no problem. Just make rice and then combine the rice with things. Other no-no's are: The naan was a little mushy when it should be warm & crispy w/ garlic on it. The included desert was even more silly and not good. And since when does desert come included? The food was hot even though i ordered "mild" which is supposed to be the least spicy of their three. The mango juice was little for the price. The vegetables were a little too hard which most likely means they didn't cook it enough. As far as experience: they play weird old non-dance indian music that even indians don't listen to. The bathroom and bathroom door needs improvement. The door of the bathroom requires manhandle force to open. You need a microscope to be able to read the menu. They use fluorescent bulbs, which further shows that they're trying to be cheap. Fluorescent bulbs make you feel tired because they emit harmful negative radiation. LED's is what you use if you wanna save. Enough said. So unless you have money to blow-off, don't believe me, and/or wanna see for yourself, i wouldn't go. Btw most of the indian restaurants in the city of Tucson were just like this but not as bad as this; unless you're in a high-end area like Phoenix, especially Scottsdale, i wouldn't go.
(1)Arthur G.
If I have to change my rating, I will, but if this were my true first time here then I'd rate it a 5 for delivering a meal that was spot on delicious and just the right size to walk out of the place not feeling overstuffed. Before the Curry Leaf, this place used to be called Amrutha, and it was one of my most favorite places to go to for Indian... until service (and sadly, the food) started waning. After a tragic experience of being horribly let down, I abandoned the place, and just when I wanted to to give it one more chance... it had turned into the Curry Leaf. Supposedly this place has been here for a while but I never tried it, being so discouraged that if Amrutha had turned so bad that it had to reimagine itself just to stay alive (it used to be something else BEFORE Amrutha but I can't remember what it was-- it was a few years back.) The reviews I read about it when it had changed to the Curry Leaf were not encouraging to check it out. That is until... My wife turned me on to the idea to try the place out. I was, and still a bit am, skeptical about what to have expected. Surprisingly... the food was as good as I remember the first time I tried Amrutha's! The flavors are EXACTLY the same, presentation pretty much as Amrutha's was and... even looks the same way, down to every morsel. So is this Amrutha's? It very well TASTED like it but... it's the Curry Leaf, so I'm left conflicted and somewhat confused. However, I really do hope this place is here to last and that it doesn't just put on a good front for a couple weeks or months and then goes downhill from a short lived moment of success only to try and reboot itself with some other name in the same location. So a four for now for my first hand experience but it won't be my last (until I detect a lackluster of quality). As for service, the server was friendly, if he gave a name I regrettably did not catch it but he was nice, and the cook even came out from the kitchen to say hello. A soft spoken sort of guy, maybe a bit nervous perhaps? Either way, my respects go to the chef for reminding me what really good Indian food tastes like and that I'll be sure to hit this hot spot again in a not so distant future. A fan for now, but hopefully in due time and enough convincing that the Curry Leaf is here to stay, an addict. Only time will tell, as well as what others will have to say about it in the coming weeks/months. Lastly, when they ask "How hot?" Try their spiciest spicy-- guaranteed to feel like a flashbang having gone off down your throat, because THAT'S what's up!
(4)S. M.
The service was great, but the food was really lackluster. Although, the samosa's were pretty good. There is far better Indian food at other Places in Tucson.
(2)Jess G.
Just moved here and still in search of a go-to indian restaurant. Website and Yelp both say delivery, but upon calling... "we don't deliver". So I make the drive for pickup. The phone guy was nice and the food was ready super fast, so no complaints about service, but I've definitely had better naan and the Paneer Tikka Masala was rather bland. I'll keep searching...
(2)Angela S.
