Clay Pit

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So last night my husband was craving some Indian food and I wanted to try somewhere new, so after the usual 30minutes of looking around we headed out to the Clay Pit.
On arrival, I was happy to see that it wasn’t packed, but it wasn’t completely vacant, as we were both very hungry and I didn’t want a super long wait for food, but I’m always leery of restaurants that are empty. The waiter was very nice the whole evening, but seemed a little nervous. There were some complimentary dipping sauces and chip-​like things on the table that were alright, but I should have known after the naan came out that this was not going to be a great meal.
The naan was burnt on one side and almost doughy on the other. The filled naan — three cheese — tasted strongly of a homemade grilled cheese complete with kraft singles. It was edible, though not satisfying, but we were so hungry by this time (it took them a while — maybe 10 – 15 minutes — to prepare just the naan) that we ate them all anyway.
Our entrees took close to another 40minutes to arrive. I ordered Chicken Tikka Masala, the best Indian comfort food ever, and my husband ordered a mixed Tandoori Grill. He cut into the first hunk ‘o meat — as they were hard to tell apart save the obvious shrimp and chicken legs — and it was rock hard and dry. As it was lamb and that is fairly easy to dry out, we excused this and he moved on to the chicken legs which he proclaimed «not bad». That’s pretty much how the rest of the meal was too, just «not bad». My Tikka Masala was almost all sauce and tasted strongly of what my husband put best as «Campbells Cream of Tomato with some jalapeño for spice». You could taste the aluminum can it must have come from after a few bites.
We didn’t stay for dessert.

Went to this one after hearing really good reviews about this «Contemporary Indian Cuisine — That’s what they call themselves». surely it shouldn’t be confused with «Indian Restaurant ». We ordered «Clay Pit Pakoras «&& «Tikka Masala «+ Naan .
Service is good and waiters are very courteous .
I asked them to make it spicy. Common” [making spicy doesn’t simply means putting loadzz of RED CHILLI flakes, it means more than that ] .
Ask your cooks to understand the difference between HOT and SPICY. I have experiences way way better Indian food that this and will probably not waste my money for such a ridiculous food .
» Highly Disappointed «- this how, I would end my review.

A couple of friends of ours who are new to Indian cuisine had tried Clay Pit and seemed to like it. Hence our story begins…
I should have trusted my gut instincts when I realized the place was rather dead (perhaps there were 4 other diners) for a Saturday night in Addison. Also, the entire time I was there I did not see one Indian.
We started off with an order of vegetable samosas, which we awfully small and rather bland/​dry. Meh…
For my main dish, I ordered the Kashmiri Kofta Korma — a house recommended dish. I’d like to meet the individual who recommended this as it was probably the most foul thing I’ve tasted in quite some time. It was WAY too unnaturally sweet… someone here said their korma tasted like it had 46 packets of Splenda dumped in it and I totally agree. I took maybe 4 bites and couldn’t handle anymore.
The fiancée ordered the Malai Kofta, which wasn’t much better but at least it didn’t have that abnormal sweetness to it.
We took home the leftovers (of which there were many) but wound up tossing them after we decided we wouldn’t want to expose ourselves to the dining tragedy for a second time. The next night we went out for some AUTHENTIC Indian food at our much-​loved restaurant, Mumtaz where we paid half the price and enjoyed some amazingly good food. Our friends are coming HERE with us next time…
The addition of the extra star is for the ambiance and decent service.

Parts of this were OK. Parts were just plain ick.
I ordered chicken samosas to start and go two teeny tiny samosas (for $ 7) filled with shredded tandoori chicken which was kinda dry. It’s the first time I’d ever seen a chicken samosa on an Indian menu.
I got the lamb biryani and it was pretty average, not great, but not terrible. Another at our table got some ‘specialty’ chicken korma dish. The korma tasted like it had about 46 packets of splenda in it. It was literally the grossest thing I’d ever tasted.
All in all, service was good, but the food fell short. It had none of the deep, rich spice you typically find in Indian fare. There was no depth of flavor to these dishes and they really tasted like they’d been phoned in. I’d stick to another place in the future, I’ve had enough of this one, sorry.