My boyfriend and I really enjoy Indian Food and we stumbled across this place rather recently and have since been super pleased with it. The last time we stopped by we actually closed out their lunch hours but they welcomed us in anyway. The food was amazing. We got the $2 addition, that adds sauces, tandoori chicken, naan, etc and the presentation was super cute, but we did have a lot of rice leftover, which the chef said they throw out to the birds. No food wasted. Hahah. We have had a lot of success ordering a certain level of spiciness: super spicy? You got it! Medium, perfectly done. The service is also really good; you never feel neglected or pressured to hustle. The decor is pretty simple, with the lighting being the most memorable. I'm actually writing this review because I'm thinking of heading there tonight. Last dinner before my boyfriend heads out of town for the holidays and I trust that dinner there will not disappoint.
(5)Michelle L.
SOOO good. GO! Go over and over is what i'm going to do. I tried it for the first time, the other night...I can't stop thinking about how good it was...and I've tried every Indian Food Rest. in town (and a lot in NYC.) They have different things I've never had like the UPMA - GET IT! (food of Southern India.) Also tried the deep fried lentil flour donut thing, which is the most amazing fried texture ever, undescribable, looks like a hush puppy but is not as dense and does not taste like one! That was interesting...I'd say try it at least once. Everything we had was super, even the hot chai! But definately try the UPMA.
(5)Jessica A.
This is the only place in town to get South Indian food and they do a great job! You must try this if you've never had South Indian food. Dosas are amazing here!!
(4)Dan J.
Oh curry leaf, oh curry leaf. How lovely are your branches. That's not a real song, which is good since there aren't any branches at the curry leaf - just yummy authentic Indian food. I was running really late for dinner (sorry self!) and was quite hungry so I ordered up the veggie pakora. Out came 6 medium sized patties, lightly fried, and two dipping sauces. I'd comment on what they were or what flavor they had but I don't have enough vocabulary to describe them. I'll simply go with: the green one looked like a smooth spicy guacamole but wasn't anything like that, and the runnier dark brown sauce looked like au jus sauce with a tiny bit of cream but wasn't anything like that either. I forked a piece of the fried chickpea/veggies into the green - mild spicy, yummy flavor. I tried the brown one - sweeter and more yummy. I tried another bit with some green then some brown - also yummy. Then some brown with some green and... well you get the idea. I should note that I started with a beverage. I asked the waitress if they had any special teas (not t-shirts, which I clarified, since I clearly had on a shirt and hadn't tried the food yet and maybe I'd buy a shirt - if they had one - when the meal was over, and if it were yummy. But no... just tea based beverages). I was told they only had a hot chai, but I was feeling like something cold so I went with... regular old iced tea. Maybe, I thought, the leaves came from India. (Although probably closer to Indiana.) For the main meal I went with chicken Korma. Since I didn't really recognize much of anything on the menu, I went with the one described as "creamy," with medium spice. The food was cooked quickly and brought out in a standard "curry platter," with lots of chicken and lots of korma sauce, and a separate bowl of white rice. I started humming Karma-Karma-Karma-Karma chameleon when the waitress left, as I scooped some white rice onto an empty plate and then ladled on some korma. My first thought was "this is it?" The rice was just plain white - no ginger, no hint of jasmine, nothing fancy. The korma was a bit bland to my taste buds. I'm not familiar with korma so I don't know if that's expected. I have this vision of India, with it's vibrant colors and silks and spices that have lured westerners for centuries - and I always imagine spicy, flavorful foods. This wasn't it. But, it was saved by scooping on some pakora with green/brown sauces. Stab a piece of chicken, scoop up some rice that's soaked in korma and put it in my mouth; stab a piece of pakora, double dip that bad boy and add *that* to my mouth - voila! A tasty treat! I ended up eating about 2/3 of the meal - the *six* pakora patties meant a lot of pakora and the main dish had a lot of chicken and a ton of sauce. I was too full for dessert, plus it was getting close to 9:30, their closing time on a Friday, and I didn't want to be *that* guy that makes everyone stay late. The atmosphere was quaint - very simple, with nice tables and glass covered table cloths. The waitresses were very attentive without being a burden. The food was... good. Nothing I'd rave about. But again, I can't ding them for that if, in fact, that IS what korma is. If someone reads this and says "Oh my god, Dan. You *have* to try ___'s korma, it's so yummy you'll feel like you're inside a farmer's market IN India" then I'll come back and rate this differently. So my lack of experience shouldn't detract from a restaurant that does what it does perfectly well. Four stars for leaf for Dan.
(4)TJ J.
Heard good things about this place so we decided to check it out. PROS: Service was great. The server was very communicative when the food was a little late to come out. The masala dosa was kick ass. BYOB (we got a quart of Corona Familiar at the Circle K next door) CONS: Ordered the vegetable curry dish. The cauliflower was literally rotten and the curry sauce itself was off (sweet and fizzy). The cook insisted that there was nothing wrong with it. Luckily our server knew better and took it off the bill (you could hear him clearly in the kitchen telling the cook that the vegetables were rotten). Then the table behind us had a similar experience. I heard the customer say "inedible" as the server took the plate away. I would potentially go back for the dosa (as this is a hard thing to find in Tucson), but I'd stay away from anything else.
(2)Jonathan B.
I am surprised this place has such low reviews as well. I got a veggie curry dish (nordvark or something of the sort) and it was delicious. We got veggie samosas delivered to our table for free and they were really amazing. The rest of the meal was very good, not amazing, but definitely will be back. They make the samosas by hand and the owner explained the process to my guest and I, stating that it took 90 seconds for a skilled worker. We also got chai and it is made fresh upon you placing an order for a cup. Go here if you're craving Indian. I've yet to find a better place in central Tucson.
(4)Ingrid T.
Came here with my daughter, son, husband, and daughter's friend 2 days ago. We decided to celebrate my daughter and son being on Honor Roll and yes in our house we do celebrate with food. We decided to go for Indian food. I personally love Saffron and Sher-e-Punjab. We decided to order a couple appetizers and three entrees to share between the 5 of us. First off the service was slow. Let's just say we were the ONLY table in there. I had to flag down the guy. So a bumby start for sure. Also this place is little, the bathroom is gross, and sorry not classy. However, lets talk about the food. We ordered vegetable samosas, they were okay I wished they would've been a little more crispy but the filling was perfect! So I can't complain on that. Now we also ordered vegetable pakora, I was disappointed with the vegetable pakora it was pretty tasteless again the vegetable pakora from Sher-e-Punjab is my favorite! Okay onto the entrees we ordered chicken tikka masala, chicken korma, and lamb vindaloo. None of us liked the lamb vindaloo, the chicken tikka masala was good however I wished they would've had more meat in all three dishes, However the chicken korma sauce was incredible! Well there you have it and what we thought of it. I have to say I think we would most likely stick to our fave's. I wasn't really impressed with the Curry Leaf so much.
(2)Katie R.
Deliciousness. Always amazing service, always great food. Vegan options!
(4)Diana L.
This place has the best samosas in town...bar none. I'd take a picture of them but they disappeared so fast I never got the chance! Great food and excellent service. The place is smalll, so go early or call ahead.
(5)Allie M.
I came here last night by mistake. I was looking for an Italian restaurant, couldn't find it and then I saw Curry Leaf... I love Indian food and I'm a little surprised I'd never heard of this place before. The restaurant is very small and doesn't really give the vibe of an Indian restaurant, that is, until you inhale. The smell of Indian food just takes my stress away and lets me focus on the present. The service was good, the food was delicious! My mom and I shared the vegetarian combo/platter. There was more than enough food and the dessert just hit the spot! I just finished the left overs for lunch! I highly recommend this place. It's very casual, inexpensive and tasty!
(5)Kenda V.
Feel better leaving my son in Tucson knowing that home cookin is just around the corner! Showed up 30 min before they closed and the staff was most gracious. Our order was hot, fresh & tasty. I wish I could remember the names of the dishes but we were tired from a long day's move! Chicken something was great. Lamb something else was greater! Rice was fluffy. The raitha was zesty and soothed our palate - I ordered it a spicy 7+ and told the waitress not to treat me like a tourist! They delivered! Son is looking forward to Lunch Buffet - I feel like I should warn the owner...LOL
(4)Charles M.