The co-​workers and I were looking for an Indian restaurant for lunch, someplace we haven’t been before. Someone throw out the Clay Pit, they had passed by it a few times. Okay, we’re in!
We arrived shortly after they opened, so it was quiet and plenty of places to seat. We went for closer to the buffet, of course. The waiter took our drink orders and off we go.
I sampled almost every item on the buffet and I’m sure between the four of us, we had everything on the buffet at least once. So here are my thoughts.
They bring fresh, hot Naan bread to the table. As soon as the basket is empty our waiter had another fresh one ready to go.
I love Indian cuisine, so for me, the buffet was mostly blend. Sure they had extra spices and sauces on the buffet for you, but that’s after the fact… not the same. The flavors I love in Indian food just weren’t there. The best items were the Goan Coconut Curry Chicken and the Tandoori chicken, but again, not the flavor profile I’ve come to expect.
The service was great; we never had to ask for refills on drinks for bread. Our empty plates were removed from the table quickly. Even as the restaurant became busier, the service level was great.
Not sure, I’ll come back. Just not the flavors I prefer. Three out of the four of us, agreed, pretty blend! Again, the food wasn’t bad, just blend and the service was great.

The ambiance was great and the service was good. But, make sure you ask about how they rate spicy food items. I ordered medium, because I thought it might be too spicy if I said spicy.
I should have asked medium was a little too bland for me. So, I think it’s on a scale of 1 – 10, but if you are wary of spicy food this restaurant was a good choice.
We got the gobi manchurian as an appetizer and it was excellent they made cauliflower taste similar to panda express’ honk kong beef, which I enjoy.
The vegetable biryani was too saffrony for me.
But, my tikka masala curry was excellent.
Overall I really like this place and am going to try the lamb next time. Very friendly to the american palate, but still an adventure. I recommend the Kingfisher beer with your meal, if you enjoy beer.

Just OK
Not a huge fan. I love love love Indian food.
Staff was very nice!
But my chicken samosa was cold… and was never
asked what temp I wanted food… had to ask for more spice,
Food was ok… wont be going back for sure.

Ate here years ago and loved it (2004) but in 2011 it has been amiss. Went in a few months ago for lunch and we were one of 3 tables there (at noon). The buffet food was ok but seemed kind of warm instead of hot. I felt like I was one of the last tables to come in for the lunch buffet at 1:50PM where they don’t bother to refill things, but it was only noon on a Tuesday.
I didn’t go back for seconds. There are other places I’d rather try than returning.

I must say that I drove past this place hundreds of time saying to myself that I needed to check it out every time. Finally, a friend of mine suggested it and I jumped at the opportunity. I get to hang with my girls and we get to enjoy some Indian food. WIN-​WIN right? WRONG! My friends were awesome of course, but the food here left a lot to be desired. Even the Lassi was weird and warm. Who serves a warm lassi?! There is were a few okay to tasty dishes, but you know it was definitely not worth me returning again. Also, the wait staff weren’t very social for them to have a social job. No thanks. There are too many other places in DFW to check out. Also, if you are vegetarian, you will find your options very limited which is a disappointment to me.

I love their food. The food in their buffet is fresh and has a lot of variety. The food from the menu is also the same. The staff at Clay Pit are efficient and professional. The restaurant itself is clean and looks very organized.
From their menu, I’ve had their Pathar Kebab, Curried Mussels, Mango Chicken Curry, and Aloo Tikki Chaat, and they all tasted great. I really liked their Curried Mussels. If you’re going to order appetizers, then I recommend the Curried Mussels. I have heard really good things about their Rack of Lamb, but had to settle for the Pathar Kebab (Grilled Lamb) as they didn’t have Rack of Lamb for lunch. The Pathar Kebab was pretty good too.
The only problem some may find with this place is that it’s not your typical desi (indian) restaurant, the food can be described as Indian Fusion. If you’re looking for authentic desi food, then this is not the place for you. If you are like me, grew up overseas, then this is the place for you. Unlike a lot of desi restaurants, the food over here is not too spicy and oily, but still tastes great.
I could have easily given this restaurant a five star, but…