We had the samosas, garlic naan, and the chicken curry and everything was really tasty. Nice clean and welcoming environment, but still authentic. Not expensive either. There are also lots of delicious vegetarian options too if you're into that kind of thing. Overall, very good!
(5)Josh H.
Very affordable, tasty buffet with a good selection. My fiancee and I stopped here the other day and had the buffet - $7.50 a piece for all you can eat, plus naan. One piece of tandoori chicken was a little odd, almost as if it had marinated too long, but the others we had were fine. Great selection of rices and what can only be described as Indian chow-mein. Very nice chicken saag. I've been other places in town where the XYZ saag is clearly a piece of cooked XYZ mixed into the saag just before service. Not so here. Tasty pakoras, in general, very nice. The service was a little lackluster, I had an empty water glass for most of our meal, and combined with the odd piece of tandoori chicken, I'm taking off one star.
(4)David A.
I am a huge fan of South Indian food and admit freely that I have very high expectations. The lemon rice is absolutely fantastic- one of my favorite things I've had. The Aloo Gobi was okay as well as the yellow dal, but both a bit bland. I liked the Masala Dosa, but the coconut chutney had a strange flavor and the sambar was very brothy and bland. I am happy this place is here and the renovation/ name change was a good thing, however the night I dined there were three lights burned out above adjacent tables (the ones that hang over the table) and it looked very unappealing. Service is friendly, but nothing great. I loved the music playing, could have been a touch louder, too! A few tweaks to ambiance and a boost to flavors and it would easily get four or even five stars
(3)Hope W.
Man, this place is a source of such frustration for me! I've been here twice, and both times, the food was absolutely flawless. Completely delicious. The naan in particular is wonderful, and the curries are incredibly flavorful and legit spicy (even when you order them medium spicy). I'm gonna keep going here, just because the food is so damn good. But the service is so damn bad! The first time, we ate in, and it took twenty minutes to get our order taken, forty-five minutes to get food, and then we were sitting there an additional twenty minutes after we'd finished eating just waiting for our check...and the restaurant was only half full. The second time, we thought we were being clever and avoiding the draggy service by getting take-out, but they completely messed up our order; we ordered (and paid for!) thali platters, which contained a few extra items over the standard lunch order, but we just got the regular lunch order. It's hard to be too mean to this place, because the food really is fantastic and the people are quite nice, and ultimately even when they screw up your order you're going to pay less and get more here than you would at, say, Kababeque. But man, step up your game, Curry Leaf! You can be the best Indian restaurant in Tucson! Just work a little harder!
(4)Sonia R.
One word, delicious! The service was great, food was made to order/ tasty and the atmosphere was bright/clean what more could you ask for? The vegetable samosas and raitha are reason enough to come here.
(5)Andrew M.
My girlfriend and I first found this place under it's previous name, Amrutha. Back then it was shrouded in curtains with dimmed lighting inside. The restaurant has changed since then. The last time we visited with my parents from out of town, we all had a great meal. The food at Curry leaf remains the best Indian food I've ever had. I'm pretty certain that the food is made by an Indian family that runs the place. I especially like their palak paneer and chicken biryani rice, however chicken tika masala is also excellent. Whenever I visit I order chai at the end of the meal, it's friggin' amazing, it's like drinking a cookie. If this were a review of Amrutha it would be five stars, however the restaurant is now too bright(they removed the curtains and didn't replace them with anything, eating at sundown can be somewhat annoying) and the young white college girl waitress they hired is somewhat awkward and impatient. Though the new staff and atmosphere subtracts a star the food is still amazing, I recommend this place to everyone who comes into town.
(4)Charles C.
Of all the Indian restaurants in Tucson, this is my favorite. The atmosphere is homey and the service while sometimes slow is good. The Curry Leaf hand makes all dishes and individually brews each cup of chai ( all other indian restaurants in town have the same tasting chai) I had the Lamb Makhani, and at a 7 out of 10 spice level it was spicy but enjoyable.
(4)Jessica C.
Mobile review go! Went here at 11am for an early lunch with my fiancee, got buffet. Really enjoyed the chicken saag and a few of the other dishes. Was pretty impressed by the food, but wan't expecting much. Nothing much to say about the service, I got refills on iced tea and otherwise I just served myself as one does at a buffet. Would go back, would eat again.
(3)Johanna L.
Authentic Indian Cuisine debuts in Tucson! The Tucson Weekly article inspired me to check out Curry Leaf. Had noticed a new sign- has stayed in the family but re-invented. They have sensibly re worked their serving style eliminating the lunch buffet and creating these wonderful 'tasting plates' called Lunch Thali (like Japanese Bento Boxes) with a delicious assortment of authentic menu items profiling fresh ingredients, spices and flavor profiles. The portions are 'just right'- allowing each item to be enjoyed and combined with others.You chose either a meat or veggie entree ( 8 choices in all), Super Samosas, soft warm Naan (try the garlic style), perfectly steamed aromatic basmati rice, a pakora bite,Tandoori chicken leg (abit dry), freshly made Raitha (cucumber/yoghurt sauce), and a lovely little stainless cup of Sambar- a flavorful lentil soup with squash, carrots, tamarind and onions- delightful! You also get to enjoy a Gulab Jamun- a lovely almond dessert- not too sweet....all for $8! Hostess Danielle and Owner Prasad were more than attentive. Prasad sat with me and told me about their food concept and what they are hoping to achieve. He made me feel like I was in his home. He also offered me a complimentary tasting of the warm rice/milk/raisan dessert- you could eat a bowl for breakfast! I love a little chutney to balance the creamy, cool, spice, and heat flavors. Prasad was quick to bring a sample to the table. You can custom 'heat' your entree items. Mine were midly spicy with that wonderful heat that stays on the tongue inviting your next bite! My best Indian dining has been in Bangladesh, Hong Kong and London- however, Prasad's Curry Leaf brings back wonderful memories offering traditional taste with fresh ingredients and spices...it's as good as it gets! How lucky we are to have them in our backyard. Run, do not walk to Curry Leaf and try all the menu items....they deliver too! Chef Jo ps I suggest to those that had bad experiences come back for another try. Eliminating the buffet was a very smart move., Have tried other Indian Restaurants in Tucson and they are either extremely expensive, glitzy or generally just bland and hardly truly authentic. I don't eat anywhere where the food is 'hot held' and open to lots of people's germs.....give the place a chance; make positive suggestions to the owners who are open and willing to make this restaurant a success....
(5)Anna D.
Curry Leaf, which used to be Amrutha, has supposedly been updated and refreshed. (+)Here are the positives: +The waitress (a young blonde) was very nice. She said she was new, but was quite attentive and willing to please. +The mango lassi and food portions are small. Why is it GOOD that the portions are small? I'll get to that... +They were open before hours and willing to serve +Gave 20% off the bill for their errors (though this shouldn't be expected since I could hear the waitress arguing for us even tho it was an error on the restaurant's end) Now for the negatives. Where to even start?! (-)SERVICE ---Allowing customers in before they were officially open or prepared. The open sign was turned on, despite their opening dinner hours starting at 5:30 (we were there just before 5pm). Although at first listed as a positive, the fact that they were not ready to take customers bumps it to a negative. ---Service by one of the owners We were served by one of the owners, an older woman, until their official waitress came in at about 5:15. You'd think this would be a positive thing, but even though the woman got us water, she didn't care that we existed and although had invited us in, seemed put out by our being there. When we weren't immediately ready to order (looking over the new menu and it's options) she didn't say anything, but remained looming over our table until we put in our order. ---The Family Platter (for 2) We ordered the family platter for two, by pointing to it on the menu. It comes with naan, raitha, dhal, soup of the day, a dessert choice, and 2 entree choices (from a list). We chose the Lamb Curry and Chicken Tikka Masala (we figured a curry would be a safe bet and Tikka Masala is one of my favorites), and when given the option, chose the garlic naan. I also