This place has been going down the drain — each visit seems more disappointing than the previous.
I’ve been a fan of Clay Pit since 1999 in Austin, TX. Oh boy the food was awesome — the naans were to simply die for. When I moved to Dallas in 2005 — I was glad that Claypit was around in Dallas — food and service used to be really good. The ambiance was something extraordinary for a Indian restaurant.
Then something must’ve happened to Claypit in ²⁰⁰⁶⁄₂₀₀₇. The quality of the food has gone down, the service levels have been pathetic, tried buffet, a la cart … nothing seems good.
enuf — lets get to specifics — my most recent visit.
Last night a couple of friends decided to meetup at ClayPit. We were seated pretty quickly (wednesday night, not much traffic), but it took more than 10 mins for them to attend to us — we ordered some appetizers and entrees and specifically requested the waitress to give atleast 15 min gap between the appetizers and entrees.
In less than 10 mins — we were served the appetizers and the entrees at one go ! That was not good. Then we started digging into the appetizers and the entrees.
Gobi Manchurian: ⁷⁄₁₀ (nice and very well done stuff)
Entrée (Mirch Masala): ⁵⁄₁₀ (bland, tasteless and flavorless with machine cut veggies)
Roti ³⁄₁₀ (Not roasted well, Rotis are made from whole wheat, this looked like white bread)
some chicken stuff — which I did not try — friends said it was not good.
We also had some Kingfisher beer — which was served chilled — this along with Gobi Manchurian was the only highlights of the dinner.
We were there for a little over an hour, there was this tall guy who was walking around — who never spoke to us till now, walks up to us and says ‘Are you guys ok, do you need anything else’. Comes back in another 10 mins and asks ‘Can I take these plates away’ while we are still working on it.
That was a signal to go, hmm, but I’ve spent more than $ 70 on food and drinks to come down and spend some time. Not good.
Not going back to Clay Pit again — overpaying for not-​so-​good food and getting treated like crap. Yet to find a really good indian restaurant in N Dallas area — if you know of one, ps reccomend.

Although they apologetically had to tell us they were out stock on four (4) of the items we requested we had a very good experience. My Malai Kofta was very good. It’s one of those dishes I want to order at every Indian restaurant that serves it — but usually kinda sucks. This Malai Kofta was flavorful. I played it safe this time with medium spiciness but will definitely try hot next time. I’ve never had naan with cream cheese in it (?) but it was pretty tasty.
The waitstaff and management were very attentive and pleasant.
Thank you Clay Pit! We’ll be back.
On a side note there were these white senior citizen patrons seated nearby who were so grumpy, dumpy, and gross. Among other things, they asked for the music volume to be lowered and the giant woman FILED HER NAILS AT THE TABLE. I could go on…

Very nice atmosphere! The service was good, but we were one of three tables on a weekday night. Maybe they’re not doing so well?
Both of us loved our food, and the cream cheese naan was fun and tasty.
We’ll be back!

Clay Pit is a wonderful get-​away. The atmosphere itself is very warm & classy. The servers are always VERY nice & great.
The food has never once disappointed me. My favorite dishes are the Goan Coconut Curry, and the Tandoori Salmon. TO DIE FOR. I’m a curry slut, so I was very pleased at their Curry House section. The vegetable samosas are incredible, as well as the naan.
This is a must if you love Indian food.

I didn’t leave hungry, but Clay Pit is dumbed down Indian food. It might be good for introducing Indian to children, but everything missed the mark. I was there for the lunch buffet… maybe dinner is better.
My issues:
1. The hot food wasn’t quite hot enough and the cold food wasn’t as cold as it should be.
2. The mulligatawny was too salty
3. Nothing was spicy enough
4. The tandoori chicken was dry
High points:
1. the naan was pretty darn good
2. The sauces and chutneys and such were all very tasty.
So, if you are jonesing for naan, go to clay pit, but if you are hankering for good Indian food, go to India Palace.