asked to keep the menu (I hadn't had enough time to properly peruse it) The two curries and garlic naan arrived with none of the other options. Confused, we asked about the other options (and the soup of the day), wondering if you got all of them or it was a choice (didn't seem like a choice of items the way it was laid out on the menu and she should have said something if they were). The woman mumbled affirmation for choice and rudely took away the menu (as if to prevent me from further comparing what we ordered to what we were getting) before stalking away. When the new waitress arrived, she explained that Curry Leaf was actually not doing the family platter because they were missing the family platter plates. Really?! If you have all the items, it can't be served without a specific PLATE?! More than a little disappointed, as had we known the option wasn't available, we might have ordered different curries. But upon tasting the food, I don't think it would have mattered what we ordered. (-)FOOD ---Mango Lassi I LOVE mango lassis but I'm glad we only ordered one to try and it was actually a good thing that the lassi was fairly small. Why? To start with, it was lukewarm, but worse, it didn't taste fresh as if it came from a mix or can...too sweet, yet mostly flavorless and an unnatural bright orange. ---Curry Small, bland portions filled with grease. To start with, both the chicken and the lamb were overcooked and chewy. Because we ordered 'medium' spice, I was left with a slight spice kick in my mouth, but because the food was inherently tasteless (which curry should definitely NOT be) there was no other flavor transfer. They say that hunger is the best spice, but despite being hungry, the food was so unremarkable that when I considered trying the lamb, I'd already forgotten that I'd just swallowed a bite. The Lamb Curry had a slight pepper taste in addition to its grease, but no other memorable curry taste at all. Although the Tikka Masala was better than the curry, it was the 2nd worst Tikka Masala I've ever had. The worst was when I went to Amrutha's last year and tried their Tikka Masala...that's an improvement, right? ---Garlic Naan The garlic naan was large, almost pizza sized, which at first made me happy (yay! more naan!) until I tried it (no!! more naan!). The taste was like uncooked pizza dough, the crispy edges like overcooked pizza crust. Basically, the naan tasted like unsauced, mostly undercooked thin crust pizza with a smattering of parsley and garlic. It tasted premade...but from where? I'd say Pillsbury, but Pillsbury tastes better. I tried, Curry Leaf. You said you were re-vamping, improving from the disaster that was Amrutha's. Although there are minor improvements, it's like saying slightly spoiled milk is better than rotten cheese. If you want Indian food, go ANYWHERE else.
(1)Manu S.
Their pakoras are pretty good.
(4)Christy K.
Wow. Came across this little spot on my ay home from work-I cannot imagine why anyone would leave anything other than 5 stars for this place. First, the atmosphere is nice, classy, very clean. Second, great service and the owner shared lots of interesting tidbits about each dish yo help me find my destiny, a coconut curry creamy base with veggies and cashews. He is willing to accommodate an dietary needs and told me I could call ahead to make special requests. The owner was my server at this visit, so some other reviewers mention a blonde server. I did not meet her. The dish was served and it was absolutely delicious. It looked, smelled, and tasted amazing. The chef even came out to greet me and ask me how I liked my entree. I will be visiting this place again. Not a perfect location, but worth the drive in my opinion. Prices were more than fair and apparently there is a buffet at lunchtime.
(5)Sally R.
I usually go for an India buffet, but after reading reviews decided to give this place a chance. I did miss having more than one dish, but the one I got (eggplant) was fantastic and the service was fine. It is really worth having just one flavor when it's THAT GOOD, and the little fried potato/veg pancake on the side was delicious as well.
(5)Babu R.
delicious dishes! flavorful and they make it spicy if you ask. curry leaf is becoming one of our favorite restaurants in tucson. the lassis are tasty and the curries are rich, creamy and flavorful.
(4)Jon B.
Not the best Indian food I've ever had, but quite good, and the prices are very reasonable, especially considering the large quantity of food offered with the Thali lunch specials. Also locally owned and family-run, which is always a plus.
(4)