If you want to be introduced to Indian dishes but scared to try them, this is your «safe» place. They have a contemporary twist on the items so it’s «white people» approved. Lol.
If you want more traditional style (not to mention less expensive), there are plenty others. This place is nice, upscale-​ish and the buffet was appealing. I recommend it so you get an array of dishes to see what you like before taking a plunge and ordering something you may not enjoy.
Since I’m Indian (shocker, I know), it was weird having people of other ethnicity’s serving food my mom traditionally cooks at home. I was thinking to myself, «what do you know about Indian food?», as they suggested items on the menu. Lmao.
Service was on par and fresh bread (naan) always brought out.
I’d love to eat here again, although I do like my food SPICY and the buffet is kinda pricey IMO. Nothing else really stood out from this place.

Three and a half stars. I brought my cousin here because she always raves about the Clay Pit in Austin.
Overall, it was good, but I agree, it was kind of like the PF Changs of Indian. We started with the naan sampler, and I didn’t like any of them. I forget what all was in them, but there was a garlic one that had like 80 cloves of garlic on each piece, one that was stuffed with potatoes, one that was stuffed with spinach, I believe. Just give me plain naan any day. None of the sauces were terribly exciting.
I don’t remember exactly what dishes we had for dinner, but they were all a’ight. Some dishes came with much larger portions than others. It was kind of expensive.
In general, I prefer more authentic places; sometimes the trendy American version is cool just because the décor of the restaurant is so fun, but this place was just kind of meh. And it was SUPER cold outside and we were seated next to the door, so that became very annoying anytime someone would open the door and we would freeze for a few seconds.
I wouldn’t be opposed to going back, but when it’s up to me, I’ll probably choose a more authentic place. Oh and I just saw another review that said they had a buffet… that would definitely be worth checking out if I were ever around for that.

I went there again, because my friend had a gift certificate. The food was OK, but the service was so bad it ruined the entire experience. We got there ten minutes before they closed for the lunch hour and were entirely prepared to go to a different restaurant if necessary. The hostess was really sweet and told us we were still in time for lunch, and it wasn’t a problem at all.
The waitress was a different story. She seemed to hate either us or her own life. She was pretty hostile about everything, so we got the buffet instead of offering off the menu so it would be less work for her. I’ve been here before, and I remember them having a lot of special teas and lassis, so when she asked me what I wanted to drink, I asked for a menu. She angrily said, «We only serve Coke fountain drinks.» I didn’t want a Coke fountain drink, and she clearly did not want to bring me a menu, so I just asked for water. She then proceeded to tell me about one kind of tea they have and also the mango lassi. I still don’t understand why she couldn’t bring me a menu.
This woman, specifically, ruined our lunch experience so much that I downgraded it to two stars. It should really be three stars for food and one star for service. The average, two stars, means I’ll never eat here again unless someone else is buying and really has their heart set on eating here.

My taste buds heart Clay Pit.
The Goods:
Pita Chips and Dips: Free. You get three sauces to dip your chips in. Awesomeness.
Samosas: We ordered the combo, one chicken, one veggie: both yummy.
King Fisher: Indian Beer. It’s a lager with great flavor.
Mango Margarita: It was on the rocks and tasty.
Tin Baar Sampler: We ordered the chicken sampler, and it came with three sauces; tikka masala, cream of garlic, and cream of spinach. Mmmmm.
Grilled Jumbo Shrimp: HUGE and scrumptious.
Naan: Free with the meal. We ordered the garlic Naan, so we would be safe from vampires during dinner.
I have been to Clay Pit twice, and both times the food has been outstanding. On Wednesday nights, they’ve got a guy with a sitar playing live. I dig the live sitar music while I drink my King Fisher beer and munch on samosas. The prices are on the high side, but you do get a plate full of food, Naan, and chips and dips.
Play that funky music, sitar man.